Around eight years ago, mother-son duo Michele (“shell”) and Luccketta began Spartan racing. Luccketta was 13 years old and grieving his best friend, Jake, who had just died while shell was thick in the battle with stage four liver disease. “I started Spartan racing and doing things to try to stay alive,” she says. “I didn't know what to do for my son when his whole world collapsed, so I took him to a Spartan race.”
It was at that race that they discovered Luccketta’s talent for obstacle course racing. “He took off,” shell recalls, laughing. “He was really good at what he was doing and met me at the finish line.” When they got in the car after the race, shell remembers Luccketta saying, “Mama, we need this for all kids. Jake might still be alive.”
shell had prior experience in business, so they decided to start an obstacle course racing class in December 2018 for kids of all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and personalities. Their mission then and now is to empower youth and make them better people by giving them an outlet for healing and growth—a safe place to overcome obstacles and face their fears while having fun.
“Before long, we had our own facility donated by the community,” shell says, “and we are now sponsored by all the major race companies. Lionhearts is an official Spartan charity, and we remain totally free and all volunteers. Everything we do is free for the community, provided by the community, to serve the community.”
Participants of Lionhearts do community service once a month. “We give back to the community because the community has so beautifully given to us,” shell says. Powered by gratitude, they enjoy staying involved in the community and training kids to be the best they can be. “We don't train the kids to compete,” shell explains. “We train them to help, encourage, mentor, and train each other. We train them to have a good time, not to win races. They train to win as people.”
However, Lionhearts kids are still winning world championships and slaying the podiums. “Our youth of Lionhearts Fitness were the first in the world ever to have a relay team in the obstacle course racing world championships,” shell states, “and we serve thousands of youth worldwide and have over 75 pro athletes.”
Lionhearts continues to grow, having expanded to the point that they’re building a new facility. “The first thing we built was a memorial garden for Jake and all the youth we’ve lost since we started,” shell says. They continue honoring Jake’s memory through yearly celebrations and continuing the mission they’ve had since the beginning to help kids.
They currently offer classes in the afternoons during the school year, teen nights, adult nights, and summer camps. All totally free and made possible because of the generosity of their sponsors and community partners—including organizations like the Chattanooga Track Club, Willow Tree Farms, and other local companies.
For more information about Lionhearts, what they’re doing, and how to support their mission, visit LionheartsFitness.com and check out their social media: @LionheartsFitness on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.