When NOCCO and CrossFit Invictus announced their plan to offer a “Rise and Perform Scholarship” for the 2025 season, Miki Huguet, Senior Brand Manager from NOCCO, was uncertain about the reaction they would receive.
- “We didn’t know how many people would apply. We were most shocked about the number of international athletes who applied — Brazilians, English, Italians, and more,” Huguet elaborated in an interview with the Morning Chalk Up.
“The ask is very big for someone to move to San Diego,” Huguet continued, “so we didn’t know what to expect.”
Remind Me
The Rise and Perform scholarship was created earlier this year to fuel and support young athletes who demonstrate intense dedication to CrossFit with the goal of competing at a high level.
- Huguet and CJ Martin, the founder and owner of Invictus, called for athletes aged 18-24 who wanted to chase their dreams in Southern California with the help of CrossFit Invictus and NOCCO.
Huguet received many applications, and at the end of October, he sat down and began perusing them. The caliber of applicants was high, and decisions were difficult.
- After an initial round of cuts, he sent four applications to Martin and Invictus so they could start their process.
Invictus dug deep into the applicants’ athletic backgrounds and success, looking at their Open rankings and competition experience.
They selected two finalists.
- “Both were great athletes, had beautiful recommendation letters from their coaches, and fantastic videos of them introducing themselves,” Huguet described. “They both had a wonderful story or something interesting to share that we enjoyed on the video.”
Huguet and Martin knew that a big decision could not be made solely based on a video and written application, so the final two athletes were flown to San Diego to train with the Invictus athletes so the panel could make its final decision.
The Final Interviews
Before they even arrived in San Diego, both finalists were incredibly grateful for the experience of a lifetime: being able to travel to Southern California and train with some of the best. Once they landed, the finalists headed straight to Invictus to start training and meet the crew.
Huguet knew the team was onto something special when they jumped in head first.
- “One of the best parts is that the team at Invictus was so excited about this that everyone showed up. Everybody in town came — Dani Speegle, Lauren Fisher, and Brittany Weiss were all part of the workout. All of the Invictus athletes were so stoked to meet the finalists.”
That excitement reverberated through the walls of Invictus. Over the next few days, there were meals together, more training sessions, and plenty of opportunities for everyone to get to know the finalists and also for the finalists to have a chance to process what life in San Diego could look like.
They discussed goals, and with feedback from multiple parts of the Invictus team, a winner emerged.
Landon Cooper – Rise and Perform Scholarship 2025 Recipient
Landon Cooper, a firefighter in training from Las Vegas, NV, will move to San Diego on Jan. 2, 2025, to accept the Rise and Perform Scholarship.
Cooper was a natural when he was visiting and integrated immediately into the Invictus team.
Winning the scholarship means so much to Cooper.
He describes it:
- “It is such an incredible honor. It validates the hard work and dedication I’ve poured into my training and personal growth while motivating me to push even further. It’s not just about the recognition—it’s about the opportunity to represent what’s possible through determination and resilience,” Cooper told the Morning Chalk Up.
If you had told Cooper one year ago that he would be training next to Sam Dancer and Lauren Fisher, he would have called you crazy. However, the Rise and Perform Scholarship will foster not just athletic growth but also personal growth.
This aspect of the opportunity is not lost on Cooper.
- “This experience will allow me to refine my skills, expand my perspective, and connect with a community of like-minded individuals who share my passion. Ultimately, I want to use this platform to inspire others to chase their goals fearlessly,” he shared.
Cooper is ready to begin immediately, has already picked out an apartment in San Diego, and has even started moving a few items.
- “I’m ready to immerse myself in this journey, embrace every challenge, and learn from the experience. Going into every day with an intent to get better not only as an athlete but as a human,” Cooper said.
“This scholarship provides a unique opportunity to unlock my potential in ways I’ve only dreamed of, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me,” he concluded.
We will check in with Cooper throughout 2025 to hear about his journey!
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Featured image: Julio Areas, @areas_51 / Instagram
