Today we’d like to introduce you to Kamila Zaidieh.
Kamila, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Sports saved my life. Not track and field itself, but the accountability that it required from me. Like a lot of people, I had to “grow up quick”. Being on a team, developing as a competitor, setting goals and grinding consistently- all of that saved me from being complacent, it showed me more opportunities. One of my coaches took me in at about 14 years old and that level of commitment showed me I was worth pouring into and was a turning point in my self-confidence.
My love for sports grew me into a college athlete, a coach, a sports performance specialist and an advocate for fitness at the community level. I created Compound Training to help individuals grow as athletes- Mentally & Physically. Strength & Conditioning allows me to develop athletes across all sports and skill levels. I also get to work with individuals and educate the community about fitness and healthy lifestyles.
Growing up in Detroit came with so many life lessons, one of the most important for me was discipline. If you discipline yourself mentally you can accomplish more physically, and vice versa. As a coach and trainer this is at the heart of my philosophy.
To be honest it took a while for me to put myself out there in the world this way. I went to school for Business Administration and Strategic Communication and work full-time in Technology. Sports Performance is a different field I’ve dedicated myself to outside of university studies. I’ve learned and worked along some of the best and I continue to learn because I want to be the best.
I’m not sure if I’m the only person that’s been told “you can’t do both”, being a business owner allows me to combine both worlds, business/communication and sports performance. Now, whenever I think about being told to “pick one” I think about Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders who were known for being great at two things. They didn’t allow others to make them settle for just one, I’m not going to either.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The journey has NOT been pretty, but it has been worth it. Women in the sports industry face challenges every step of the way. It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete, coach, agent, executive, referee, athletic director, journalist- you deal with stereotypes, glass ceilings, pay gaps, you name it. Not only that, I think coaches go through tremendous growth and when that happens it can seem like a hurdle is in front of you.
There were times where I was so frustrated and unsatisfied with myself. I went home wondering “did I make a difference that day”, or “did I help my athletes get better.” Now I understand those days were some of the most important days. Those were the days where I was the teacher AND the student, I have learned so much about coaching and mentoring from my athletes and I am forever grateful for that.
Please tell us about the company.
Compound Training is dedicated to helping individuals become the best versions of themselves through effective and sound training. Most importantly, we work with our clients to develop a mindset that will bring them success in and out of sports. We specialize in sports performance and work with athletes across all sports. We are most known for strength and technical development across track and field- sprints, hurdles and jumps. As a company we are most proud of our ability to progressively develop you physically and challenge you mentally- whether you’re a competitive athlete or a business professional that wants to train like one. People choose Compound Training because of the industry experience and science-based programming.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
It’s funny, I feel like I “start over” all the time. If I had to hit reset, I wouldn’t have been so afraid to fail. I think I approached things a lot slower because I thought I needed to look or sound a certain way to succeed. I also could have benefited by building a team early on. A mentor once told me ” You can do anything, but you can’t do everything.” I understand that having a team and outsourcing is a part of growth in business and allows you to spend your time doing what you do best.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.compoundxtraining.com
- Instagram: @kamilakingston_
Image Credit:
Gregory Photography
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