Have you ever been listening to someone talk and have them randomly start doing pull ups while talking to you? Then maybe you’ve met Liberty’s athletic director, Danielle Zelinski.

I can tell you with complete confidence that Zelinksi is more passionate about fitness than anyone I have ever had the pleasure of talking to, and we are incredibly lucky to have someone so committed to Liberty’s athletic program.

During our fall season, Zelinksi volunteered her time to supervise the varsity volleyball team in the weight room before practice on Fridays. She had no reason to do this other than because she cared about the program and wanted to see the team succeed. 

It was during these training sessions that our team was able to see just how seriously she takes fitness–she always worked out with us, and I will never forget how impressed we all were when she started casually doing chin-ups while instructing us on the day’s workout.

Zelinksi’s hard work and passion for strength training, sports, and exercise in general translates to her work at Liberty. From what I’ve seen, she spends her days at Liberty engrossed in important phone calls or discussions with coaches and solving the million problems that occur within the sports department everyday, whether you know it or not. From sports transportation to recruiting head coaches, she’s always busy. 

So next time you see her eagerly cheering on one of Liberty’s sports teams, I encourage you to thank her for everything she does for Liberty and while you’re at it, ask for some tips with crossfit–I’m sure she would be happy to help.