On 24 March 1992 Dean Wrigley Jnr was brought into the world. He is the youngest of three children and isn’t scared to say that he is the favourite! He was born and bred in Secunda and with his worldwide travels still chooses to call Secunda home.
Dean’s fitness journey started when he was in Grade 9. He had Sport Science as a subject and his teacher, Mrs Boyley, told the class that they were unfit. Mrs Boyley was also an aerobics instructor at Sasol Gym. Mrs Boyley played a huge part in Dean’s fitness career.
Dean and a friend decided to join her class. Walking into a gym for the first time was terrifying for the two youngsters. “We did not know where to look. There was so much going on but as soon as we walked into the aerobics class, everything just synchronised. The sound of weights falling, people on treadmills, the electrifying music. It is indescribable the magic of a gym. Right there and then I knew this was where I belong.”
In Grade 10 he did his group fitness qualification through Fit Pro and the 4 November 2008 he hosted his first class. By the time he was in matric he was offered a full-time position at Sasol Gym.
As life would have it, in 2011 a few spanners were thrown into the works for Dean. These were told to me but we’ll keep that “off the record.” Even though a lot happened, it did not deter him to follow his dream of working on the ships (even though his ultimate dream was always to be cabin crew).
In the middle of 2011 Dean flew to London for 6 weeks of basic training. From there he set sail! His first experience on the boat led him to: Orlando – Nassau – Bahamas. The second boat sailed him to: Miami – Nassau – Jamaica – Cayman Islands. But even though he loved every moment and experience gained, there was still a hole in his heart which led him back to a permanent position at Sasol Gym in 2013.
Realising that he needs something to fall back on he started studying BCom Accounting and finished his clerkship at TVS Auditors but continued giving class at the gym. He soon realised that he is not cut out to sit in an office. This was the umpteenth time that he realised that fitness is his ultimate dream.
December 2017 Moove Motion Fitness opened. He started as a fitness trainer and today he is Regional Manager: Fitness for four clubs.
Even though his position keeps him busy he still instructs dance classes, Pilates and Aqua. He said that every class is a performance. “I always joke and say I’m working towards an Oscar. I always preach to other instructors that if you stand in front of the class, there is not a world outside of that classroom. If you have 10 members in your class, there are 10 different reasons why they are there. You are their escape for that hour.”
Except for his love of fitness, he has, in his own words, “a massive passion for human movement. It is fascinating to me how the body works.”
Another love Dean has is Netball. “It goes with my passion for human movement. It is such a strategic game and each player has to be extremely fit as each one has a role to play. I am a graded Action Sports Netball umpire and of my goals is to go to SAs and to be able to umpire at such a high level would be an honour.” – Ané Prinsloo
