This Father's Day, GO Sleeves is honoring the exceptional all-star dads who embody strength, resilience, and dedication. These remarkable fathers seamlessly balance their roles as athletes and fathers, proving that greatness on the field translates to greatness at home. Whether they're training for a marathon, coaching a little league team, or pushing through the final rep in the gym, these dads demonstrate unwavering commitment and perseverance!
ERIK KOENIG
US Army Veteran, Ultramarathon Runner, & Father of 2
Being a dad and an athlete can be hard to balance, but it’s not impossible! Erik Koenig, former U.S. Army Veteran and ultramarathon runner, is setting an incredible example for dads everywhere.
"Thankfully I have a job that has super early hours. Before the kids were in school, I was able to incorporate them into my workouts. Now I’m able to fit in my workout in between work and when they get out of school, but they still enjoy sometimes coming with me on a run while riding their bikes, or get down and do push-ups with me. I always make time for them in the evenings, making dinner together and working on projects, or having Nerf gun battles. I really enjoy being a dad and experiencing the thrill of showing them new things."
"Whenever I have a race, they get sad because they normally won’t see me for a day or two sometimes three, but they have been at the finish line for many of them to greet me with a big hug. Being an athlete helps me show them you can work a job, and still be passionate about what makes you happy. The balance is probably the hardest part in all of this, but if you get it just right, everybody wins!"
JOSEPH GRAY
24-Time US Champion, 9-Time World Champion Trail Runner, Member of Team USA World Mountain Running Team, and DAD
How many people can say their father is in a National Hall of Fame? GO Sleeves Athlete and World Champion Runner Joseph Gray was inducted into the 2024 National Black Distance Running Hall of Fame on March 16th. What does being a father and accomplished athlete mean for Joseph and his family?
“Fatherhood and being an athlete go hand in hand. Through sports, my father taught me many valuable life lessons. I'm hoping that my example as a father/professional runner will also teach my children valuable lessons about life and how dedication, focus and consistency build character.”
ARON PARKER
CrossFit Athlete and Dad
Being a CrossFit competitor and a dad means a lot because both my girls both are athletes, one does CrossFit with me and they both do jiu-jitsu. Being a competitive CrossFit athlete, I am doing competitions, traveling all over, and having them there with me is incredible motivation for me to be my best in my sport, and I also love seeing them compete in their sport, watching them excel and go through adversity. As an athlete, it's incredible having daughters that support me as I compete, and I love watching them compete. It means the world to me and I am so grateful to be their dad!
Darren Lancaster & Roy Carrillo
GO Sleeves Founders and Girl Dads
This Father's Day, we celebrate Darren and Roy, the "dad-letes" behind GO Sleeves. Together, they keep every body in motion with their incredible mission and dedication to the brand.
Roy Carrillo
Father's Day. The title of being a "Father" means so much as I joined the party in 2001 when our first baby girl, Raya was born. It was life changing where I am now responsible for another human's well being while navigating through the challenges of whatever comes at you. It was so much fun, we doubled down in 2007 with our second daughter Amaya’s arrival. One of the most amazing memories as a dad was when Raya wanted to be in the hospital for her baby sister's arrival and could not wait to hold her and welcome her to the family. It gives you that satisfaction that you've created a family filled with love and affection. There are so many similarities with building the GO Sleeves family where we all learn from each other, nurture relationships, navigate and learn from whatever comes our way, and build trust knowing we have each other's back.
Darren Lancaster
For me, it's an honor to be a dad and nothing that I do in my life will be more important than my role as dad and the outcomes I can create with my kids. As a blended family, being a dad comes with unique blessings and opportunities. Interestingly, being a father and starting a new company are very similar endeavors: you never TRULY know what your child/business will be when they grow up for quite a few years, so there's a lot of unknowns. But if we knew everything in advance then the journey would be pretty boring!
Read more about how Darren and Roy started GO Sleeves to help keep every body in motion!
