Hamilton Member of the Month for June 2026 Steph Cahill
Tell us about yourself
Alchemy member since November 2021. Work as a Registered Dietitian at McMaster Children’s Hospital, helping children and teenagers to manage acute and chronic health conditions. Single mom to two teenagers, who are 16 and 18 years old. Played competitive volleyball for many years. At my peak, I played on the varsity team at Western. In 1998, our team won the OUA championship against the powerhouse U of T, on our home court, qualifying Western for its 1 st national championship appearance in 25 years! Lived in the North West Territories from ages 7-12 and had the unique experience of being a Caucasian minority among the Inuit people.
What got you into CrossFit?
Getting into CrossFit was a happy accident! During the pandemic, I developed some unhealthy habits. I had gained weight and my body was starting to hurt. I was walking regularly but I knew it wasn’t enough. At that time, Alchemy had a location on Locke St (in the previous Ore space). In November 2021 I convinced my friend Jacquie (also a member) to join with me. The classes were small and we used dumbbells, not barbells, so it was a great place to start. In May 2022, the Locke St location became Ore so a core group of us from Locke St made the leap to the “big” gym together. Today you can still find all six of us working out at Alchemy! Shout out to Sara Beck, Rebecca Lunsted, Chelsey Zelinski, Chelsea Kirkby, and Jacquie Elliott Books <3
What do you like about Alchemy?
The community at Alchemy is amazing! You will find people from all walks of life, in every shape and size, with a varying range of abilities. Coaches help to hone technique and offer alternative movements when needed which I have benefited from many times. There are always fun events planned for members, whether it’s a bus trip to a Ticat game, friendly competitions (Regatta), or events for a cause, like WOD’s for Wishes to support Make a Wish Foundation.
What has been your proudest moment at Alchemy?
My proudest moment was reaching 500 classes. It felt like a measuring stick to how far I have come, despite needing to modify sometimes, despite injuries, and despite the ups and downs of life. Other proud moments were being the 6am Early Bird award winner, and the Nutrition Challenge winner several years ago.
What are your CrossFit goals for the future?
My goal is to show up, be consistent and keeping doing CrossFit as I age.
If you could design the perfect workout, what would it include?
My perfect workout would be a partner workout. That way, no matter what the workout is I would have someone to encourage and push me and vice versa.
What's the biggest change you've seen in yourself since you started CrossFit?
The biggest benefit has been to my mental health. I have been a single parent for many years and for a lot of that time it was hard to carve out time for myself. Coming to Alchemy has given me an outlet to manage stress, get out my frustrations, and be a more grounded and patient parent as I help my kids navigate life.
When you're not at the gym, what's your favourite thing to do?
Morning walks and coffee, puzzles, and country drives with my kids.
What’s your favourite local Hamilton food spot?
I have been enjoying Durand Coffee recently. Have you tried their almond croissants?!