Sherman Merricks

Sherman Merricks Is Everything He ever Wanted To Be

Story by: Jacki Donaldson

Sherman Merricks’ mother, a single mom who worked tirelessly to raise Sherman and his younger sister, told her kids when they were young that despite their disadvantaged background, they could do anything. Sherman, now 35 years old and the founder and owner of Gainesville’s Dynasty CrossFit, believed his mom. “I latched onto what she told me,” Sherman said. “I am now everything I wanted to be and more.”

Sherman, originally from Winter Haven, Florida, was not always sure what he wanted to do with his life. After graduating from Southeastern University (a small, private Christian college in Lakeland), where he played basketball for four years, he and his wife, Cristina, wanted a change of location.

In 2005, the father of one of Sherman’s teammates invited the young couple to visit him in Gainesville, where he served as a pastor at The Rock Church. Sherman and Cristina liked what they saw, and they made Gainesville their home. Employment followed, and Sherman worked in an administrative job for a while. But he found himself unsatisfied and continually looking for the right professional path. “I kept searching for what was going to be my career,” he said. “And I knew it was not going to be in an office.”

Sherman’s career was destined to be in a gym. But first, it was in his garage. One of Sherman’s Gainesville buddies introduced him to CrossFit workouts, and knowing that Sherman was miserable in his job and had worked as a fitness trainer in college, he encouraged his friend to open a CrossFit box (CrossFit centers are called boxes because they resemble a box made of cement walls that contain bars, weights, and ropes).

“With that seed planted, each day at work was more miserable than the day before,” Sherman said. To test his buddy’s idea, Sherman began training folks before and after work at parks around town. When balancing two jobs became too much to manage, Sherman shared with Cristina that he wanted to leave the office job and pursue training fulltime.

“We made it official and opened up shop in our garage,” he said. Sherman’s first clients were Cristina’s friends. “In the beginning, we had only women,” Sherman said. “And we still have a strong female presence.”

After a year of growing his at-home business via word of mouth, Sherman realized he needed a bigger location. He first rented space at Sun Country’s Millhopper gym, and then he moved into his current 5,000 square-feet space at 3737 SW 42nd Avenue, conveniently located off of I-75, where he has spent the last four years.

Dynasty CrossFit, which earned its name from Sherman’s desire to one day have several locations (like a dynasty), is 8 years old, and Sherman is thankful that he started his business when he did. Eight years ago, Gainesville only had two or three CrossFit boxes; now, Sherman counts about 13. “Back when I got started, opening a gym was easier,” he said. “I got in at a good time and just had to pay a minimal fee up front to be my own boss.”

Now that CrossFit is mainstream, the already difficult start-up process is more challenging. Starting a new venture can be terrifying, and being a small business owner can be tough. “In the beginning, I did not have a lot of knowledge, confidence, or money,” Sherman said. “I was putting in 16-hour days.” Still, Sherman never doubted that he was making the right move. “I am super positive and a big dream guy,” he said. “Even when things get tough, I just cannot quit.”