Meet Dominique Stasulli

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Stasulli.

Hi Dominique, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to today?
I grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania’s coal region where I learned that opportunities could be found wherever you lay down your work ethic. I was raised in a blue-collar family of carpenters and teachers with military service and coal mining in my grandparents’ and great-grandparents’ generation. I am so grateful for the family values instilled in me from childhood, including hard work, responsibility, respect/manners, service to others, kindness, and generosity; these principles are the foundation upon which I have built the rest of my life and my business. My upbringing was far from that of privilege, but I always felt so grateful to be surrounded by thoughtful and generous human beings along the way. I earned my successes through high school, college, and then medical school with a strong drive toward mastery and achievement but was missing my sense of purpose until I traveled abroad to several developing countries for medical volunteer work. My perspective and worldview shifted when I realized how grateful and happy these people were, despite living in abject poverty by our [Western] standards. I returned to the U.S. with a sense of profound sadness for all we may take for granted in this life, especially our community, and a sense of purpose to impact people’s lives on the ground level. These experiences led me to leave medical school and pursue a career in both academia and athletic coaching; in pursuing these complementary paths, I could educate future health care professionals on the disparities across the globe and help individuals take care of their health and fitness proactively. I love what I do, and I’m so thankful for the community I have found/built along the way.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced?
I would not say that my path has been a smooth one. I’ve made several hard lefts that completely changed my life and career. Some of these decisions meant leaving something unfinished (i.e., medical school, Ph.D. program, relationships), but all of them felt right in the moment, and now I can see how I was clearly in search of the thing(s) that brought me a sense of meaning and purpose. I have dealt with my fair share of anxiety and depression, sometimes scraping by and other times thriving despite it, but my general outlook on life is that challenges are placed in front of us as opportunities for growth, and I choose to be vulnerable and lean into them.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I currently teach anatomy/physiology and pathophysiology to mostly pre-nursing students for a few community colleges in Colorado. I also run my endurance and strength coaching business [Zeal Endurance Coaching] for competitive amateur and recreational athletes, local to Boulder, CO, and remote. I have experience coaching various levels/ages and sports but specialize in run biomechanics and performance at all distances. My master’s degree is in Kinesiology: Sports Conditioning. I’m an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, so I love to combine science with the art of coaching in the field. I aim to build durable and engaged athletes with the process and foster strong relationships with them that transcend beyond athletics. I care deeply about my athletes as humans, and I have a boundless curiosity that drives my hunger to constantly learn and grow personally and professionally.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
In 2016, I packed everything I could fit into my tiny car, my dog copiloting in the passenger seat, and drove 1700 miles across the country with a healthy dose of ambition to create the life I wanted in Colorado. I had no permanent place to live nor a job lined up, but plenty of optimism and grit to win the day. I don’t believe growth comes without vulnerability to risk and uncertainty, but I know that the reward is excellent where the risk is high. I would not be where I am today had I not taken many risks or leaps of faith, having had the courage to take chances and knowing that, at the very least, I’d learn something about myself along the way. As a lifelong athlete, I consider risks a prerequisite to progress and to develop grit, which can lead you to success. Risk-taking is a lifestyle for me, a means of learning, growth, exhilaration, and the challenge of being outside my comfort zone, just where I like to be!

Contact Info:

• Email: dee@zealendurancecoaching.com
• Website: www.zealendurancecoaching.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/zealendurancecoaching

Image Credits
For blue jacket pictures only: Nicole Bush Media for Training Block