Hi, I’m Matt Sullivan, your resident writer here at TeamGloster.
I grew up on the North Shore and have lived in Gloucester for years. Sports were a pretty big part of my life growing up, especially basketball at Gloucester High. Back then, staying in shape wasn’t something I thought about very much. You went to practice, played games and spent half your free time running around with your friends.
Then adulthood happened! My job got really busy all of a sudden. I didn’t have a coach breathing down my neck, reminding me I had practice at 3:30. Nobody was checking in to see if I was showing up to my workouts or not. And slowly but surely, exercise just kind of fell by the wayside – it was always something I was going to start again, but never actually did.
You can probably guess how that went.
The Basketball Game That Gave Me a Reality Check
It all began with a casual game of pickup basketball, and that’s where the concept of TeamGloster first took shape.
I was in my early 30s when a friend invited me to play basketball. Although it had been a while since I last played seriously, I still thought of myself as the same person who could effortlessly run up and down the court for hours. My mind hadn’t caught up with the fact that my body wasn’t as young as it used to be. I remembered the days when I could play all afternoon without getting tired, and I thought I could still do it. But as I started playing again, I realized that things weren’t quite the same.
Unfortunately, my lungs disagreed. About ten minutes into the game, I was completely gassed. Hands on my knees, sucking wind, wondering how the hell I had gotten this out of shape. At the same time, I noticed that there were older guys than me who were still actively playing on the court.
That bothered me.
Not because I needed to become some incredible athlete again… I just didn’t like the idea that I was already losing the ability to do things I’d always enjoyed. So I started working out again.
Figuring Out Fitness as an Adult
I started lifting weights regularly and did some running. I got back outside more often and rediscovered how many good places we have around Cape Ann to be active. And I started learning.
I’ve never been particularly interested in the fitness-influencer side of things. I’m definitely not waking up at 4 a.m. to take an ice bath, and there’s no way I’m bringing a food scale with me when I go out to dinner. I just wanted to be strong, healthy and capable of playing a basketball game without feeling like somebody needed to call an ambulance.
As I got deeper into fitness, I started to think that I wasn’t the only one who was struggling to get started and stay motivated – there were probably lots of others out there who were in the same situation as me.
Maybe you played sports growing up and fell out of shape. You’ve probably signed up for a gym membership a few times, but ended up not going back to any of them. Maybe you’re approaching 40 or 50 and suddenly realizing that staying strong is something you’re going to have to work at. Maybe you’re already fit and just searching for a new trail to run on or a different spot to work out.
That’s who I created TeamGloster for.
Why the Name “TeamGloster?”
The name goes back to what I liked about sports in the first place.
Being part of a team made it simple to stay active. You had a commitment to fulfill, a place to be, and people counting on you to show up. This made exercise feel more meaningful, as it wasn’t just about tracking calories on a treadmill, but about working together towards a common goal. It gave you a sense of responsibility and purpose, making it easier to stay motivated and engaged in physical activity.
Adult fitness can feel pretty solitary by comparison. I want TeamGloster to remind people of the good old days.
We are located in Gloucester, which means Cape Ann and the North Shore are a major focus for us. However, we also like to explore other parts of Massachusetts if we come across something interesting or noteworthy to share.
So you’re thinking about getting active, maybe finding a new spot to run in Beverly or checking out a gym in Cambridge to see what they have to offer. Or maybe you’re looking to boost your strength training, especially since you still enjoy playing basketball on the weekends (that’s great, by the way, it’s awesome that you’re staying active and doing something you love.) Whatever your goals are, it’s all about finding what works for you and having fun with it, whether that’s running, lifting, or shooting hoops.
If it gets ordinary people moving and staying active, then it’s worth considering.
What You’ll Find Here
TeamGloster is mainly about four things:
Strength & Training
Straightforward advice about getting stronger, building a workout routine and making progress without organizing your entire life around the gym.
Cape Ann Fitness
Local ideas for getting active around Gloucester, Rockport and the rest of Cape Ann.
Sports & Performance
Training advice for people who run, play basketball or participate in recreational sports and still have a little bit of that competitive streak left in them.
Massachusetts Gym Guides
Practical information about finding gyms, personal trainers and other fitness resources around Massachusetts.
A Quick Disclaimer
I love working out and staying active, but don’t take my advice as medical or professional guidance – I’m not a doctor, physical therapist, or personal trainer. When I’m writing about something that requires expertise I don’t have, I’ll look to qualified professionals and credible research rather than pretending I know everything.
I’ll share my own experiences with you, whether it’s trying out a new trail, visiting a facility, or learning something new on my own – I’ll let you know how it goes. The whole idea of TeamGloster is to make you feel like you’re getting tips from someone who really cares about fitness and has put in the time to learn about it. I don’t want to come across as someone who’s trying to force my opinions on you, saying there’s only one way to get in shape. That’s not what this is about. I want to share my knowledge with you and help you find a fitness routine that works for you, not try to convince you that my way is the only way.
Welcome to the Team
If there’s one thing I’ve learned since that humbling basketball game, it’s that staying fit gets harder when nobody is making you do it.
But as I’ve grown older, I’ve started to notice and appreciate things around Cape Ann that I never really paid attention to when I was younger. Lifting has become something I actually enjoy doing, and it’s made me realize how much I take my body’s abilities for granted. But now that I’m more aware of how things can change, I’ve become a lot more grateful for what my body can do, and I don’t think I’ll ever take that for granted again. It’s funny how life can change your perspective like that.
I’m excited to share my journey with you on TeamGloster, where I’ll be posting about all the new things I learn as I go along.
It might just inspire you to get moving as well.
Want to get in touch or have an idea for an article? Shoot me an email at matt@teamgloster.com. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!