When Jonathan Borrajo talks about his players he isn’t referring to teammates on the New York Cosmos B; he means his students. The professional soccer player also runs his own business, SoccerShape, a new soccer-inspired fitness company which recently expanded to Astoria.
“Soccer brings everybody together,” said Borrajo, who believes that what sets SoccerShape apart from your normal workout is the community that comes with it.
When every professional athlete retires, there is one particular thing they miss from their former career, according to Borrajo.
“They miss the locker room. They miss the camaraderie. They miss the team,” he said.
The love of the team is what pushes professional athletes to do their best during games or practice and is meant to push people at SoccerShape workouts. Studies have shown that working out in a group decreases stress levels and increases the average level of effort from participants. Nobody wants to let down their friends.
Borrajo and two friends he made while playing for Miami FC, Mason Trafford and Rhett Bernstein, were inspired to create the company after noticing how impersonal most gyms and fitnesses classes were in southern Florida. They wanted to give people the opportunity to not improve their physical health but also their mental health.
“We want it to be more than just a training session,” said Borrajo, who added that many of the “players” at SoccerShape become close friends.
Borrajo will frequently host post workout get-togethers in Long Island City and Astoria bars around the Upper 90 soccer field.
For more information about SoccerShape classes and hours in Astoria, visit https://www.soccershape.org/astoria.
