CrossFit Show Open Draft Episode with Denise Thomas Offers Affiliate Playbook

The CrossFit Show episode "Open Draft," published January 15, 2026, paired hosts James and Chase with guest Denise Thomas to give coaches and athletes a playbook for turning the Open into a well-run, community-first event. The show balanced lighthearted elements - draft-style punishments and week-by-week predictions - with step-by-step discussion focused on logistics, judging, and ways to gamify participation to boost turnout and retention.

Denise Thomas joined the conversation to drill into judge preparation and event flow, offering concrete guidance for affiliates that want to run the Open like a mini competition rather than a collection of solo scores. The episode addressed judge clinics, clear standards of performance for common Open movements, and ways to brief athletes so warm-ups and attempts move smoothly. That emphasis on consistency matters because clean judging reduces disputes, speeds heats, and keeps members coming back.

Practical choices for affiliates featured heavily. The hosts and guest explored team-draft formats that let boxes split talent, encourage social ties, and maintain competitiveness across divisions. They discussed heat scheduling strategies to avoid bottlenecks, ideas for rotating judges to limit fatigue and bias, and methods to handle scaling and RX divisions without slowing the timeline. These operational points are aimed at making the Open a community event where athletes cheer for teammates and newer members get a safe, structured first Open experience.

Entertainment elements were not left off the table. James and Chase used draft punishments and predictions to create engagement hooks that affiliates can adapt - think house rules that are fun without undermining fair play. Those gamified bits serve a dual purpose: they increase sign-ups and give members reasons to show up consistently across the five weeks of the Open.

For coaches, the episode functions as a blueprint: invest time in judge education, set and publish movement standards, create heat rotations that match equipment and space, and use team formats to lower the barrier for newcomers. For athletes, the guidance translates into a more predictable, enjoyable Open where score integrity and community spirit are both priorities.

The CrossFit Show episode is a timely reminder that the Open can be more than a leaderboard; with a little planning it becomes a retention tool, a recruiting event, and a showcase for community culture. Affiliates that adopt even a few of the episode’s operational tips can expect smoother sessions, fewer judge calls, and a livelier Open floor as the season unfolds.