From her undefeated return to competition at Nationals to her unmatched team spirit on the sidelines, find out why former Argentine national team member Nerina is SoFlo Performance’s August Athlete of the Month.
August Athlete of the Month: Neri
Spend enough time around a sports team, and you quickly learn that some athletes contribute far more than what appears on a results sheet. Neri is one of those athletes. A former Argentine national team member and two-time World Championship competitor, she brings an impressive résumé to SoFlo Performance. But ask her teammates what makes her special, and her international experience probably won't be the first thing they mention. They will tell you about the jokes.
Neri is almost always joking at practice, though newcomers sometimes need a minute to realize her sharp comments are delivered with love. Her humor is quick, her personality is big, and it is difficult to imagine a SoFlo practice without her.
Then there is the mate. On rare cool South Florida evenings, Neri reliably arrives with mate to share. What began as a small gesture is now a team tradition. She doesn't just complete a workout and leave; she comes to be part of the team—to talk, laugh, encourage, and contribute. You can always count on her to show up early to do all this. Staying late, however, is another story.
That combination of competitiveness, humor, and community is exactly why Neri is SoFlo Performance's August Athlete of the Month.
A Competitor Returns
Long before joining SoFlo, Neri competed at an elite level in Argentina. She knows what high-level training feels like, what it takes to prepare for major races, and what it means to represent something bigger than yourself.
This summer, she added a new chapter to that career, returning to serious competition at the 2026 National Championships. Racing the Master B division track events, her instincts were unmistakable: she won every race she entered.
The sweep was an impressive result, but even more meaningful in the context of her return. Neri already knew the pressure of a national-level starting line. This wasn't about recreating an earlier version of herself; it was about discovering what her competitive drive looked like right now. The setting was different, and so was this chapter of her life, but the world-class competitor was still very much there.
The Voice From the Sidelines
Yet Neri's impact is just as clear when she isn't racing. Watch a teammate compete, and there is a good chance you will hear her before you see her—yelling encouragement, celebrating performances, and fully investing in their race, even if she mangles their name in the process.
That enthusiasm isn't reserved for our experienced competitors. If Neri arrives while a children's class is underway, she doesn't just wait on the sidelines. She steps in, organizes the kids, reinforces the coaches' instructions, and enthusiastically cheers for beginners learning skills she mastered decades ago.
She moves effortlessly between generations of skaters. She brings the experience of an international competitor without ever creating distance between herself and the beginner next to her. At SoFlo, she can be the former national-team athlete one moment, and the loudest supporter of a young skater the next.
Finding a Team Again
Her connection to the team also shows up in ways that have nothing to do with training. Neri has created her own SoFlo apparel, decorated her mate cup with the team logo, and fully embraced our identity. These small details tell a larger story: SoFlo is no longer just where she trains; it is a community she considers her own.
A successful program needs talented athletes and strong coaching, but community is built by the people who invest in one another. Neri has become one of those people.
Her undefeated return to Nationals deserves recognition, but so does everything between the races: the shared mate, the sideline cheering, the jokes that require a disclaimer for anyone new, and her genuine excitement for others' success. She brings personality to the group, but more importantly, she brings presence.
And, of course, she manages to do it all after arriving early, and before inevitably finding a reason to leave early.
For her competitive spirit, her National Championship sweep, and the unmatched energy she brings to our team, we are proud to recognize Neri as our August Athlete of the Month.
The medals tell one part of her skating story. The people sharing the track with her tell the rest.
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