Former student-athletes extend the MSUM culture of care

When Tobias Boegel arrived at Minnesota State Moorhead from Germany, he came to chase an opportunity. As an international student-athlete, he embraced every challenge in front of him, competing in both football and track and field while earning his degree in health and medical sciences. Along the way, he met fellow Dragon and track and field athlete Rachael, and together they built a foundation that would shape not only their future—but the lives of countless others.

Years later, the businesses they've built are thriving. But ask Tobias and Rachael where their story truly began, and they won't start with entrepreneurship.

They'll start at MSUM.

"The combination of support from coaches, professors, teammates and the university community taught us discipline, resilience, leadership, and the importance of investing in other people," Rachael said. "Those lessons have had a lasting impact on how we lead our businesses and serve our community."

As student-athletes, balancing practices, competitions, coursework and everyday life wasn't always easy. It required discipline, time management, and perseverance—qualities that would become defining characteristics long after graduation. "With discipline and work ethic, you learn how to make it all work," Tobias said. "Maximizing my potential at MSUM helped me carry those lessons with me long after school was done."

For Rachael, learning to manage competing priorities prepared her for a life of leadership. "Learning how to manage my time as a student-athlete was pivotal," she said. "I still rely on those skills every day." But the greatest lesson wasn't about managing busy schedules. It was about people.

The Boegels say the encouragement they received from coaches, professors, and teammates created an environment where they felt genuinely known, supported and challenged to become the best versions of themselves. That culture of mentorship inspired the way they now lead others. "We're trying to pay forward what was invested in us," Rachael said. "The care and mentorship we experienced academically and through track and field inspired us to create that same culture of care for the people we serve today."

Today, that mission comes to life through CrossFit Unitas—which will soon add Unitas Athletics, an additional space to expand into traditional strength training—and Fargo Horizon FC. While they own a gym and a youth soccer academy, the Boegels are quick to point out that neither exists simply to build a business. Their purpose is to help people build healthier, stronger lives.

At CrossFit Unitas, they coach adults toward lasting health by creating an environment rooted in accountability, encouragement and community. Every personal victory—whether it's gaining strength, improving confidence, or simply feeling healthy enough to keep up with children or grandchildren—represents something much bigger. "We've always wanted to do big things, not just for ourselves, but for others," Tobias said. "Getting to watch our community develop a passion for being healthy and then bringing in their families is the most important part of what we do."

That ripple effect extends far beyond the gym.

The couple believes healthier parents create healthier families because children learn by watching the adults in their lives. When parents prioritize their own well-being, they're modeling habits that can last for generations.

That same philosophy shapes Fargo Horizon FC. For the Boegels, youth sports are about much more than winning games. They're about helping young athletes develop confidence, resilience, character, and a lifelong love of movement—lessons that reach well beyond the soccer field. It's the same approach their coaches took with them at MSUM.

Looking back, the Boegels see a direct line between the investment others made in them as Dragons and the investment they now make in their own community. The lessons learned through practices, competitions, classrooms, and relationships didn't end with graduation. They became the blueprint for lives centered on serving others.

Every athlete encouraged. Every family strengthened. Every child who discovers confidence through sport. Those moments are part of the legacy that began at Minnesota State Moorhead. For Tobias and Rachael, MSUM wasn't simply where they earned degrees or met each other. It was where they discovered the kind of leaders—and people—they wanted to become.