Nobody cares about your fitness as much as we do

I was not a particularly active kid. I played sports in relatively non-competitive leagues and didn’t excel at anything physical. I graduated from St. Andrews School, advancing to Armstrong Atlantic State University. It is there that I found my passion for exercise. What started as an outlet for physical expression grew into a passion for learning. I knew it was important, I just didn’t know how.

I found CrossFit in early 2013 as I was graduating college with a Bachelors in Public Health Suddenly everything made sense. It sounds cliche to label it a “calling,” but that’s exactly what it was. CrossFit was my purpose.

Since then, I have coached over 15,000 classes, and coached athletes through close to two dozen CrossFit/powerlifting/weightlifting competitions. I’ve been involved in every possible element of CrossFit from organizing competitions all the way down to spreading the good word of Greg Glassman door-to-door.

I’ve been a lead trainer, programmer, and coach since 2013.

CrossFit has given my two biggest values an avenue to thrive. The opportunity to create meaningful change in others, CrossFit changes lives, and to facilitate that change is an incredible privilege.

The other being the limitless potential for learning. What use to be hours wasted finding answers to the millions of random questions in my head, gave my curiosity a sense of direction.

In September 2022, I obtained my CF-L3 further perpetuating the belief that CrossFit is where I’m supposed to be in life.

I’m also probably the only CrossFit trainer you know that has defended CrossFit to a total stranger in a bar argument. Don’t knock it until you try it. Once you try it, it will change your life.

Growing up, I was not particularly active. I played no sports. I participated in no physical activities and you could find me in the nurses office with a runny nose and a “fever” trying to get out of PE. Fitness, exercise, physical exertion…not my thing. To be 100% truthful, it still isn’t my favorite thing to do with my time.

I found CrossFit in a unique way. I wasn’t looking for myself. I was a caregiver to my husband at the time who suffered from a Traumatic Brain Injury and months in a coma. Insurance had run out, he still couldn’t walk and I was looking for a miracle. For anyone and anything that could help. He needed training. Strength. Functional strength training. All of this googling led me to CrossFit.

I called and set up a meeting with a gym in town. Wheelchair. Can’t walk. Can’t always understand him. Can’t get up off the ground. Fall risk. The list goes on.

But they were in.

We started personal training 5 days a week. It was CrossFit. The first day was deadlifts and I was panicked, naturally.

Fast forward a few months and there was no more wheelchair. He was walking. Talking. Lifting. Brought back to life. By CrossFit.

In the pursuit of saving his life, I realized mine needed saving as well.
I started CrossFit and was often found crying in the corner lifting or rowing by myself. Things were moving in my life. Things that as a caregiver, you’re really not capable of feelings.

I chose myself and ventured out on my own knowing that he would be okay without me. He had his family and I needed to rediscover myself.

CrossFit brought me back to life and it was a whole new world for me.

I met my husband Trent and he is about as CrossFit as it gets. Witnessing his passion for the sport ignited my own passion in the totality of what CrossFit can do for people.

It saved my life and I really wanted it to save others.

Opening River Drive CrossFit together was a no-brainer. It was almost unacceptable not to. I am brought to tears at the life change that happens every day in our doors. The high-fives, the cheers, the friendships forged and the confidence built.

Bringing CrossFit to savannah and leveraging our business to create a positive impact in the community and the lives of our members is the single most rewarding aspect of what we do.

CrossFit uses functional fitness to give people a longer, healthier, happier life.

I am a testament to that.

I wasn’t athletic as a kid, I played no sports, and made it on zero teams in school. I preferred to stay in during recess and read. When I went to college I played a lot of intramural sports and to my surprise, I really enjoyed them! But that still didn’t mean I was athletic or particularly good at them. I enjoyed to community and the fun of it all.

I graduated from Mercer University with a Bachelors in Spanish and a minor in Art. Again, no athletics around! After college, I taught English in Thailand to about 140 elementary school students for a year. I have always thrived working with kids and loved getting to experience a new culture.

When I got back from Thailand, my sister had started working at a CrossFit gym in town and wouldn’t stop talking about it. (Like most CrossFitters) But I still wasn’t sold. And I didn’t start or even attempt to try CrossFit until months later. After constant convincing from my sister, and a rocky first attempt where I didn’t even make it through the warmup, I decided to give it a real shot. To my surprise again, I was hooked! I loved being able to do all of the cool things that I saw people doing and couldn’t wait to do learn more.

When Danielle and Trent opened their own gym I couldn’t wait to be involved. I already loved kids and CrossFit, so why not put them together! I started a CrossFit Kids program that I planned, programmed, and coached myself.

On top of coaching I went back to school at Georgia Southern and enrolled in their accelerated Nursing Program, graduating with my Bachelors in Nursing and obtaining my RN-BSN in 2022. I currently work in the Pediatric Specialty Unit at Memorial Health University Children’s Hospital.

In 2023, I’ve been coaching CrossFit classes for 3 years and obtained my CF-L2 over the summer.

I love watching people do things in CrossFit that they never thought possible. CrossFit makes people feel strong and encouraging athletes in their fitness journey is my favorite part of being a Coach.

I grew up in Miami, Florida playing tennis, and dabbling in just about every sport. I hold a Masters in Speech-Language Pathology from The University of Florida, with a B.A. in Communication Sciences and Disorders, and specialize in pediatrics.

After a decade of running, I got bored with my fitness routine and began dabbling again, this time with a stroller in tow as a new mom. CrossFit was instant love, and 10-ish years later, I’m still just as pumped for a fast-paced metcon!

You’ll find me most mornings at River Drive, petting a gym dog, seeking taste-testers for my latest baking experiment, and singing along to 90s rap playlists!

As a mom of two daughters, it is so important that they understand how beautiful and empowering it is to be strong. The opportunity to further spread that message of confidence in your skin, and pushing beyond what you think your body is capable of to achieve goals is what drives me as a coach!

For the first couple years of my athlete experience, my goal was simply to have fun. I’m so grateful to the amazing coaches I’ve had along the way who made CrossFit fun, but also motivated me to think big, in and out of the gym. Now I hope to do the same for others.

Originally born and raised in Arizona, I immersed myself in various sports during my youth and into high school; including baseball, basketball, football, and lacrosse, which ignited my lifelong enthusiasm for physical activity and competition.

Continuing my pursuit of knowledge, I enrolled at Arizona State University, where I studied History while also participating in the esteemed Army ROTC program. Graduating as a Second Lieutenant in 2015, I embarked on an incredible adventure at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where I undertook the rigors of flight school and emerged as a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot. My military career led me all over the world including Kansas, Turkey, Germany, Alabama and finally Savannah, Georgia.

Fueling my passion for fitness and my desire to inspire and guide others, I found myself drawn to CrossFit. I attended the CrossFit Level 1 course in October of 2022 and began my coaching career shortly after.

Today, I strive to be a dedicated coach, leveraging my background, athletic acumen, and unwavering commitment to empowering our community.

I was always active as a kid beginning with swim team, horseback riding, basketball and competitive cheerleading. I began CrossFit in 2013 at my dads gym in Travelers Rest, South Carolina with my brother and sister. I graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science in 2019 and received my CF-L1 in January of 2020.

I coached CrossFit for 2 years at Iron Bridge CrossFit in Charleston. This past may I graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina with my Doctorate in Physical Therapy.

I fell in love with CrossFit because it showed me how powerful my body is and redefined how I see myself. It’s no longer about the number on my clothing. I’m more proud of the weight I can put on the bar and how well I move.

I love coaching CrossFit because I’m addicted to seeing people push past barriers. Whether it’s being intimidated to take the first step or gaining a new skill, I love helping people become better and feel better.