Many speculate that Mike may have entered this world with a ball in hand, and a visible fierce competitive streak. In high school, he excelled in baseball, track & field (where he competed in Section Finals for Discuss), football (voted 1st co-MVP on the Section Champion team, and was invited to play on the Optimist All-Star game his senior year ’00). He went on to play college football at the University of San Diego, earning awards for Team Player and Academic Leader while obtaining a Bachelors in Business Administration. There he fell in love with the Strength & Conditioning program and realized his passion for the sport of fitness. While earning his Master’s in Business Administration from Arizona State University, he discovered CrossFit, a fitness lifestyle that encompasses all the elements of team sports he missed from his days as a competitive athlete: the camaraderie, the strength, the conditioning, and the competitiveness. His lifelong journey as an athlete culminated in 2009 when he co-founded FCCF and became a coach.
I CrossFit because it still gives me butterflies on a random Tuesday WOD. It keeps me on track for the lifestyle I want to live and complements my personality. I’m always able to compete, but with CF it goes beyond physical competition and usually I’m battling with myself or my weakness, which translates to my life outside of the box.
I Coach because I want to share the wealth with others. Everyone is an athlete! I believe health and wellness should be a priority in everyone’s life, no matter your circumstances or excuses. I want you to consistently choose to manage your fitness, and if you can do that in CF (life isn’t 3 sets of 10!) then I guarantee you will be able to do better in all other phases of your life.
If I were an ice cream, the flavor I would be is Cookies & Cream and Pistachio! Give me two scoops on a waffle cone, you can’t just go with one!
My favorite quotes are
“Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.” — Charles R. Swindoll
“The Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. Hard work is the price we must pay for success. I think you can accomplish anything if you’re willing to pay the price.” — Vince Lombardi
Nick is the elder statesman of the coaches at FCCF. He is a father, husband, provider, coach and an advocate of health and wellness. He has lived in Folsom since 1982. He excelled at sports as a kid and earned All-League and All-Metro honors in baseball at Folsom High School. Nick’s baseball career ended early in college at UC Davis where he earned a B.A. in Political Science. He has worked for nearly 10 years in the pharmaceutical industry. He strives to be fit and healthy to ensure he’s able to provide for his wife and two kids.
I CrossFit because I like a competitive environment that challenges me and others to do more. I like a diverse fitness program and the idea of workout routines bores me. “Be good at everything and an expert at nothing.”
I Coach because I’m proud of what CrossFit has done for me and I’m inspired by the amazing feats of fitness that CrossFitters achieve. Coaching is incredibly gratifying. Helping others achieve and exceed their goals motivates me to learn more and share with others. FCCF is my home away from home. If I were an ice cream, the flavor I would be is Chocolate of course…because you can’t get enough of it. Just ask my wife.
My favorite quote is
“Luck is where hard work and opportunity meet.” — Seneca
Brennan grew up in the area and started playing competitive sports in second grade. His love and passion for being part of a “team” drove him to continue his athletic pursuits through college. He received a scholarship to play Football at West Virginia Wesleyan College and made all-conference as an Inside linebacker, oh yeah…and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He has always loved to exercise and build his body which probably started around 8th flexing in the mirror). Mike, Stephen and Brennan all took their first Crossfit class together back in 2008 and the rest is history. He was a member of the first Fundamentals class at Folsom City Crossfit which was outdoors! He was certified as a Level 1 trainer in 2011 and has been coaching since. Outside the box…he enjoys getting outdoors, snowboarding, the beach, traveling, cruising his longboard and taking his dog Lilly down to Lake Natoma. Brennan loves to learn, he believe it’s a lifelong pursuit, and is very interested in philosophy, nutrition and holistic medicine.
I CrossFit because people at the gym all wear head phones and get mad if you say hello. We as a society have gotten away from community and that’s what always attracted me to sports and athletics. I initially liked Crossfit because of how challenging it was and the results it provided, I have always loved to push myself and compete but this has transitioned to the love of simply dropping sweat with great people and doing something positive together as a community.
I Coach because of the vibe and the tribe, we love to have fun as well as push ourselves at the same time. We celebrate the eclectic group that we have at our gym. What I love most about coaching is seeing people transform to becoming happier, healthier and achieving personal goals. I like to see people push through fear and limiting beliefs, the body is capable of amazing things.
If I were an ice cream, the flavor I would be is Bubble Gum…sweet overall but a different surprise in each gumball!
My favorite quotes are
“Don’t talk about it, be about it!” — Unknown (Stephen Camozzi?)
“When the power of love is greater than the love of power the world will know peace.” — Jimi Hendrix
Liane has always been competitive by nature, participating in track and field and volleyball in middle school and high school. While obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree from Sac State, she remained active and worked out regularly, but found herself wanting more of a challenge. In 2010 she joined friends Mike, Stephen and a few others on a middle school track one Saturday morning for a CrossFit workout. She was instantly hooked, and has been with the guys ever since. Liane went on to get her Level One Certification in 2012. Liane is often referred to as a Social Butterfly. She loves to explore, adventure, preferably outside, and tries to maximize her “free” time. If she’s not working or CrossFitting, you will most likely find her with friends or outside in the sunshine.
I CrossFit because there are so many reasons! I love every aspect of this sport; the competition, the constant challenge, the community, the intensity, the results. CrossFit has improved every aspect of my life; not only am I the fittest and strongest I have ever been physically, but also mentally and emotionally. I Coach because it is so rewarding to help others reach their goals, to inspire them to push a little further, to be there to tell them that they can do it. The “work hard, play hard and have fun” culture of FCCF is what I live for. It’s not just “workout and leave” for us. We encourage healthy, fit lifestyles with an emphasis on having a great time both in and outside of the box.
If I were an ice cream, the flavor I would be is Jamoca Almond Fudge – classic, sweet, slightly bold, a little nutty with ribbons of pure awesomeness and sheer joy!
My favorite quotes are
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is more people who have come alive.” — Howard Thurman
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Brandon started coaching at FCCF in November 2013. He has a background in many different sports ranging from golf to rugby. He played football and rugby throughout high school and continuous to play recreational sports today. He is an Army Veteran with a background in leadership and training soldiers. He has a degree in Sports and Health Sciences, and a Level One CrossFit Trainer Certification. His passion for fitness is evident in his desire to not only continue his education but to also pass that knowledge on to his athletes. Brandon stresses how important it is to find what motivates you to increase your health and fitness. If that is CrossFit, wonderful, if what you do in a traditional gym works, excellent. Just find what drives you to be healthy and stick with it. For him and many people they know CrossFit has been the right answer. When comparing his training in the military to CrossFit, he found that he performed better in the four months of doing CrossFit while in the Military than the other four years and eight months of training combined. He had a higher Physical Fitness Test score, lower body fat percentage, and a drastically increased stamina. His Platoon Sergeant saw so much improvement in Brandon that he had him start leading their morning workouts which followed a CrossFit style design.
I CrossFit because I value my health above other things in my life. CrossFit has given me the opportunity to improve myself and those around me. It is constantly varied and I am always learning. This is probably the most important thing because it means I have to train many different movements and it is always a battle to keep improving, it keeps me on my toes. I used to spend a lot of time in a traditional gym but it was repetitive and boring. I get the opportunity to walk on my hands, and play on rings. These are things I never thought I would do well, but CrossFit has showed me I can do a lot more than I ever thought.
I Coach because I have a passion for the community. I take pride in being able to help others grow and learn. I am often asked what I miss about the Military. The thing I miss the most is the feeling of being a part of something that makes a difference in people’s lives. When I left the Army I felt a void. I missed the respect of my Soldiers and the feeling that I was actually making a difference and improving people around me. Coaching at FCCF has helped me to fill that void by being there for my athletes. I not only get to push them to succeed but they push me to improve as well. Every WOD is a battle and I get the opportunity to fight through that with them every day! There is no better feeling than accomplishing something you never thought you could, or pushing yourself through something you didn’t want to. I love helping athletes do that and being a part of winning that battle.
If I were an ice cream, the flavor I would be is Mint Chip because it’s freaking delicious.
My favorite quotes are
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”–Thomas A. Edison
“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” –Mahatma Gandhi
