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Co-Owner
Tricia, co-owner of South Tampa CrossFit, has had a love for CrossFit for over 10 years. Tricia realized quickly that CrossFit gave her a way to test her limits and challenge her mind daily.
“There was a time when I didn’t like how I responded to challenging situations, I didn’t love my internal dialogue and I wasn’t confident in my own abilities. CrossFit gave me the tools to change that.”
Making the jump from corporate America to entrepreneurship was a simple decision. After having 2 small children, Tricia wanted a CrossFit gym that was in South Tampa, had beautiful amenities and offered childcare. That is when South Tampa CrossFit was born.
Tricia is responsible for marketing and branding, new member growth and on-boarding, as well as for creating and growing the STC Corporate Wellness Program.
Co-Owner/Coach
CJ Vila has been a local in the Tampa Bay area for over a decade now. He received his undergraduate and masters degrees from the University of South Florida (Go Bulls). Coming from a competitive soccer and baseball background, CrossFit gave CJ the opportunity to push himself both physically and mentally just as he did playing competitive levels of sports.
CJ was a Grid athlete on the 2017 and 2019 Championship Team Tampa Bay Brigade and has been coaching and programming for the past several years. CJ has a passion for fitness and wellness, especially for longevity. One of his favorite things is fitnessing with friends for time.
Certifications
CrossFit L1
CrossFit L2
CrossFit Weightlifting
Head Coach
Michael is originally from Cape Coral and has been lifting weights since age 11. He has been coaching CrossFit since 2015, and over the years has grown tremendously and developed a real talent for accessing his athletes’ abilities and tailoring his approach to training accordingly. He has an easy disposition and a keen eye for correcting movements to make athletes more efficient.
Coach
Joel comes to us with over 13 years of experience in coaching and personal training. Joel began coaching at Phase 5 Fitness and subsequently owned two separate CrossFit affiliates–Rebirth Fitness and one run out of the Birmingham YMCA. The years and breadth of Joel’s experience have made him exceptional at identifying issues with and correcting movement. Joel takes time to get to know his athletes, their personal goals and limitations, and is excellent at tailoring workouts to meet their needs.
Coach
Lauren spent 4 years playing college softball at the University of Southern Mississippi and has always been a competitive athlete. Her background in athletics instilled in her a love of competition and it was the competitive nature of CrossFit that initially attracted her. With two kids in tow, Lauren found a home at South Tampa CrossFit where she could return to her competitive roots and share her passion for health and wellness.
Coach
Michael is a military veteran with an extensive sports and athletics background. He completed 10 years of service in the Marine Corps and received a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Miami. it is no surprise where Michael gets his passion for strength and performance training from. Competing 4 years as a Professional Strongman.
With over a decade of experience coaching groups and individuals of all ages and levels, Michael has a passion for training adaptive athletes and people with limitations. Michael spends his off hours Surfing, Yoga, BJJ and Acro.
Certifications
CSCS
EMT-P
CF L1
CF L2
CF Adaptive
200hr RYT
Westside Barbell Conjugate Trainer
Mobility WOD Adaptive Trainer
Coach
Katie has always been involved in fitness, whether it be soccer, tennis, or cross country. She was first introduced to CrossFit in high school but didn’t begin dedicating all her time to it until 2017. After graduating from the University of Georgia (go Dawgs) in May 2020, Katie pursued her L1 and began coaching in Athens, GA.
Member Success Manager / Coach
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