The South Tampa CrossFit Team

Meet the Team that is Dedicated to Your Success

free intro

our Team

Tricia Will

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.

CJ Vila

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

Mike Vansant

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.

Certifications

  • CrossFit L1
  • CrossFit L2
  • CrossFit L3
  • USAW Sports Performance Coach

Joel Stephens

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.

Certifications

  • USAW Sport Performance Coach
  • CrossFit L1
  • CrossFit L2
  • CrossFit Endurance Coach
  • Former US Army PT Instructor
 

Mitch Harbaugh

Coach
Mitch has been involved in group sports for most of his life and Crossfit was a great way to compete and make friends in the community. He started Crossfit in 2011 and began coaching in 2014, it’s been a passion and focus ever since. He loves helping the community improve their overall wellness and focuses on habit change, foot health, proper breathwork, mindfulness, and how the community is a necessity to improve our well-being. He loves to train barefoot or in barefoot shoes/sandals and has a passion to help athletes on their journey in health and wellness.

Certifications:

  • CrossFit L1
  • CrossFit L2
  • CrossFit L3
  • CrossFit Gymnastics
  • CrossFit Adaptive Training
  • Foot Nerd with The Foot Collective
  • Corrective Exercise Specialist

Lauren Donahue

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. Lauren loves coaching and watching athletes grow and achieve their fitness goals. Lauren is upbeat and her enthusiasm is infectious.  You’ll rarely catch Lauren without a smile on her face!

Certifications

  • CrossFit L1
  • CrossFit L2
  • CrossFit Kids Certification
  • CrossFit Gymnastics Certification

Jenn Fair

Coach

Jenn Fair is a busy mom of two, a businesswoman and a lover of all things fitness related. Ever since middle school she has been involved in many sports. From track to gymnastics, to competitive cheer to weightlifting. Jenn searched high and low for something that encompassed all things functional and found just that in CrossFit the summer of 2013.

Jenn became a Crossfit Level 1 certified trainer in October 2013 as she was hooked on the supportive community and constantly coming up with workouts to do. She loves the transformation she has been able to make in her own life throughout the years with not just her physical body, but mentally as well. Jenn hopes that she can show other women like herself (and the guys too) how strong and beautiful they truly are inside and out.

When not handling her own business you can find her at the gym getting her lifts and metcons on, coaching, or on the mats enjoying the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu struggle snuggle life.

Certifications:

  • CrossFit L1

Macy Godeaux

Childcare Manager
Macy recently moved to Tampa, Florida from San Antonio, TX. She is an Air Force veteran with a passion for traveling, fitness and family. In the past, she has run competitively participating in dozens of half, full and ultra- marathons. She now enjoys investing her time in both weight lifting and CrossFit. As a stay at home mom, Macy knows how important it is for parents to take care of themselves both physically and mentally. A huge part of what drew her to STC was a family gym with safe and reliable childcare. She is both CPR and First Aid certified and looks forward to caring for your kiddos!

Certifications:

  • CPR Certified
  • First Aid Certified

Ashlee Knotts

Nutrition Coach
Ashlee recently moved to Tampa in March from Westerly, RI. Ashlee is a Functional Nutritional Therapist and Certified Personal Trainer specializing in helping you create freedom around food and movement. In and out of the gym, Ashlee works by educating clients on nutrition and mental health to empower them to live a life free of dis-ease and depression. It’s her mission to help clients remove guilt from eating forever. You can find her at her local CrossFit box when she isn’t working, where she is starting to train for her first individual comp in 2022. If not doing CrossFit, you can find her doing some yoga or riding her bike exploring all that Tampa has to offer.

Michael Hernandez

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