Our crew. These are the people who make us unique and who will help you reach your fitness dreams. These are the people who help define our TRIBE.
A graduate of The University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas with a degree in nursing. He has been a registered nurse since 1995 and has worked in a variety of healthcare settings, primarily in the emergency room and trauma settings in Texas and around the country. Rick finished active duty as an Army nurse serving at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., taking care of America’s finest wounded warriors and recently returning to San Antonio.
Rick has been involved in sports for the majority of his life to include high school and collegiate level soccer, running, triathlon, adventure racing and a variety of martial arts. He has also been certified in and has coached soccer in the CYO (Catholic Youth Organization).
Rick holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level I
- CrossFit Barbell
- CrossFit Endurance
- CrossFit Nutrition
- CrossFit Rowing Certification
- CrossFit Football
In 2007, after 13 years on active duty, Mike tried his hand in big America working in the civilian sector. Though a great way of life for some, not for him. He threw in the towel this year, jumped into Alamo Crossfit full-time and never looked back.
If Mike could describe himself in three words: hard working, alpha-male, jackhammer…..merciless, insatiable…..(just like Dwight, hee-hee)
Some of Mike highlights:
Munich (1995), Frankfurt (1995), Paris (1996), and Austin (1998) Marathons
A few half marathons
Nijmegen 100-miles march, Netherlands (1996)
Bataan Memorial Death March, White Sands New Mexico (15, 25 and 26.2 miles; team and solo, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2008)
JFK 50-miler (2001), Hells Hills 50-miler (2010)
Multiple sprint and 100-mile Adventure racing (Arizona, Louisiana, Virginia, Ohio, Texas; 1996-2005)
Army 10-miler (1999, 2009)
Bandera 28 miler x2 finisher (1998, 1999)
Dozens of 50K’s (Holiday Lake 50++ Lynchburg, VA; Prickly Pear 50K, San Antonio, TX; Inks Lake State Park 50K, Texas; Rocky Raccoon, Texas)
Victory 400, a solo 312-mile, 9 day stage run raising funds for the Wounded Warrior Project, Sept 2010
Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Practitioner
U.S. Army Ranger
U.S. Army Medical Service Corps Officer
BS in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland, “Go Terps”
Professional Organizations:
American College of Sports Medicine
Family First, always
For the Warriors.
Mike holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level I
- Crossfit Endurance
- CrossFit Running
- CrossFit Olympic Lifting
- CrossFit Rowing Certification
- POSE Level 1 coach
- CrossFit Kids
- Army Combatives Level 1 Instructor
Hi there Crossfit Kids and Parents! First and foremost…..(drum roll)….I am a mom. I have five wonderful kiddos (one of which is my husband, Coach Mike). Since the 1980’s, early childhood education was my focus, primarily with 3-5 year olds. Cumulatively I have approximately 15 years in childcare experience from running home based childcare to government daycare. My life took a sharp turn when my family landed in Maryland in 1999. Chemical Engineering caught my attention for which I am 18 hours shy of my BS in Chemical Engineering. The military stepped in and moved my family to San Antonio and I completed my education at St. Mary’s University with a B.S. in Chemistry and a minor in Mathematics. Who knew? The last six years I worked for a Biotechnology company in Austin as a Quality Engineer. The Crossfit bug bit me and bit me hard. I look forward to working at Alamo Crossfit with your kids!
Angelina holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1
- CrossFit Kids
- CrossFit Olympic Lifting
- CrossFit Rowing Certification
Matt Farishon is a US Army officer with over 23 years of service. Matt is a fan of CrossFit and it’s approach to fitness and life. He has been CrossFitting since Feb 2008. He is also a huge fan of football and is a San Antonio Football Official.
Matt holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level I
- CrossFit Coaches Prep Course
- CrossFit Olympic Lifting
- CrossFit Rowing Certification
- CrossFit Football
- US Army Combatives Level I Instructor Certified
- Texas Association of Sports Officials Certified Official
I am a San Antonio native and graduate from UTSA with a BBA in Human Resource Management. After several years in the field I decided to follow my passion for health and fitness and joined Alamo CrossFit and never looked back.
Alamo CrossFit has allowed me to prove to myself that I can do things I once thought where unattainable. I soon realized that nothing is unattainable when you are surrounding by a Tribe of individuals who support you and DO NOT let you fail but ensure you SUCCEED. I look forward to helping you look good naked and reaching the “unattainable.
When not at the cave you will find my husband, a fellow CrossFitter, and I enjoying time with our family and friends. You also can not keep me away from the Texas Coast or out of the woods as I love fishing and backpacking with our dog.
Amanda holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1
George is a native of San Antonio. He joined CrossFit two years ago with the goal of getting stronger and healthier. George has a passion for working with furniture and runs a small business repairing and making furniture. He is the father of two very active boys.George has competed in many CrossFit events some of which include the 2010 CrossFit Sectionals and the Texas Throwdown. He looks forward to sharing his CrossFit knowledge with you and helping you reach your fitness goals.
George holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1
- CrossFit Olympic Lifting
- CrossFit Football
- CrossFit Coaches Prep Course
Born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Joined the Army where he served as an Intensive Care Unit Nurse and as a Senior Drill Sergeant. Married to his best friend, Carrie Baez, they have two girls together. Carrie introduced Edgar to CrossFit and the rest is history.
As the president and CEO of The Baez Law Firm, P.C. and Lawyers 4 Christ, Edgar has dedicated his adult life to help others with their legal needs. Now, as an Assistant Coach at Alamo Crossfit, he will continue to help as many people as possible by teaching them, coaching them and mentoring on the CrossFit methodology.
Edgar holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1
- CrossFit Coaches Prep Course
- CrossFit Gymnastics
- CrossFit Rowing
- CrossFit Olympic Lifting
- Master Fitness Trainer
Rebecca Black
In her “first life” Rebecca worked in the networking field for companies such as Lockheed Martin, Qwest and MCI. Unhappy with the instability of the field, she made the leap from geek to jock, and left the tech world to pursue a passion for fitness and nutrition full time. She has over a decade of fitness experience and has been a certified trainer since 2003. She enjoys, and is quite good at helping people incorporate daily activity and healthful nutrition into their lives. She started CrossFitting in early 2010 and has found her calling, and her true home in the CrossFit community.
Rebecca holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level I
- CrossFit Olympic Lifting
- CrossFit Rowing
- ISSA Certified Physical Trainer
- ISSA Performance Nutrition Specialist
Erica holds undergraduate degrees in business economics from Indiana University and health and human nutrition from the University of Illinois. As a registered dietician, she expanded her interests and pursued a graduate degree in elementary education and taught 5th grade for 6 years in Arizona and Texas. Erica began crossfitting in 2010 and recently earned her level 1 certification in CrossFit to help others achieve their fitness goals. Originally from New Jersey, she is married to Oren, an active duty Air Force Senior Master Sergeant stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Erica’s fitness accomplishments include the London Marathon in 2003, Chicago Marathon in 2004, and Tough Mudder in 2011.
Erica holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1
Encouraged by a friend, Brenda put a toe in the CrossFit waters to supplement her yoga and running workouts. Within weeks, she realized that CrossFit is the total package – strength training, conditioning, nutrition, mental resilience — and jumped in with both feet. Within months, she dropped two sizes and noticed a drastic increase in strength and energy. Brenda is passionate about CrossFit and excited to share the benefits with anyone interested in making a positive lifestyle change. Brenda was raised on the mean streets of Las Cruces, New Mexico, where she developed a sense of adventure and a taste for green chile. In search of more and bigger, Brenda relocated to Texas and earned a bachelor’s degree in business from St. Mary’s University. Today, Brenda is the founder, creative director, and vice president of chaos for a marketing firm serving clients throughout Texas. Her true passion is her family! A complete stranger to down time, Brenda is married with a daughter and four sons.
Brenda holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1
Shawn Dinsmore moved to San Antonio in 2007. It was “as soon as he could get here” as the saying goes and he and his wife truly enjoy Texas and the people in this community. He has been CrossFitting for two years and loves every minute of it. He also loves his other job at Airrosti and is slightly surprised that at this point in his life both these passions strive to improve the health of everyone around him. In his former life, Shawn graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point, was a US Army helicopter pilot, spent time in Bosnia, Korea and Ft. Bragg and jumped out of airplanes occasionally. When not in the Box, you’ll find Shawn raising his four young boys with his beautiful wife, Taira. If he’s lucky he gets to play golf now and again. He is excited about being part of “Fitness Porvida” and looks forward to each and every class. He hopes you do to!
Shawn holds the following certification:
- Crossfit Level 1
I graduated from St. Mary’s University in 1997 with a double major in Exercise and Sport Science and Sociology and have applied my passion for helping people through my work in the nonprofit sector for the last 13 years. I have always enjoyed playing sports, exercising and staying active and love any opportunity that allows me to incorporate sports, fitness and health. I was introduced to
CrossFit in March of 2010. As a very active and competitive individual, I was amazed to realize that I wasn’t as “fit” as I thought I was! The workouts were challenging but the results were well worth the effort and the supportive sense of community and family that I felt from all the staff and members of ACF made me realize this was the place I wanted to be. My goal is to constantly strive to be a more well-rounded athlete, to learn as much as I can about CrossFit and to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with our members and community.
Ali holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1
- CrossFit Olympic Lifting
Josh Baugh has been a professional journalist since 2002. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in journalism. After a severe shoulder injury that ended his collegiate baseball career, Baugh fell out of shape and entered the typical unhealthy lifestyle of yo-yo diets and on-again, off-again forays into globo gyms. He became what he could only describe as an “overweight former athlete.”
Then in May 2010, Baugh discovered CrossFit, the sport of fitness. It helped him get back into shape and satisfy his competitive nature. He can now call himself an “athlete” once again. CrossFit has also allowed Baugh to return to an active lifestyle. In spare time that isn’t consumed by family, work or CrossFit, Baugh kayaks, runs and sometimes goes for a ride on his mountain bike.
A San Antonio native, Baugh is married to a wonderful, supportive wife. They have one absolutely brilliant daughter.
Josh holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1
A graduate from St. Mary’s University with a MBA and BBA in Marketing. Javi has worked in the Marketing field for over five years and is currently employed at Hostway..
Around the box he’s also known as “El Tigre” and has gone through an amazing weight-loss and fitness transformation while at Alamo Crossfit. Fitness accomplishments include Rock and Roll Austin Half Marathon 2011 and Crossfit Katy Bring theHeat 2011 competition.
Javi holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1
Born in Eagle Pass, Texas and raised in Piedras Negras, Mexico, Jesus has been an fitness fanatic for several years. His full name is Jesus Guillermo Navarette, but is well-known by his family, friends and all the members of the Tribe as “Panky”. Panky graduated from Texas A&M Corpus Christi with a Bachelors degree in Accounting and is currently continuing his studies in the MBA Program at Texas A&M San Antonio. He is employed as a full-time realtor in the San Antonio area.
Panky was always a fan of the typical gym setting with bench presses and elliptical style workouts. However, once the day came around that he was introduced to Crossfit – his life changed. He feels that if a workout is not challenging enough or does not have the intensity “to drain his brains out”, then it is just the warm-up. His body and ways of eating have drastically changed, as well.
As a coach of “Fitness Porvida”, Panky wants to help others change their way of looking at workouts and how they feel. His passion has become to help others and improving their life span with better exercise and eating healthy.
Panky holds the following certifications:
- Crossfit Level 1
Graduating from LeTourneau University in Longview, TX with a BS in Kinesiology with an exercise science concentration, Corbin has been deeply involved with CrossFit since 2009. He was drawn to CrossFit by his initial trainers, Jon and Travis Hopkins, of CrossFit Citadel, and in May 2011 was welcomed into his new home by the tribe of Alamo CrossFit. Corbin is actively pursuing a career in physical therapy, seeking to bridge the gap between exercise and rehabilitation. Additionally, Corbin strives to create an environment in CrossFit that not only encourages physical fitness, but also mental, emotional, and spiritual fitness
“…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT).”
Corbin holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level I
I am a native to the Boerne/San Antonio area then spent 12 years in Austin where I not only found my husband (married for 10 years now) but also earned my BA with Honors in Psychology and Speech Communications along with a Secondary Teaching Certification from UT Austin. Both of my daughters (ages 4 & 6 now) were born in Austin prior to us moving back to San Antonio.
Exercise & nutrition has always been an interest of mine…but like most moms of young kids, I fell off the list of priorities because my kids came first. They still come first (well, God first, family second J) but I made a decision to put me back on the list. I (found) Alamo Crossfit in March 2010, & it changed my life. I drank the Kool-Aid & now I schedule things around my WODs instead of the other way around! I’m glad to be setting this example for my children, especially in an age where obesity and health problems like diabetes are rampant. My daily motto: Lead by example…and have some fun doing it for goodness sakes!
Rita holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1
Graduated from Cedarville University in Cedarville, OH with a B.A. in Bible Comprehension. I pursued a career with the government where I got to travel the world and experience different peoples and cultures. It was during one of those short business trips that I was first exposed to CrossFit. I immediately fell in love with it because it forced me to do things I would never push myself to do. I always told myself I would find my way back to CrossFit, but actually, CrossFit has found its way back to me! I’m so excited and feel so very blessed to be a part of the “Fitness Porvida” Tribe. I look forward to supporting you as you work towards your health and fitness goals. When I’m not in the office, I spend as much time as I can with my husband Matt and our 3 children, and pursuing a M.A. in Biblical Counseling.
Patrick Strauss is a husband and father of two awesome children. Passionate about fitness, health and nutrition, he is eager to share his personal experience with other like-minded folks interested in committing to real results. According to Patrick,
“Crossfit is the ultimate in sustainable fitness. I will encourage and coach others to experience the challenge and lasting benefits that I continue to enjoy. I’m evangelical about this program.”
When he’s not Crossfitting, he serves as President of a healthcare company here in San Antonio. He holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin (JD) and St. Mary’s University (BA, summa cum laude). As an attorney, he was featured in D Magazine as one of the Best Lawyers under 40 in Dallas. He was also voted by his peers as a “Super Lawyer” in Texas Monthly Magazine.
Patrick holds the following certifications:
- CrossFit Level 1
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