Our Coaches
Morgan Blackmore
Mor
gan had the good fortune to coach his Rowing team in college and fell in love with coaching. However, he didn’t believe a coaching career held much future and so turned to teaching. He and his wife Lisa taught elementary school in Bangkok, Thailand for three years
It was in Thailand that Morgan discovered Crossfit. Driven by enthusiasm for the results he was seeing in himself and Lisa, he began training the other teachers and started an after-school kids program. When the time came to move back to Tacoma, Morgan decided to return to his first love and open Crossfit Tacoma.
In addition to Crossfit Morgan coaches the Men’s Crew team at PLU. He has a black belt in traditional JiuJitsu, a BA in Political Science and Philosophy, and a Masters degree in Teaching. He delights in his two beautiful children and amazing wife. morgan@crossfittacoma.com
Leon Aldrich
Leon got an early start on his athletic endeavors when his father brought him to his first karate class at age 3. Later, his passion for athletics led him to pursue a B.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Massachusetts. Shortly after graduation he became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the NSCA. While attending college, Leon worked as manager and eventually assistant director of a University wellness program. He also began training and coaching in Mixed Martial Arts and went on to compete in two professional MMA fights.
In 2004, Leon was introduced to the Crossfit methodology and began experimenting. Crossfit exposed some major weaknesses in his training and changed the way he trained his clients. Leon is a Crossfit level 1 certified trainer as well as an A.C.E certified personal trainer. He has attended the Paleolithic Solution Nutrition Seminar, Crossfit Running and Endurance Sports Seminar, Kelly Starrett’s mobility seminar, Dan John’s seminar and his education continues on a daily basis.
In February of 2009, Leon moved to Tacoma, joined Crossfit Tacoma where he soon began coaching. Leon is now a co-owner of Tacoma Strength and Conditioning and continues to coach at both gyms. He also recently became the assistant varsity baseball coach at Clover Park High School. Leon has over 10 years of personal training and coaching experience. Over the years his interest in athletics has evolved into a dedication to fitness and total health and longevity. Nutrition, sleep, exercise and lifestyle are all equally important pieces of the puzzle. Leon cares deeply about the health and happiness of his clients, many of whom have become his friends. leon@crossfittacoma.com
Ashley Zdancewicz
Ashley has been an active duty member of the United States Air Force for over 5 years. Her job as a Staff Sergeant in Security Forces and as a Phoenix Raven requires her to be in the utmost physical and mental condition. Ashley conducts squadron PT and runs a program for Airmen who have recently been injured prepare for their physical evaluation and get back on track.
Ashley was introduced to CrossFit several years ago and has completely changed her view on physical fitness! Since training with Crossfit and learning proper nutrition she has seen improved performance in all of her hobbies and general health. Ashley is currently a student at American Military University working on her degree in Sports Science. Continuously attending certifications and workshops, Ashley’s goal is to share her knowledge and bring a functional, nutritional lifestyle to all clients. ashley@crossfittacoma.com
Brianne Pugh
Brianne is a native Tacoman. She grew up in the North End and went to Stadium High School. She graduated from PLU with a BSN and became an RN. Throughout middle school and high school she ran track, played softball, and speed skated on ice and inlines. While in college, fitness consisted of going to the gym or running.
Joseph found Crossfit Tacoma in February of 2009, through an interest in improving movement through Parkour. Joseph was impressed by the passion and dedication brought by all of the coaches at CFT and was immediately hooked. Joseph attended his Crossfit Level 1 certification in June of 2009 and started reading everything he could get his hands on about improving movement and performance. Joseph is constantly seeking continuing education about health and fitness, and has attended multiple seminars on nutrition, mobility and maintenance, and gymnastics. Joseph is driven by the success of his clients, and strives to create an atmosphere of hard work and goal-setting in the gym. Joseph is passionate about teaching proper mechanics and progressions, whether an athlete is seeking their first push-up or a 500 pound deadlift, those victories are equally impressive. joseph@crossfittacoma.com
Andrea White grew up in Tacoma and presently resides here with her husband and four girls. Andrea has over six years of experience playing competitive fastpitch at both the high school and college level. She also enjoys playing many other sports and currently is involved in a competitive volleyball league. Andrea has always had a passion for health and fitness and as a mother of four appreciates the importance of eating right and staying active.
Emily moved to Tacoma in Febuary 2009 from Massachusetts, where she lived throughout high school and college. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts in 2006 with a BA in Linguistics and is finishing a graduate program in Computational Linguistics at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Kris entered the doors of Crossfit Tacoma in April 2010 looking for a change. Not surprisingly enough he found this transformation…through pain and suffering. He has taken to “The Crossfit” lifestyle like a fish to water and enjoys pushing his mental and physical limits on a daily basis.
Kris has been active in athletics since an early age. He has played soccer at every level up to college and has competed in a large variety of sports from football to gymnastics. Kris has also experienced a short career as a chef and is avid about good food. Don’t hesitate to ask about good paleo recipes and nutrition. He has a B.A. in English from The College of New Jersey. Feel free to talk about your favorite book with him. Kris also has a Masters in Education from Pacific Lutheran University. This education helps him coach in a way that you can understand.
Kris is enthusiastic about pushing the boundaries of what the body and mind can do under extreme measures. He is also a big fan of open feedback and is constantly looking for improvement. kris@crossfittacoma.com
The Peanut Gallery