Our Team

Favorite lift: Squats, Atlas Stones, Sled push

Favorite music to train to: “Ka-Mate” the Haka of the New Zealand All Blacks

Favorite quote: Self-Pity:  “I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself.” D.H. Lawrence 

James 1: 2-4: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything, 

Crossfit Level 1 Certificate, Aerobic Capacity endorsement,  Adult/child CPR

Retired Physical Education teacher at Plainfield Community Middle School

Coached baseball, softball, swimming, golf, football and basketball

Biggest Accomplishment: The birth of his daughter

Favorite Crossfit workout: Cindy

Favorite strength movement: Pull ups

Favorite music to train to: Hits from the 80’s

Favorite quote: “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.”

From a very young age, Rob has developed a love for competition and camaraderie. After nearly 40 years of participating in or coaching seven different sports, he still has the desire to compete in everything he does. In 2015 his daughter, Jessica, became an intern at Unbreakable Athletics Academy. She knew Crossfit was the perfect challenge for him and convinced Rob to give it a try during the summer of 2015. She was right! Crossfit has provided Rob with all the same opportunities for competitiveness and camaraderie that team sports have offered him. Combining both of those with his love for fitness was a perfect blend.

Rob is an enthusiastic and motivational coach. He has a never-quit attitude that becomes contagious. It’s his positive attitude toward goal achievement and his enthusiasm for fitness and a healthy lifestyle that Rob wants to share with others.

Jeremy Johnson, originally from Madison, Indiana, has been a member of the UAA community since 2013. As a coach, Jeremy enjoys working with athletes of all skill levels and teaching them something new or showing a seasoned athlete ways to improve. It can be tough to find the right vocabulary to queue the correct techniques, but Jeremy goes above and beyond to connect with athletes. He finds it most rewarding seeing it “click” when they are able to get it!  Jeremy describes his coaching style as the “Silent Observer” He is always watching, and may not always say much, but when he does it has great value and impact. He is a motivational coach and teammate and always makes himself available to help an athlete improve.

Crossfit Level 1 Certificate since 2018

Biggest Accomplishment: My proudest accomplishment as a coach was always working with the young and inexperienced athletes at Wash U and teaching them how to take up space and improve their self-confidence by being in the weight room. It was so fun to see them become comfortable and learn how to take ownership of their time in the weight room. My proudest accomplishment as an athlete was winning the 2007 NCAA DIII volleyball national championship my senior year of college. It’s been a long time but I’ll never forget that moment.

Favorite Crossfit workout: “Abbate” Hero WOD

Favorite lift: Cleans 

Favorite music to train to:  I rarely listen to music when I train (unless someone else has it on). I like the peace and focus silence can bring. But, if I had to choose, I’d choose anything fun you can dance or sing along with. 

Favorite quote: I’ll be honest, I’ve never been one for quotes. They’ve never motivated me. It sounds harsh, but once I have committed to something, I feel that I have a job to do and am motivated by not letting myself or my teammates down. 

Haleigh Spencer, originally from Greencastle, IN, has been coaching with UAA since October 2021. She has many coaching credentials and loves seeing athletes accomplish something that they never thought possible. “The most rewarding thing about coaching is the relationships you build with your athletes. The most challenging thing is convincing an athlete that they need to step back, work on fundamentals first, and then add weight.  It is okay to be uncomfortable, uncertain, overwhelmed and scared when you first start. Don’t give up. Everyone started from scratch at one point. But I have always found, no matter where you are or where you’re starting from, once you push through your discomfort, you’ll find an extraordinary community.”

Biggest Accomplishment: Coming back from my shoulder surgery, my doctors told me I wouldn’t be able to do much even after I was healed and did a year of physical therapy. I could have stayed content with that answer and lived in fear of re-injuring my shoulder, but that is no way to live life! With the help of coaches at UAA, I have never been stronger and I can do more than I ever thought possible while staying healthy and pain free!

Favorite Crossfit workout:  Diane or Annie

Favorite lift: Deadlifts…DUH!

Favorite music to train to: Cringey but…country

Favorite quote: “The best way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing” -Walt Disney

Kate Ashby, grew up in Plainfield Indiana. She has been coaching training sessions at UAA for almost 2 months, but previously coached Sports Performance sessions with us two years ago. Before joining us this round, Kate was training and coaching at Full House Fitness for two years in Bloomington, IN where she attended college at Indiana University. Kate enjoys pushing people outside of their comfort zone to achieve greatness. She would describe herself as very technical and loves encouraging members and being positive! For Kate, the most challenging part of coaching is learning important aspects of each individual member whether that be mobility issues, injuries, or what type of coaching style motivates them. It is so rewarding for her when it finally clicks and the right ques lead them to even bigger success in strength and workouts. Some advice from Kate for anyone thinking of joining UAA: “Be prepared to be humbled and your ego checked, but you will find a “community”here. I say community, but it is really a family that will help you at your lowest and cheer you on at your highest points inside and outside of the gym.”

CrossFit Coach