Who We Are

Our Coaches

Tricia Jackson-Owner

Tricia is a CrossFit Level I Instructor, Nutrition Coach and Marathoner.  She has been an athlete from a young age and has an intense passion for nutrition and fitness.  She had always been interested in extreme sports and activities, such as sky diving, any sort of racing or other activities that present a challenge.

From the age of 5 Tricia has been highly involved in athletics, traveling nationally at 14, and lettering in 2 sports as a Freshman in High-school.  She was offered several Scholarships as a softball pitcher and tennis player, she accepted the Stephen F. Austin Athletic Scholarship as well as an United States Tennis Association Scholarship.  She graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS in Economics and a minor in Business.  Whoop!

After graduation she felt the need for some sort of athletic goal and began competing in local running competitions, running anywhere from 30-60 miles per week.  After several minor injuries a close friend luckily introduced her to CrossFit, Tricia drank the “Kool-aid” and never looked back. Through her education and athletic experience, she is able to motivate individuals to achieve a higher fitness level.

Tricia’s first Crossfit competition experience was the 2010 Bayou City Team Competition, where she and 3 other team members finished 1st overall.  A year later she was a member of the 2011 8^th Place CFWH Affiliate Team at CF South Central Regionals, only adding fuel to her love of CrossFit.

In addition to her CrossFit training, Tricia enjoys cooking, hunting, hiking, adventure travel, and trying anything that looks new and interesting.  She is extremely passionate about sharing her love for athletics, crossfit and nutrition with others.  Tricia is married and has two dogs, all three share her love for hunting.

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1
USA Weightlifting Sports Performance Certification
The Art of Coaching Weightlifting Certification
Whole 9 Life Trainer Nutrition Certification
Outlaw Training Program
BIRTHFIT Coach 

Alex Bruscianelli

Alex was born and raised in Caracas,Venezuela. A baseball loving country that goes crazy for soccer, Alex grew up playing both sports soon after learning how to walk. By the age of eleven, right before moving to theUS, Alex was playing soccer with the 15 year old team at an academy.  After moving to the States, sports took a back seat to school till  high school, when he played basketball and soccer as a freshman.

It was during that time that Alex got recruited to join the Katy High School wrestling team, where he became a two time captain and winning multiple tournaments throughout his career. After receiving several scholarships offers to wrestle at big universities, Alex ended up staying in Houston and graduating from Houston Baptist University in 2009 with a degree in Kinesiology and a degree in Psychology.

Alex training philosophy of “train with a purpose” lead him stumbled into Crossfit after searching for a “goal” or and “excuse” to train in a high intensity, competitive environment like that of collegiate athletics. At the request of a friend, Alex decided to visit CFMH and has not looked back since.

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1
CrossFit Level 2
OPEX Assesment
OPEX Program Design
USAW Level 1 Olympic Lifting Coach
CrossFit Weightlifting

Christian Smith

At age 37, Christian was an overweight and out of shape General Manager until he became sick and tired of being sick and tired.   It took him 3 months to work up the courage, but he finally joined a CrossFit gym in August of 2008.  Never having been very athletic this was a big step for him.

The first three months he had exertion headaches and wheezy lungs since his body wasn’t used to exercising.  Then he discovered the Paleo diet and his headaches went away.  He lost 35 pounds and saw dramatic increases in his performance.  He started to enjoy life more!

He began training friends and neighbors in his garage in 2009 and then became a full time trainer in June of 2012.   He enjoys watching people in his classes become healthier and feel better about themselves.

He trains all age groups from his son Liam, age 11, (he is working on kipping pull ups) to his mother, age 71 (she can do a full range of motion squat)!

Nutrition is an ongoing struggle, but he’s making a daily commitment to improve his eating habits to help him achieve his CrossFit training goals.

Christian and his wife, Jane, have been married for twenty-four plus years.  His passions are his family, CrossFit, sarcasm and good beer.

Feel free to contact him at 281-960-8616 for personal training 😉

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1
CrossFit Strongman
CrossFit Kettlebell
CrossFit Mobility
CrossFit Weightlifting
The Art of Coaching Weightlifting Certification
The Chad Vaughn Weightlifting Seminar

Katie Lipnick

Katie was born and raised in Houston, TX, down the street from the box actually… as she would say, “yes, I came back to the bubble so to speak.” Katie graduated from TCU (GO FROGS!) and is now a Marketing professional in the area.

Growing up she played every sport imaginable… soccer (just wasn’t really her thing), basketball (was told she was too short), pole vaulting (there was something about flying through the air that was unsettling)… finally she settled on swimming. She was, relatively speaking, at least better than most of the other people swimming in summer league. She moved on from just swimming in summer league to swimming in private clubs, and eventually in high school moved on to coaching summer league, founding and coaching a kids (ages 3-6) swim clinic, and swimming on the high school team (turned to bench warming after an injury sidelined her.)

During college she turned into the typical gym junkie… ya know… “1+ hours of cardio then bi’s & tri’s on Tuesday, and Thursday, lats & back on Monday and Wednesday…”. It really just was not working for her, which was evident from her immense weight gain from kegs and late night Taco Bell… and it just wasn’t any fun. After college and working events post graduation with no sleep and less than stellar eating habits she decided it was time to get back to the grind.

That’s when she googled that thing she had read about in Shape or Self or one of those fitness magazines… CrossFit. As she says, “if I had given up after my first class I wouldn’t be where I am today… and trust me when I say I almost gave up after the second WOD I ever had to do was 75 burpees for time 😉 and there was no way out of it… I was the only sucker who showed up for class!” And boy is she glad she was that sucker!

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1
CrossFit Level 2
CrossFit Mobility

Quentin Batchellor

Eat.Sleep.Wod.Repeat.

Quentin has always been active and involved in sports.  Growing up in Rosenberg, Texas where the big sports are football and basketball, he chose golf.  However a Sunday afternoon game of full contact football or pickup game of basketball was always right around the corner.

Moving ahead to adult life, Quentin found himself divorced, a single father and overweight topping the scale at 200#.  He decided it was time for a change and joined a gym.  He signed up with a personal trainer and set out to get sexy.

It was a difficult 30 days with the trainer but he learned that 3 sets of 10 on “Arms & Shoulders” day was the norm.  He followed this philosophy and eventually became a bonafide gym rat.  Along the way he started running races including 5k’s, 10k’s, duathlons, triathlons (sprints), obstacle courses, mud races, relay runs and even silly ones where they throw paint on you.

So when both a friend and relative mentioned to him that since he likes to do crazy things then obviously he should try Crossfit.  That free Saturday class would change things.  The wod: 10 full man makers (45#), 20 toes to bar, 30 box jumps, 40 wall balls, 50 double unders then work back down the ladder.  He finished dead last – and dead is a pretty accurate statement! We’ve all been there.

Our very first WOD is always brutal.  But when the smoke clears and we regain consciousness (ha!) we keep coming back for more.  Quentin signed up as soon as a box opened up near where he lived.

He was at Crossfit Strom for approx 4 years with 3 of them as a coach.  Obviously he enjoys working out, but he also enjoys the people or the community.  Never at a gym did he feel the warmth or comradery as is displayed everyday in these 1 hour classes.

And that my friends is why he’ll get up at 4 or 5 in the morning every day.  He also plays competitive (somewhat) beach volleyball multiple times during the week.  The End.

Vital Stats:

Height: 5′-9″

Weight: 175#

Occupation: Production Manager at a structural engineering firm

Registered Organ Donor? Yes

Long walks on the beach? Yes

Beer or Wine? Yes

Dance? Yes

Travel? Yes

Being grouchy? No

Certifications/Seminars
Crossfit Level 1
Crossfit Mobility
Crossfit Kettlebell

Kaley Garin

Kaley Garin grew up in Atlanta, Georgia.  She was athletic growing up and dabbled in many activities – dance, gymnastics, tennis, softball, cheerleading – to name a few.  However, being an average athlete, she never competed at a high level.  After high school, she went off to Athens, Georgia and attended University of Georgia.  GOOOOOO DAWGS SIC ‘EM!!!!  While there, she had no problem putting on the “Freshman 15”.  Upon graduation, Kaley moved to Houston for a sales position in insurance.  This job required lots of travel and client entertaining, which didn’t help her expanding waistline!!  After many failed attempts at the gym, kickboxing, 5am boot camp classes, etc, she was sick of making excuses and knew she needed to make a change!!!

Kaley’s husband, Ryan, started CrossFit after their son, Parker, was born in 2010.  He loved the intensity and varied workouts and encouraged Kaley to give it a try.  It took another 2 ½ years before Kaley worked up the courage to go.  At that point, Parker was 2 ½ and their newest addition, Sophie, was 3 months old.  Kaley packed up the kids, diaper bag, pack n’ play, etc and committed to working out several times a week.  She was hooked!!  Fast forward, 2+ years later – Kaley has competed in a couple of  local CrossFit competitions, is coaching On-Ramp classes to new athletes 3x per week and she is hitting PR’s on a regular basis.  Consistent workouts and proper diet and nutrition have fueled her passion.  She still loves a good glass of red (or rosé) and a juicy cheeseburger, but she understands that she cannot out-train poor nutrition.

You will still find her 2 wild and crazy and incredibly adorable kids running around the box.  She also enjoys working out with her husband in their garage gym dubbed: Crossfit Convenience.

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1

Amanda Bridges

Amanda is from Navasota, TX and has been involved in athletic activities through out her life. She started gymnastics at an early age and transitioned into competitive dance and cheer during her middle school and high school years. After graduating from Navasota High School, Amanda attended Sam Houston State University. (Eat’em Up Kats!) While at SHSU, Amanda focused on her studies and did the usual gym and treadmill routine, which lasted about a semester.

Two years and 40 pounds later, Amanda found herself in serious need of a lifestyle change, not just a fad diet. She started by cutting out all sugar and making healthy food choices, all the while incorporating different exercises like yoga and running. A year and a half later, Amanda dropped the 40 pounds, was running 4 miles a day and doing 5Ks and 10Ks regularly. After accomplishing this, Amanda felt that she needed something more challenging from her exercise regimen.

In late 2012 Amanda heard from her best friend about an exercise program called Crossfit. It was touted as the next level of fitness unrivaled by any other sport or routine. It sounded intriguing and exciting!! Amanda’s motto had always been, “Go big or go home” so it was time to “go big” and give Crossfit a try. Unfortunately there were no Crossfit affiliates in the area Amanda lived in. So in October 2012, Amanda joined a local gym that had a fitness style very similar to CrossFit and it became the next best thing. This went on for a little over a year until January 2014 when Amanda moved to Houston, TX.

Shortly after moving, Amanda joined Crossfit Memorial Houston and has loved every minute of it! In the summer of 2014, Amanda competed in her first competition, on a two person team, during the CFMH Intrabox Competition. The team came in 9th place overall but she thrilled to have even completed it! It was exciting, new and invigorating!

Since then, Crossfit has done wonders for Amanda both in body and mind. In January 2015 Amanda successfully completed her first half marathon and truly believes that because of the athletic ability and mental stamina practiced in Crossfit,  she was able to push through to the finish line.

Amanda has a thriving passion for helping people accomplish their fitness goals, pulling from the experience she went through herself. Understanding the struggles and hurdles individuals face when seeking fitness has been a building block for Amanda to encourage others to keep their eyes on the prize and press forward.

Amanda married her husband Ryan in March of 2014. She works as a Human Resources professional in downtown Houston.

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1

Ralph Tapia

Born and raised in South Texas, Ralph has always been involved in sports and outdoor activities.

Ralph played team sports throughout elementary and middle school but quickly realized his passion for running in high school.  Ralph continued his passion in college by running for the  University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA) Cross Country Team as a Roadrunner where he earned two BBA’s in Accounting and Finance.

After his first year running as a Roadrunner, Ralph furthered his passion for running by competing in Sprint Triathlons around the San Antonio, Houston, and Corpus Christi regions.

In 2009, Ralph watched a few CrossFit videos on a friend’s iPhone while BBQ’ing on a Saturday and decided to sign up for a class at a local affiliate the following Monday.  The Benchmark WOD was all it took; a 500m row, 40 squats, 30 sit-ups, 20 push-ups and 10 pull-ups and Ralph was hooked!

In 2015, after six years of using CrossFit as a means for everyday fitness and to help improve his golf swing, Ralph decided to get his L-1Coaching Certificate.

Ralph brings his great attitude and positive outlook on life to each class regardless if it is 5am or 6pm and he will definitely yell (a.k.a. motivate) at you during a WOD

In his spare time, Ralph enjoys competing in local golf tournaments, fishing, the beach, camping, and hanging out with family and friends.

Height: 5′-9″

Weight: 180#

Golf Handicap: 11.4

Occupation: Semi-retired / Co-Owner of Bar Vs Beast Apparel

Marital Status: Single

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1

Kara Johnston

Kara was born in Rome, a small town in upstate New York. Being part of a military family, she didn’t stay for long and moved several times before her family settled in Melbourne off the east coast of Florida. She attended the University of Florida and after graduating in 2015 she moved to Houston to pursue a career as an engineer in the oil and gas industry.

Throughout most of her childhood and teenage years Kara was the opposite of what most people would consider athletic- overweight, sedentary, and had very unhealthy eating habits. She dabbled in swimming and soccer before high school but never took it seriously (like… she was known to try to kick the ball in the other opponent’s goal to get benched during soccer games). It wasn’t until her junior year she realized that she had to change her habits and signed up at a local gym. Fast-forward 2 years later and 60+ lbs lighter, she ran her first half marathon. Throughout college Kara stayed active and enjoyed running, yoga, weight training and cycling.

Kara stumbled across CrossFit at CFMH in August of 2013 while in Houston on an internship. She heard about it through friends and was a bit intimidated by the intensity at first- but as a newbie to the area she figured it would be a good opportunity to meet people and get in a good workout. After the first WOD she was hooked and still looks forward to going to the box every day. Kara believes that “it isn’t just about what you do- but how you do it” and applies this mantra to working out and coaching by trying to keep it fun even on hard training days.

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1

Tobi Olorunsola

Tobi was born in Lagos, Nigeria.  He played several sports in High School; Tennis, Soccer, Basketball and Volleyball just to name a few.  He received his Bachelors in Computer Information Systems and his MBA from Western Michigan University.  Tobi started CrossFit on August 11^th 2014 and has been passionate about it ever since.  He now works as a Business Analyst for an Oil & Gas service company and coaches at the box in his free time.  He loves sports (Dallas Cowboys and Manchester United are his favorite teams), interacting with and cheering people on to meet their fitness goals.

He lives by one motto “Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind”

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1

Tyler Estes

I was born in Garland, Texas but lived most of my life in the small town of Lavon, Texas. Growing up I played football through ninth grade, when I stopped to concentrate on marching band and other extracurricular activities. I graduated from Texas A&M University in 2014 and moved to Houston to pursue an engineering career in the oil and gas industry.

Stopping football in combination with bad eating habits in high school, caused me to become overweight to the point my doctor said I would be “diabetic by the time I was in my mid-twenties if I didn’t slow down”. That was the turning point for me. I slowly began going to the gym, lifting weights, and cleaning up my food selections through the end of high school and college.

I did not stumble across CrossFit until six months after I moved to Houston. I was looking for something a little more challenging then lifting weights and a community I could meet people. I love the intensity and variation that CrossFit provides, but even more so the community here at CrossFit Memorial Houston. Surround yourself with like-minded people and you can accomplish anything you set your mind too.

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1

Hunter Jon Holtshopple

Hunter Devine

Hunter Devine is a certified Level 1 Cross-Fit Coach at CrossFit Memorial Houston. He is a happy, hungry, and passionate son, brother, and friend who has been having fun with the sport for over a year. Prior to adopting this unique training regimen, his fitness wasn’t much more than lift, run and eat, as much as possible. When he discovered CrossFit and started to take to its methods or “drink the cool aid’ as some of us would say, he noticed an improvement in his general health, wellness, and fitness. He started to focus on nutrition and recovery and take fundamentals very seriously. He is thankful for a well-made Netflix documentary The Fittest on Earth for getting him into the box. Hunter’s advice to any aspiring CrossFit athlete would be to throw your fears, doubts, concerns, and excuses out the window; try out multiple boxes, find great company, good equipment and most importantly have fun while getting in the best shape of your life.

Hunter has tried all the sports; hockey, tennis, soccer, baseball, track, however he took to the game of football and fell in love with it. Playing for Foster High School in Richmond, Texas he was a three-year starter racking up district awards and making runs into the state playoffs. Hunter would have played for the rest of his life if his bones allowed him to but realized poor training and diet would weigh him down. Today he trains regularly to maintain a healthy mind, body, and strong physique. When he’s not in the gym you can find him tending bar at Churrascos the local South American Grill. Hunter creates craft cocktails for customers who work hard in the area. He loves taking care of people and serves thousands every week. He is a hunter, fisher, and general man of the outdoors loves riding his horses, hiking in Colorado and Austin, and relaxing in the sand down in Destin.

Soon Devine would like to compete in long distance runs, strongman competitions, and obstacle course races. Come in! crush a workout or crush a cocktail, ask for Hunter and get to know more about him.

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1

Sarena Williams

Sarena, is a native Texan and has been a Licensed Massage Therapist for 20 years.  She was voted Best Massage Therapist in Houston, Tx in 2007.  She has worked with a wide variety of clients including professional athletes, rock stars and weekend warriors!

After the birth of her son in 2005 she like many new mothers struggled to get the baby weight off. She began training as an endurance athlete and quickly became a exercise junkie.  She has completed 4 marathons, and numerous triathlons.  And in 2011 became an Ironman after successfully completing Ironman Cozumel.

Although she was proud of her success in her endurance training she knew she needed to continue to challenge herself.  In 2012 she walked into the doors of a local CrossFit gym and her life was changed forever. She fell in love with the way CrossFit made her feel, how quickly her body changed, and toned. She wanted to share her love affair with others and was compelled to become a Level 1 Certified coach.  When not working and training she enjoys spending time with family & friends, a great glass of wine, and living life to the fullest.

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1
Licensed Massage Therapist

Ryan Bottoms

Hailing from Calgary, Canada, Ryan grew up playing ice hockey like all true Canadians. When the competitive sports stopped, so did the gym and Ryan quickly found himself working long hours and making poor nutrition choices while working for a consulting firm.

A move to Southeast Asia gave Ryan an opportunity to rediscover “work-life balance” and when a friend suggested they enter a local CrossFit competition Ryan became hooked instantly. Four years later Ryan has his CrossFit Level 1 and has has spent several years managing a box in Brunei.

Ryan moved to Houston with his wife Justine in September 2018 and immediately made CFMH his new home, woding on his first day in country. Outside of the box Ryan loves spending time hiking outdoor, enjoying Houston’s many craft breweries and hanging out with his wife and their new pup Churro.

Certifications/Seminars
CrossFit Level 1

Camzin Ashcroft 

Since CrossFit changed the course of her life in 2011, Cam Ashcroft has been fully immersed in it. Coming from a family where diabetes, overweight, and lifestyle disease is endemic in the family tree, when she stopped competing as a gymnast in her youth the weight gain that followed was no surprise. She found CrossFit after unsuccessfully pursuing health and fitness through “traditional” means for years. From her very first CrossFit class she knew she couldn’t turn back.

Our Box

CrossFit Memorial Houston is a fitness facility located in the Memorial neighborhood of Houston, TX.

CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program focused on functional movement. Get leaner, faster, stronger… stop by for a free class and see for yourself!

We are located in a 15,700 sq ft facility equipped with 2 Pull-up Rigs, Jerk Boxes, Kettlebells, Olympic bars, Slam balls, Concept 2 Rowers, Plyo boxes, 2 large “Big Ass” shop fans and lots of other fun equipment.

CFMH Coaches strive to keep our members safe in a fun, healthy, positive environment.

We are located 1.2 miles from City Centre in the Memorial Area Neighborhood.

(See the Contact page for a map and contact information.)