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BRANDI
FORBES

As a lifelong athlete, Brandi developed a deep respect for “team” and the overall sports community. She has a passion for teaching and learning, and loves sharing that journey with others. “There’s no greater feeling than helping people achieve things they thought were impossible! The looks on their faces are priceless and seeing their confidence levels grow as they continue to reach new goals is a beautiful thing.”

Brandi began playing soccer at age 4 and continued well past college while intertwining softball and Tae Kwon Do in her younger years.  She poured her heart into women’s rugby for a handful of years and was honored to work as the President of the Nashville Women’s Rugby Club before hanging up her ‘boots’ for good. After becoming completely bored with treadmills, Jillian Michaels DVDs, and P90X, she finally found CrossFit in June 2009 and fell in love instantly. CrossFit (as a workout and as a sport) quickly proved to fit her search for being part of something bigger and finding that camaraderie and support she came to count on throughout her sports career.

She is excited to share her passion for CrossFit, healthy nutrition, and making positive life changes with each of you through our program at CrossFit Hermitage!

Alexie
Smith

Proof that consistency is key, Alexie’s fitness journey began only a few years ago when this former
120-pound “tall and skinny” guy decided he was ready for a change and a confidence boost. He started by visiting his local YMCA every…single…day…for two years straight. (yes, that’s the kind of dedication and commitment Coach Alexie brings to the table)

After seeing the CrossFit Games on TV, he thought: “Now THAT looks like a good time!” and began his search for a CrossFit gym to call home. A move from Kansas to Tennessee later, and an instant fit with the CrossFit Hermitage community, Alexie not only packed on muscle and became a powerhouse athlete…but he also studied and earned his CrossFit Level 1 certification, worked through the Intern Program here at CrossFit Hermitage, and is now a valued member of our coaching team. Coach Alexie appreciates that coaching gives him the opportunity to encourage, empower, and nurture the growth and awesomeness level of our entire community.

When he’s not working on strength and skills in the gym, he works with a different set of plates as a ceramic potter. He lives by the motto that “we become in our lives what we do with our love,” and that spirit and passion shines through in his fitness and coaching.

Kelly
Wisner

Kelly started her CrossFit journey in November 2011. Her husband (then boyfriend) joined their local CrossFit gym in Hawaii about 6 months prior and was crazy about it. She accused him of “joining a cult” and “drinking the Kool-aid” at first…but the day she went to watch him in a CrossFit competition, she changed her mind. On the wall of that gym were photos of people on their 1st day then 2 months later…and she was simply amazed at their transformations! She was also inspired by the women she met that day and decided it was something she wanted to try.

“My first workout included modifications like doing push-ups on my knees. I remember going home that night and not being able to raise my arms to wash my hair. After that 10-minute workout, I was hooked.”

By 2012, she had accomplished so many things she thought she could never do, and decided to help other people have that same feeling and achieve things they thought impossible. She began her coaching internship, obtained her Level 1 Certification, and began coaching others at Red Wolf CrossFit in Southern CA. Five years later, she had a super-healthy pregnancy and childbirth for her daughter thanks to her combination of CrossFit training and BirthFit’s prenatal programming. In 2018, she earned her Level 2 Certification and continues to build her education and experience helping others live their best lives here at CrossFit Hermitage.

Alex
Wisner

Coach Alex started CrossFit in 2011 while living in Hawaii. In January 2012, he earned his CrossFit Level 1 certification, then started coaching shortly after. He and his wife, Kelly, moved to California and actually earned spots on a team that went to the CrossFit Regionals competition later that year (and 2013 and 2014).

​He became a full-time coach in 2013 with Red Wolf CrossFit and Bear Flag CrossFit. In late 2014, he earned his USAW Level 1 (USA Weightlifting) and focused heavily on Olympic Lifting. In fact, he actually created and managed the Barbell Club at Red Wolf CrossFit (and qualified for the American Open in 2015).

Alex took a break from coaching when he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in 2015. After 4 years as an avionics electrical technician on C130J aircraft, he, Kelly, and their daughter Kalea decided to move here to be closer to family.

Monika
Hartman

Monika wasn’t incredibly athletic growing up, so she spent a lot of her adult years searching for her favorite expression of fitness. After years of following glossy-magazine fitness trends, forced treadmill time, and fruitless personal training, she found CrossFit in 2014 at the urging of CrossFitting friends and family. One workout and she was hooked! “I loved that I went from trying to be skinny to trying to be fit. My success wasn’t measured by my miles on the treadmill, but by the weight on the bar. The progress you achieve with CrossFit is addictive!”

Four years later, she holds her CF-L1 and USAW L1 coaching certificates. She is most passionate about coaching beginners and Olympic-style weightlifting. “There’s something magical that happens in your life when you work really hard in the gym and see what happens when it all comes together. It’s absolutely life changing.”

CrossFit has shown Monika what it means to pursue excellence in all endeavors, and she’s eager to bring that to others through her coaching here at CrossFit Hermitage!

TOM
FORBES

Tom began swimming at a competitive level at the age of 4 and played a number of high school sports, including football and basketball to name just a few.  He was introduced to rugby at the University of Alabama and continued playing for 18 years until retiring a few years ago. 

After rugby, his intention was to use marathons and triathlons to stay in shape…until he found CrossFit in 2009; it has allowed Tom to meld a healthy lifestyle with the “sport of fitness” and remain competitive without causing further damage to his body.  It’s such a great feeling to know that we can avoid suffering from “that old sports injury” as we age. 

At the age of 14, Tom was fortunate enough to begin coaching the Cottonwood swim team during the summer months and he became the head swim coach at age 19. Having this opportunity to teach, develop, and encourage athletes early in life taught him some valuable lessons that he’s been able to pass on to others through the years. He also had the opportunity to partner with the coaches at Father Ryan High School and the Nashville Men’s Rugby team to work with the pack players. Each experience helped him learn the difference between coaching an athlete and telling an athlete everything they are doing wrong…one gets results, the other gets nothing more than a frustrated athlete.  At CrossFit Hermitage, we are focused on providing an encouraging format to help you be a better you.

OMAR
HERNANDEZ

Coach Omar earned his CrossFit Level 1 certification and began coaching in his hometown of Kalamazoo, MI in 2016. He developed a love for coaching teen classes and teaching young individuals the fundamentals of strength and conditioning.

He has since continued his education, obtained his CrossFit Level 2 certification, and earned his doctor of chiropractic degree + coached in some great gyms including Denver and St. Louis. He uses his knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics to help members live functional, pain-free lives. 

His favorite CrossFit movement is the Burpee (but why?), and he’s known to get excited about conditioning sessions that involve the bike. His favorite part about coaching is helping people get to the point where they are empowered to live healthier lives.

Jesse
Bates

Coach Jesse grew up playing baseball, football, and competing in weightlifting and wrestling. After he turned down an opportunity to play collegiate football, he found himself living a less-than-active lifestyle with considerable differences in his overall health. He dove into CrossFit as a way to get moving again, but also to feel like part of a team and work toward specific ‘game-day’ type goals!
After coaching freshman football at his alma mater for a few years, he joined a coaching apprenticeship program and began coaching CrossFit in 2015 then spent his senior capstone with EXOS where he had the opportunity to work with professional and tactical athletes as well as collegiate, teen, and youth athletes in various settings. We’re thrilled that he moved to Nashville and became part of the CrossFit Hermitage family! CrossFit helped Jesse find that missing spark, and he’s eager to bring that to others through his coaching here at CrossFit Hermitage!

JAMAL
ANDERSON

Between basketball, soccer, and track & field, Coach Jamal has been involved in sports his entire life. Soccer was his greatest love and played all the way through college. Once organized sports were no longer an everyday part of life, he turned to the typical globo gym routine and quickly grew tired of the monotony (like so many of us).

In 2013, he joined a CrossFit gym in Virginia and never looked back. Immediately he immersed himself in the community, the movements, and the competition that CrossFit offers and decided to earn his Level 1 coaching certification in 2015.

In addition to CrossFit, Coach Jamal dove into Olympic Weightlifting and began competing at the local and national level (University nationals 2015 – 2017) with East Coast Gold Weightlifting Club (ECG). During his time with ECG, he followed the leadership of Phillip Sabatini, Leo Totten, Brenden McDaniel and other amazing coaches and earned both his USAW Level 1 and Level 2 while assisting at numerous USAW sanctioned competitions.

He’s excited to bring his knowledge and experience to our CrossFit Hermitage family where he will help us continually elevate the importance of strength, stability, quality movement…and FUN, of course!

COURTNEY
BERNER

Courtney Berner has been involved in team sports her entire life, playing soccer all the way through college plus several years of softball and dance. She was first introduced to CrossFit in 2012 as a way to maintain fitness during the soccer off-season, and she quickly realized it was about more than just the workouts. She fell in love with the community atmosphere because it so closely paralleled aspects of team sports. 

After graduating and moving to Nashville, she dove into Olympic Weightlifting and found a love for the barbell and heavy lifting…but missed the community atmosphere she grew up with. She eventually found her way back to CrossFit and a team-like community here at CrossFit Hermitage! With a passion to teach and a love for strength training, she went on to earn her CrossFit Level 1 certification and completed the months-long CrossFit Hermitage Internship Program, where she began her coaching experience. 

When she’s not at the gym, you’ll find Courtney supporting young adults in crisis at the Oasis Center, snuggling her pups, playing soccer, or enjoying the outdoors. She is so excited to share her love for strength training and support others through coaching.

Her favorite quote comes from Maya Angelou “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive: and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style” and she intends to carry that mission with her both in and out of the gym.