Patrick Byrnes
Owner / Head Coach
pat@crossfitvaevictis.com
Pat is co-owner, head coach and head of program design at CrossFit Vae Victis. Over the past 6 years he has established himself as a strong presence in the local CrossFit community and has dedicated his efforts to improving the health and fitness of those around him.
At a young age, Pat became interested in athletics and fitness and began playing football, basketball, boxing and anything else that challenged him and kept him moving. In high school he played football for two years, but found wrestling to be his true passion. Over the course of his wrestling career, he was selected as a team captain, was top ten in school wins, and went on to win his respective district.
Shortly after high school he went on to join the United States Marine Corps as a Field Radio Operator, and eventually turned to mixed martial arts where he had an impressive amateur record with injuries postponing a pro career. He credits his work ethic to his wrestling, MMA background, and his time spent in the military.
Pat’s passion for CrossFit can be seen in the many competitions he participates in annually, whether through his history of competition as both an individual and team competitor in the NorthEast Region, or coach of both team and master’s competitors at the CrossFit Games. His passion for CrossFit and an active lifestyle can also be seen daily during his coaching of classes, mentoring of other coaches, and running of operations at CrossFit Vae Victis. He demands nothing but the best from himself, his coaches, and his athletes.
Pat enjoys Olympic Lifting, heavy back squats and skilled gymnastic movements. His favorite workout is a long chipper with a combination of bodyweight and barbell movements. He holds CrossFit Level 1, CrossFit Level 2, CrossFit Olympic Lifting and CrossFit Self Defense certifications and has attended the Outlaw Way Para Bellum Series Training Camp. He plans to complete his CrossFit Level 3 certification in 2015 and also to pursue other certifications in the future.
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Scott Harris
Owner / Endurance Coach
scott@crossfitvaevictis.com
Scott is co-owner, head of business logistics/marketing and endurance coach at CrossFit Vae Victis. Fitness and competitive sports were deeply imbedded into his life at a young age, and still remain a big part of his life to this day.
Scott’s passion for fitness and competition can be witnessed through the variety of endurance sport events he participates in regularly. He has competed in a multitude of different types of events, ranging from sprint to Ironman distance triathlons, OCRs, marathons, ultras and multi-day challenge races.
He gravitated to CrossFit because he felt the need for targeted strength training to prepare for his endurance races and because of the monotony and lack of interaction he found at typical gyms and fitness facilities. He believes that the methodologies of CrossFit combined with specific endurance training are a winning combination for athletes competing in endurance sports, and allows them to compete at a higher level.
Since 2007, Scott has run a successful software training business and has honed in on his business and marketing skills in the corporate world, working with many top echelon companies. After building a strong relationship with Pat, he decided that building a business around fitness and the growing sport of CrossFit was something he was passionate about and wished to pursue.
Scott enjoys natural body movements, sometimes with the addition of a weighted vest and anything cardiovascular. His favorite workout is a long chipper or any WOD that involves running and squats. He plans to complete his CrossFit Endurance certification this spring and will also be pursuing other certifications in 2015.
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Ashley Martinez
Coach
ashley@crossfitvaevictis.com
Ashley is a Level 2 Certified CrossFit Trainer at CrossFit Vae Victis. Over the past three years she has dedicated her training efforts to CrossFit and has established herself as a strong athlete in our local community. In the past year, she has played an important role in the development of our members inside the box. She relishes in seeing our athletes conquer their weaknesses and develop new skills through hard work and consistent effort.
She has always been athletic and stayed active by participating in many sports, including soccer, basketball, softball, swimming and diving. Her primary sport was soccer, where she played goalie for multiple travel teams. After tending goal next to an all boys travel league field, she was extended an invitation by the coach to join that league, where she went on to play as the only female team member for two years. When she wasn’t on the soccer field, she spent much of her time in high school by a pool, working as a lifeguard and coaching swimming lessons.
Throughout college, Ashley began practicing yoga and chose to pursue her instructor certification. She has instructed classes specifically designed for athletes, called Yogaletes, and has also volunteered her time teaching yoga summer camps to children with Urban Promise in Camden. She believes that the mobility she gaines through yoga directly impacts her abilities as a CrossFit athlete, as well as solidifies her belief that mobility is a large part of what makes exceptional competitors. Ashley’s experience as a yoga instructor also allows her to coach in a large group setting and her knowledge of anatomy and physiology enriches her ability to evaluate athlete’s movements. She believes that CrossFit is a perfect combination of physical and mental challenge, and provides multiple opportunities for various aspects of personal growth.
Ashley also enjoys running and has participated in various different events. In 2012, she was one of less than 100 female athletes to qualify to race in the 2nd Worlds Toughest Mudder, She ran in her first half marathon in 2014, finishing in just over 2 hours. Ashley also has plans to add to her race resume with additional on and off road races in the near future.
Ashley is a mother of two young girls and a student working towards a career in nursing. She enjoys Olympic Weightlifting and challenging her weakness with gymnastic movements. She also feels that clean eating and a positive attitude enrich her overall training. Her favorite workouts include heavy weights mixed with cardiovascular movement. She holds CrossFit Level 1 & 2 certifications, Water Safety Instructor certification, as well as a Registered Yoga Instructor certification. Ashley has a desire to always improve her coaching abilities, and plans to attend Olympic Weightlifting and mobility courses in the future.
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Jacquie Ward
Coach
jacquie@crossfitvaevictis.com
Jacquie is a Level 1 Certified Crossfit Trainer at Crossfit Vae Victis. In her time spent training with CrossFit, she has quickly established herself as a strong athlete in the local community, and brings a competitive but encouraging drive to each class she coaches.
At the age of 8, she began swimming competitively. In high school she swam for her club team, SJAC, and Eastern High School. She was recognized as a state, school, and club team record holder. She was also awarded First Team All State and the honor of retiring her swimsuit into the hall of fame at Eastern High School.
She continued her swim career at Indiana University in her first year of college. She then transferred to Rutgers University to swim on their Division 1 swim team after being offered a full ride for swimming. At Rutgers University she qualified for NCAAs, the 2012 Olympic Trials, and took several top 6 finishes in the Big East Conference. She would also go on to lead her team as team captain her senior year.
Jacquie graduated from Rutgers University in 2012 with her BA in Psychology and Biology and aspires to become a Physician Assistant in orthopedics. Jacquie values a holistic approach to fitness and well-being and hopes to mesh a career in sports orthopedics with CrossFit and nutrition.
She quickly picked up Crossfit in 2013 after retiring from swimming and craving the same competitive and community aspects she had found in her first sport. Jacquie attributes her tough mentality, leadership skills, and competitive edge to her time devoted to the sport of swimming.
Jacquie hopes to further establish herself as a CrossFit competitor and as a coach. Aside from coaching at CrossFit Vae Victis, she coaches for SJAC swimming’s National Team, and has recently started competing more often in the CrossFit community, with aspirations of establishing herself as a top athlete. She enjoys anything that requires the use of her strong engine, loves wall balls, light barbell movements and her favorite Olympic lift is the snatch. Jacquie holds her Crossfit Level 1 certification and is anxious to pursue more certifications in the future. She is also ASCA and USA swimming certified.
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Kimberly Zuno
Coach
kim@crossfitvaevictis.com
Kim is a Level 1 and CrossFit Kids Certified CrossFit Trainer at CrossFit Vae Victis. She has dedicated her coaching efforts towards the development of children and our younger athletes at the box. Her joy for coaching can be seen regularly as she teaches our children the benefits of staying active and leading a healthy lifestyle through proper athletic movements.
Kim was involved in multiple sports throughout her childhood and teenage years, playing for recreational, travel and AAU teams. She attended Cherokee High School, where she earned 10 varsity letters in soccer, basketball and softball. Her love for sports and competition grew stronger through college at Boston University, where she made the Boston University crew team as a first time rowing athlete. She went on to earn her degree in psychology and pre-med, but was unsure what career path she would choose after graduation.
The one thing that remained constant for Kim was her love of fitness, competition and children. She would spend time training in and out of traditional gyms for several years and tried boxing, Bikram Yoga and spin classes. Kim earned her spinning certification in 1997 and also completed the Bikram 30 day challenge in 2010, but nothing ever seemed to stick. She was introduced to CrossFit in Massachusetts in 2012, and after just one class she was hooked. CrossFit’s combination of constantly varied movements, high intensity and friendly competition kept her motivated and was exactly what she was looking for.
After a year of CrossFit, Kim looked for a way to combine her love for sports, CrossFit and children. Earning her CrossFit Kids certification and working with children did just that, and was a dream come true. Kim trains regularly at CrossFit Vae Victis with her husband Mike and their daughters. She holds CrossFit Level 1 and CrossFit Kids certifications and is excited to help grow our CrossFit Kids Program.
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Tom Cunningham
Coach
tom@crossfitvaevictis.com
Tom is a Level 1 Certified CrossFit Trainer at CrossFit Vae Victis. For the past 3 years, he has been an integral part of our community, both as a member, an athlete and as a coach. His enthusiasm and passion for helping others can be seen in every class he leads.
As the youngest of four boys of a wrestling family, he would realize very early on that athletics and strength and conditioning were going to be a big part of his life. Wrestling was the focus of his high school athletic career and he achieved District and Region titles, eventually placing 7th in the state tournament.
In college, Tom became interested in coaching the sport he had dedicated so much of his youth to, and upon graduating he was brought on to coach at his local high school. He also volunteered at various wrestling clubs with hopes of helping youth develop their skills.
With his brothers encouraging him to try it, Tom began performing CrossFit workouts in his own garage. He took to the workouts with ease, but with previous knee injuries he was hesitant to make his way to a local affiliate. Through the suggestion of a good friend, Tom decided to get his CrossFit Level 1 certification in 2012. It was at this certification that he was able to see CrossFit in its true form and the community that came along with it. Tom was immediately hooked and has never looked back.
Tom enjoys the day to day life of a CrossFit affiliate and makes it a priority to bring personality and fun to the daily workouts, while either participating in or coaching classes. Consistencies in movement and proper mobility are a few of his pet peeves, and his main objective is to help each person in his classes move better and live a healthy lifestyle. He holds a CrossFit Level 1 Certification and plans to obtain his CrossFit Level 2 Certification in the near future. He also wishes to expand his knowledge of mobility and Olympic lifts in order to improve his overall coaching repertoire.