Trainers
Eva Twardokens Eva Twardokens’ life is about athletics and movement. She is a Level 3 CrossFit certified trainer and is also certified in kettle bell training, run endurance, basic barbell, and olympic weightlifting. Her expertise in these areas comes from her assisting the Coaches in these specialties. She travels around the country to assist Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore in the CrossFit Basic Barbell Certifications, Mike Burgener in his CrossFit Olympic Weightlifting Certifications, Jeff Martone in the CrossFit Kettlebell Certifications, and will join Brian McKenzie in some of the CrossFit Running Certifications. Her opportunity to work with these experts time and time again, has taught her the material inside out. She has worked with the founder and creator of CrossFit, Coach Glassman since the very beginning and has been working closely with him for 10 years!
Eva is an accomplished athlete herself, competing in alpine skiing in two Olympic games. She is a six-time national champion, a World Champion Bronze medalist, and the World Technical Skiing Champion. Last year she changed sports and won the Masters National Championship Weightlifting title, where she broke two American records, one in the clean and jerk, and one in the total.
phone: 428-8535
The amalgamation of my experiences as an athlete and a coach,
through winning, losing, and recovering from severe injury has given
me the ability and understanding to share and relate with a wide range
of clientele. - Eva Twardokens
Michele Mootz Michele comes to CrossFit with over 13 years experience in Orthopedic Physical Therapy. CrossFit has proven to be a perfect balance between her appreciation of the movement of the human body, and her passion for fitness. Michele has a firm belief that CrossFit is an ideal fitness program, which produces amazing results for clients of all skill levels and abilities.
phone: (831)915-5140
Annie Sakamoto has 8 years of experience as a trainer in the fitness industry, 4 of which have been focused exclusively in CrossFit. She spent one year traveling and working with the CrossFit Certification Seminars to teach new Crossfit trainers. As much as she loves the physical and mental challenge of CrossFit, it is the “community” that has kept her so dedicated to the CrossFit program.
Annie is an avid surfer and enjoys spending time with her family at the beach.
phone: 454-6451
Jim Baker I have been working out with CrossFit for the past eleven years. For six of those years I was personally trained by Greg Glassman, the co-founder of CrossFit. After retiring from a successful career as a school Principal, I became a certified CrossFit trainer specializing in working with adults 50 and older. While utilizing the CrossFit method, I recognize the unique needs of older adults and tailor a program which supports fitness and vitality.
phone: 688-7509
Tara G. Mucilli Tara is a level 2 CrossFit certified trainer. She is barbell certified and has 10 years of crossfitting under her belt. She is considered “OC”, an “Original Crossfitter”.
I am excited to share the incredible fitness program, which has made such a difference in my life. I only wish I started sooner! - Tara
Her engagement and attention to detail makes her stand out as one of our best.
- Eva Twardokens
Zac Pine
Welcome to CrossFit Santa Cruz Central. This is my home where I have met a whole community of people who not only enjoy the workouts, but life as well. When I started CrossFit I got addicted to it from being an athlete. The workouts not only push you physically but mentally. CrossFit intrigued me enough to get my B.S. in Exercise Physiology and continue on to receiving my Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS July ‘08). The science is what inspires me but, what makes me keep coming back are the clients, the trainers, and the programming we have at CrossFit Santa Cruz Central and NSC.
Hard work
Friendly Faces
Good Times
Thanks to the clients and the M.A.J.E.R.’s for creating this community that we all love!!!
phone: 454-6940
Nora Grant I have been playing sports all my life and live an active lifestyle, which CrossFit programming has enhanced, making me a stronger, faster, more balanced human. Walking into the gym reminds me of playing water polo in high school and college; the team atmosphere, friendly competition, and enormous support. I competed in the first ever CrossFit Games last summer, and placed seventh among the women overall. I enjoy facilitating people as they push themselves somewhere they didn’t think they could go, breaking physical and mental barriers, setting new goals, and celebrating victories.
I am currently working on my Masters of Science degree in Marine Science at Moss Landing Marine Lab. I am a NAUI divemaster, American Academy of Underwater Science (AAUS) certified Scientific Diver and active in the research diving community. My master’s thesis work is studying ecology of submerged aquatic vegetation in Elkhorn Slough and the associated species assemblages.
phone: 234-2045
Shari Keener I started in the fitness industry at the age of 18 and quickly fell in love with running and racing. As a sponsored athlete I raced 3 marathons a year as part of a team, and enjoyed 5k races all the way to ultras. When I found CrossFit in 2004 I was already a fast runner and qualified for the Boston Marathon 4 times, but lacked strength and knew I could be faster. Incorporating CrossFit into my training season led me to the fastest marathon in my career, finishing first in my age division and 5th women overall in the Silicon Valley Marathon. I was hooked! Since then, I have had the privilege  to learn from the HQ staff and best trainers in the industry. I traveled to CrossFit Certification Seminars across the country and Canada meeting amazing athletes at every gym I entered and helped Level 1 coaches receive their certifications. When Brian MacKenzie and Carl Borg from CrossFit Endurance came on the scene in 2007, I traveled to their facility and was brought under their wing to learn their techniques. Doing so has improved my running form and speed and has made me a better athlete by reducing injury. This opportunity is the highlight of my career as a strength and conditioning coach.  I am now on staff as a traveling coach for the CrossFit Endurance Team and travel across the US and Canada leading running drills and teaching the techniques I learned in a full weekend seminar. I also recently have started to lead the lectures on nutrition for these seminars as well. I believe that nutrition is the foundation to accomplishing any athletic goal you may have. As the coach to professional downhill mountain bikers and runners, by changing their diet and adding CrossFit as the cornerstone of their training they have gotten faster, leaner, stronger and have broken personal records across the board. I am passionate about helping people to reach their goals of fitness and to accomplish things they never thought they could do. Runners and endurance athletes hold a special place in my heart and I take great pride in working with them. Whether you are a top athlete or a mom wanting to get back in shape I want to help you get there!!
I am the owner and creator of Meals Rx, a performance based nutrition company. I endorse  Paleo and the Zone Diet and thoroughly explain both ways of lifestyle eating to all clientele with great success. Helping one client to loose almost 60 pounds and another to gain 25 pounds while decreasing his mile time from 5:16 to 4:59. It works!!
I came to Shari as a broken down, middle aged athlete, that was ready to call it quits.  Her knowledge, confidence, intensity and enthusiasm convinced me to give her a chance.  Shari provides customized training that focuses on her clients goals.  Shari quickly overhauled my diet to Zone, my running form to POSE and my long-slow-distance workouts exclusively to CrossFit and CF Endurance.  Our list of accomplishments are extensive.  I still remember getting my first dead-hang pull up after my first month, my first muscle up after 8 months, and a 4:59 mile after 10 months.  Thank you Shari!!” - Chris Hinshaw
I started training with Shari a little over two years ago, after I saw my wife (who was training with Shari) getting to be stronger than I was.  I was also interested in finding some kind of training that would help out with the surfing/motocross/mtn bike riding that I do.  I was amazed at the amount of strength gains made in a short amount of time.  No longer was I getting fatigued quickly at the track or in the surf, and I gained a lot of explosive power on my mtn bike.  Shari has been a great trainer for both my wife and myself, and is not of the typical football coach mentality.  She shows up at 5 am to train us 3 days a week, and is bright and cheery every time, encouraging both of us, even when we’re not too psyched up to train.  It continues to be a pleasure training with her, and I cannot picture enjoying the sports I do without doing CrossFit with Shari.” - Joe Buckley
CrossFit Level I and Level II
CrossFit Running and Endurance
CrossFit Level I Nutrition
CrossFit Gymnastics
First place in the 2009 Muscle Beach Classics Women’s Figure Competition Short Class and Overall.
phone: 238-2526
Heather Peterson After my very first CrossFit workout I think I became hooked. I loved the challenge, the variance, the intensity, and the people I was surrounded with. CrossFit is a community filled with support, camaraderie, and competition, all of which allows each individual to push themselves in the workouts. I’m passionate about fitness and love learning and witnessing all of the amazing things the human body can do. Received my BS in Human Performance and Wellness with a focus in Exercise Science. I’ve spent the past several years training at the gym, as a recreational runner, and as a kickboxing instructor. CrossFit has become an amazing part of my daily life and I love sharing that with others.
phone: (831)419-9161
Helene Bouchard I am a lifelong fitness enthusiast, a former distance runner, an avid cyclist, and a dedicated CrossFitter. Although my training regimens continually called for weight-based training in support of my endurance activities, I hated the environment of gyms, hated being inside for my workouts, and found the workouts generally boring. Then I found CrossFit. This is not a traditional gym. The workouts are challenging mentally and physically, but the community and the overall feeling of support are what make CrossFit unique.
As a baby-boomer myself and the mother of three pre-teens, I particularly enjoy working with individuals who may have gotten away from athletics for awhile and want to get back into it, as well as those who just know they need to get moving to stay active and vital as they get older. Following Jim Baker’s lead, I use the CrossFit method to develop programs not just for the elite athlete, but for the rest of us who want to develop the fitness level we need to live well.
phone: (831)247-2133
John Kane Born and raised in Santa Cruz County, John has lived here most of his life. After graduating from UC Davis he returned to the area and entered the family business. He enjoys and continues to be very active in that business but with 30 years experience, John is excited about the change of pace that teaching at CrossFit Santa Cruz Central provides.
“I get to spend time with a wonderful community of people, help them flourish, achieve their fitness goals and have fun in the process.”
Ever since he was a young, health and fitness have inspired John. He has been a runner for over 35 years and continues to race competitively in local events. Weight training has been another passion since his formative years. As a high school student he became interested in Hatha Yoga and pursued this interest through his studies and certification at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in San Francisco. John has taught yoga locally for 10 years. He also studied Tai Chi with Flora Chow Yen and was fortunate to assist her with several beginning level classes.
John’s introduction to CrossFit occurred in 2005, and he has been hooked ever since. He is a barbell and level 1 certified, has participated in Olympic lifting, running and nutritional seminars, and competed in the inaugural and second CrossFit Games.
“The combination of attention to technique, intensity and variation has produced significant change in the way I evaluate fitness. Through CrossFit the potential benefits for an individual both physically and mentally are tremendous. As a trainer my motivation is to assist individuals of all ages and abilities realize their potential.”
phone: (831)761-9112
Gary Hirthler Is a Level 1 Certified CrossFit trainer with a B.S. in Exercise and Movement Science from San Francisco State University. An avid surfer, Gary has been involved in athletics, sport and exercise his whole life. He is passionate about and dedicated to teaching what he believes is the most valuable, effective and unparalleled fitness program on the planet. Gary comes to CrossFit Santa Cruz Central with a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for the trainers and athletes he has the privilege to work beside every day.
phone: (831)212-1474
