I have been doing CrossFit since 2014. I was so hesitant to start because I thought it was for people that are already really fit. What I found was a welcoming environment with people of all ages, sizes, and skill levels. We all have different goals but seeking to be better versions of ourselves every day. I love the functional movements of CrossFit and how that translates into my daily life. I’m a mom, nurse, surfer, and lover of all things outdoors. I want to stay active well into my later years in life. CrossFit helps me do that and I love providing that for others as well. We have fun here and we want to support you! Don’t put it off another day! This community is second to none.

I started with CrossFit in 2008 after years of long, slow distance training left me bored and injured. I quickly fell in love with weightlifting and became leaner and stronger than I had ever been. My favorite part of coaching is seeing our members overcoming their own fears and self doubt while becoming athletes. Nothing gets me more jazzed than a mother of 3 throwing around a heavy barbell or a former NFL player getting their competitive spark back.

I have also seen significant changes in my own life that I credit to my training. I have energy to keep up with my son, I never have to ask for help carrying my groceries out, and I am the “go-to” nurse when it comes to CPR. I can do compressions for hours!

After more than a decade working in traditional fitness venues, I discovered CrossFit all the way back in 2007. I quit in the middle of my first workout, thinking I must have misread something because this stuff is WAY too hard. Fortunately, we’ve figured out smarter ways of getting started, and as I approach my 50’s I still find myself challenged, engaged and having a blast. I’d love see you come aboard, get fit, have fun and maybe even do some things you never thought you could do!

Joel has been doing CrossFit since 2014. He reluctantly gave it a try and found that it combined his love for hard work with the fun of being in community. Something he had not experienced since his days in the Marine Corps. Joel always brings the fun and enjoys coaching people to do more than they thought they could achieve.

Lindsey McDermott is an L1 Instructor with 8 years of CrossFit experience. She is also a history teacher and has coached softball, tennis, and cheerleading at the high school level. She enjoys getting to work with all athletes of all ages and ability levels. She truly loves the family that CrossFit has provided her with over the years! Her favorite lifts are the clean and jerk.

I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy and I had occasionally treated CrossFit athletes in my private practice over the years.  In January of 2020 I was given the opportunity to treat patients at Monkey Junction CrossFit.  I had lifted weights and been active but when I watched the workouts it was unlike anything I had seen before.  Everyone was working extremely hard but at the same time having fun (or so they said AFTER the workout).  I signed up to get my Level 1 certification without ever taking a class so I could learn what CrossFit was all about.  I immediately started taking classes and I was hooked!  It has totally transformed me physically and improved my mental toughness.  When you do things physically you never thought you would be able to do it gives you confidence in other areas of your life as well.

As a coach I believe CrossFit is for ALL age groups and skill levels.  I love teaching people to move well so they can move often and stay active!  I also like to help people navigate how to stay active when they are dealing with injuries.  I strongly believe living a healthy lifestyle and being fit is the BEST way to fight disease and CrossFit is a great way to achieve this!

Nicole Becken, DPT, CIDN, CF-L1

I started CrossFit my senior year of college because I needed it– physically, mentally and emotionally. Over the past 6 years, I have been able to develop healthy, sustainable habits that have truly changed my life for the better. I began coaching CrossFit, not only to share my passion for fitness and exercise, but to help others sustainably change THEIR lives. As a coach, my priority is to show athletes that they are stronger than they know. Every person who walks through the doors of MJCF is capable of progress, growth, and becoming a version of themselves they are truly proud of. Each individual journey may look different, but we’re all in this TOGETHER!

I began my CrossFit journey in 2018 after hitting a lull with my standard weightlifting and cardio routine. As a former collegiate soccer player, I really missed the camaraderie of a team, the competitiveness of sport, and the support of a community all working together to better themselves and one another. CrossFit quickly became everything I was hoping for and more.

I earned my CF-L1 in early 2019 and began coaching right away. Fast forward to 2020, my husband and I moved to Wilmington and stumbled upon this gem of a fitness community at Monkey Junction CrossFit. The community aspect is what makes CrossFit so unique, and I’d say that you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better, more supportive group of people than what you get at MJCF.

Coaching and being a CrossFit athlete has challenged me to grow in so many different ways, both mentally and physically. This sport is something truly incredible and it has the ability to change countless lives. I am beyond grateful to have a front row seat to watch our members change their fitness, their health, and their lives through hard work and dedication every single day.