Natalie began her coaching career in college, spending summers at home coaching her local swim team. Her love for coaching carried into her later years as she took on JV and varsity water polo teams in Los Altos. After finishing her own college and water polo career, she transitioned into the CrossFit world, where she also began nutrition coaching.

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Through these experiences, she has witnessed firsthand the life-changing impact that health and fitness can have on people’s lives. Driven by a passion to help individuals of all ages find their place in the fitness space, she has continued to grow both as a coach and as a leader.

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Her journey eventually led her to invest not only in people but also in the business side of fitness. In September 2025, she became the proud owner of West Fitness, where her mission is to continue reaching more people and empowering them to transform their lives through health, fitness, and community.

Certifications & Achievements

• CF-L1

• CF-L2

• CF-L3

• Precision Nutrition

• RKC Instructor

• Semifinals Individual Competitor – 2023

• Regionals Team Competitor – 2018

Daniel J started his fitness journey by joining us in high school’s weightlifting club during his sophomore year. The positive physical and mental impacts of resistance training sent him on a one-way trip toward making fitness a priority in his life. From losing 40 lbs in high school to playing rugby in college and being introduced to CrossFit, his passion continued to grow. He opened CrossFit Ready in 2012, then took ownership of CrossFit West, which is now known as West Fitness.

Daniel has a passion for increasing one’s physical strength, no matter what their background might be—ranging from 78-year-old athletes to 15-year-old kids.

He is equally passionate about smart programming and navigating injuries with evidence-based information. “It is very important for me to make fitness modified for anyone, no matter their age, demographic, or background. On top of that, I am also very passionate about making fitness both fun and effective.”

Certifications & Accomplishments:

• NASM

• Sports Performance

• USAW Level 2

• CrossFit Level 2

• Barbell Medicine Seminars

• Barbell Medicine Pain and Rehab

• Writer, Santa Cruz Sentinel, “Dining with Daniel”

• Santa Cruz Highland Games Competitor

• USAPL Old Skool Iron, First Place (2021)

• USAPL Winter Swolstice, First Place (2018)

• USAPL Lifting Large Open, 3rd Place (2018)

• UCSC Rugby Team (2006–2010)

• San Francisco State University, Health and Fitness Teacher (2015–2019)

• UCSC Graduate

MacKenzie’s fitness journey began in high school, when she saved up for her first gym membership. Though timid and unsure at first, she leaned on online resources, supportive friends, and plenty of trial and error to build her foundation of knowledge. During her college years at UCSC, while working in local Santa Cruz gyms, fitness evolved into more than exercise—it became community. Hearing people’s stories and goals sparked a deeper passion to learn more about movement and health so she could help others find their own strength and breakthroughs.

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After graduating, MacKenzie earned her NASM certification and began training clients of all levels and backgrounds. Yet her greatest joy remains working with true beginners—the ones who walk into the gym just as she once did: nervous but hopeful, ready to discover their strength and step into a healthier life.

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MacKenzie entered the world of CrossFit driven by one simple factor: community. Thanks to close friends and relationships built within the fitness scene, her path led her to West Fitness. There, she found not only a new level of athletic challenge, but also a community of strong, supportive, and kind-hearted people.

 

As a coach, MacKenzie strives to make fitness approachable, achievable, and fun for everyone. Her mission goes beyond helping people develop strength and athleticism—she seeks to welcome them into the same uplifting community that has inspired her for so many years.

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Movement has always been a part of my life. I grew up playing sports, spent ten years working in the gym world, and in 2020, I found my way into CrossFit. It has been nothing short of life-changing—not just for my fitness, but for how I see what it means to show up for yourself.

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My belief is simple: every time you walk through the doors, you’ve already done something powerful. Some days, your best might be hopping on a bike for 20 minutes. Other days, it might be chasing that #1 spot on the leaderboard. No matter what it looks like, you’ve chosen to engage in something hard—and that’s something to be proud of.

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The community at West has been one of the most special gifts in my life. I joined during the height of the pandemic, a time when connection felt almost impossible. But here, from six feet apart, people who didn’t even know my name cheered me on. What could have been an isolating season instead became a place of friendship, joy, and growth.

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I’m so grateful you’re here. My hope is that you find what I did: a place where you’re celebrated for showing up exactly as you are—and where you’ll stay, not just for a good time, but for a long time.

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