Troy “KT” Straith
Owner & Head Coach
Evolution BC opened in 2001, offering Martial Arts, Self Defence and Fitness. In 2006, while training to become Canada’s only Krav Maga Alliance Black Belt, Troy started CrossFit to take his fitness to a higher level. He got hooked on the reality and functionality of the training and soon after opened CrossFit BC in Vancouver and West Vancouver.
Every day, Troy looks forward to inspiring his athletes to achieve their goals of better health and fitness. He believes in leading by example, and posts his score for the daily Wod by 8am most days. Troy is proud of the community that CrossFit BC has become, where athletes from all over, come to get the very best in CrossFit training.
Troy has competed in many local and international CrossFit competitions including the 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2015 CrossFit Games.
Certs
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Mobility Trainer
- NCCP Level 1 Olympic Weightlifting Coach
- CrossFit Level 1 Olympic Weightlifting Coach
- Certified Black Belt Krav Maga Instructor
Achievements:
- Competitor – CrossFit Games 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015
- Competitor – Canadian Affiliate League 2014, 2015, 2016
- Competitor – CrossFit BC Summer Challenge 2014, 2015, 2016
- Competitor – 2011 BC Masters Olympic Weightlifting – 1st place
- Krav Maga Black Belt Instructor
- 4th Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do
- Member of the Krav Maga Alliance Training Team
Sophie “Doph” Straith
General Manager
Sophie started her Martial Arts training at Evolution BC when it opened in 2001. After many years of training hard and apprenticing as an instructor, she achieved the rank of 3rd Degree Black Belt.
When Evolution opened CrossFit BC in 2007, Sophie started her CrossFit training. Seeing PR’s is nothing new to Soph, as she trains most mornings at the 7am class.
She has been working with the company since 2004 and is the Client Services Manager.
Sophie, is the one to talk to on just about anything you need to know at the Evolution BC Training Centres
Certs
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Mobility Trainer
Achievements:
- Competitor – 2014/2015 CrossFit BC Summer Challenge
- Competitor – Canadian Affiliate League 2015 Fall Season
- Competitor – Canadian Affiliate League 2016 Summer Season
- 3rd Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do
Amy “Jimmy Choo” Pieschel
Client Services
Amy has been training at CrossFit BC since 2012 and began working with us in 2015. Finding a fitness lifestyle a little later in life, she gets inspiration from all the amazing people she trains with and still loves a good PR.
You can find Amy at the front desk in Yaletown, where she is happy to greet everyone with a smile. Contributing towards a fun and supportive atmosphere is what gets her up for the 7am class and makes her enjoy the evening until closing time.
Certs
- Crossfit Level 1 Trainer
Jason “Jayboy” Gach
Coach
Jason was an early advocate of Crossfit and started back in late 2004.
Previous to starting Crossfit, Jason played 13 years of competitive hockey growing up along with many other sports.
After university he spent years trying to find a fitness program that he could stick with: running, weightlifting, swimming, triathalons, etc. Once he found Crossfit there was no going back and almost 10 years later he’s still going strong having never missed a week since he began.
Jason, is a competitive athlete that has been coaching at CrossFit BC for 4 years.
Running a fun class is one of Jason’s top priorities along with providing good, detailed coaching in an inclusive, supportive environment.
Jason is a valued member of the CrossFit BC programming team.
Certs
- Crossfit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Mobility Trainer
Achievements:
- 2010 Crossfit Games Regionals – Individual competitor
- 2011 Crossfit Games Regionals – CrossFit BC Team member
Lance “Specimen” Connelly
Coach
Lance has been training at Evolution BC since 2006 and Crossfitting since 2008. He began his coaching career in 2010 and currently programs the CFBC strength classes. He is a multi disciplined personal trainer and the lead Self Defence instructor at Krav Maga BC. Lance finds great satisfaction helping Evolution BC’s athletes realize their potential and achieve their goals.
Certs
- Crossfit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Mobility Trainer
Achievements:
- Competitor – 2010 CrossFit Sectionals
- Crossfit BC Team member – 2013 Canada West Regionals
Dan “JD” Webster
Coach
Dan has been a personal trainer for over 14 years and began Crossfitting in July of 2009.
He is the captain of the programming team at CrossFit BC.
As a happily married father of 2, this 42 year old is enjoying being in the best shape of his life. He is a friendly, passionate coach who enjoys taking the extra time and effort to help his athletes.
Through constant research, he is always looking for new, cutting edge information and techniques to achieve the best results in the least amount of time.
Certs
- Crossfit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Mobility Trainer
- BCRPA Registered Personal Trainer
- Kettlebell RKC
Achievements
- 2012 Gorilla Games – 4th in Masters division
Sarah “SaraSally” Haggerstone
Coach
Sally is CF-L1 trainer whose interest in the sport started when she watched a competition in 2010. A year into her training – during which she volunteered at local competitions and the Crossfit Games Regionals – she saw huge improvements in strength, stamina, endurance, coordination, accuracy, speed, and power, and decided to become a coach.
Sally has been coaching since 2012 and loves working with athletes to improve their technique and efficiency with an eye to detail.
She currently competes in Crossfit and trains as an Olympic weightlifter trying to qualify as a National level athlete. Her athletic background includes Ultimate Frisbee at the Provincial and University levels, Ashtanga Yoga, and Varsity Crew (rowing) at the University of Victoria.
Certs
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
- NCCP Level 1 Olympic Weightlifting
- Class 5 Olympic lifting Judge
Achievements
- Canada West Regionals team competitor – Crossfit BC Team 2013
- Stones & Strength Strongman competition – 1st in 2015
- Olympic Lifting Gold medals: Seafest 2013, BC Provincial Championships 2014, Ogopogo Open 2015
Chris “Silent Sam” Chatzoglou
Coach
Chris is a chiropractor, writer and nutrition consultant who originally started CrossFit to get stronger for Muay Thai Kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitions.
He began training 8 years ago out of a boxing gym in Winnipeg, prior to any “official” local affiliates opening. This eventually became CrossFit Winnipeg where he trained for 4 years before moving to CFBC.
Chris enjoys teaching health and fitness at all levels, and strives to bring out the best in all his clients and students.
Accomplishments: Once wrestled a gator to submission. It’s rumoured the gator was never the same after that.
Certs
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Mobility Trainer
Dai “Moose” Manuel
Coach
Certs
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Endurance
- CrossFit Olympic Lifting
- Mobility WOD
Mahyar “Mayhem” Ghorbanzadeh
Coach
Mahyar started kickboxing when he was around 13 years old and earned his black belt after three and half years. Looking for a bit of a change, Mahyar was pulled in weight training by one of his friends in 2011.
After a year or so, he took some Personal Training courses and received his BCRPA Certificate. Come September 2013, Mahyar attended his first CrossFit class and immediately got hooked. He enjoys CrossFit because there’s always something you can improve on and he loves the community aspect of it. He enjoys helping his fellow athletes improve in any way he can because it’s so exciting and rewarding for them to look back and see how far they’ve come.
Certs
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- BCRPA Fitness Leader
Braiden “Hutch” Stevenson
Coach
Braiden grew up on a farm outside Lanigan, Saskatchewan, but could you usually find him at the local dance studio. Upon graduating, Braiden was lucky enough to travel the world as a professional dancer, including contracts on Cruise ships and in Tokyo, Japan. After a series of knee injuries, Braiden ended up in Saskatoon awaiting knee surgery. There, he began teaching dance, and was looking for something to give him strength to help his dancing. After hearing about CrossFit, Braiden decided to give it a try. By his second class he was hooked, and has never looked back.
Being a teacher already it wasn’t long before he was asked to begin coaching CrossFit. Similar to teaching a dance class, it was a easy transition for him. Whether in the studio or the gym, Braiden enjoys the challenge helping people young and old be the best they can be.
Braiden’s biggest accomplishment has been representing the CrossFit Brio team at regionals in 2015. He left inspired and excited to push himself to be the best athlete he can be.
In July 2015, Braiden made the move to Vancouver in search of the true West Coast life. After trying numerous gyms in Vancouver, Braiden found CrossFit BC and by the end of his first WOD, he knew he had found his new home! With similar values to what he was used to in a gym, it didn’t take Braiden long to become part of the CFBC family!
Certs
- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
- CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
- CrossFit Mobility Trainer
Tylor “Starsky” Nelson
Coach
Certs
- Crossfit Level 1 Trainer
Rob “Puddles” Goodfellow
Coach
Certs
- Crossfit Level 1 Trainer
Gabriel “Billboard” Bijok – Gold
Coach
Certs
- Crossfit Level 1 Trainer
Conor “Hooligan” Doyle
Overseas Coach
Conor began Crossfit when he and a group of friends decided to try something new. Always on the hunt for a new challenge, and having played competitive team sports from a young age, he came in presuming this would be a cake walk. After a week or so of getting his ass kicked the decision was made. Crossfit it was.
Following a few years of training Conor began to apprentice at CrossfitBC by shadowing the coaches at the time and absorbing information. He went on to complete his Level 1 certification and has since adapted his loud mouth, obnoxious approach to training into an equally loud mouth (and hopefully less obnoxious) approach to coaching. In Conor’s classes you can expect a fun, high tempo environment with lots of shouting, sweating and laughing!
Certs
- Crossfit Level 1 Trainer
Mike “Oly” Cartwright
Olympic Weightlifting Coach
Mike has won over 16 Regional titles and 17 National titles in the UK, World Master titles and set National and World Records. He has won the BC Masters 4 times and holds records in two weight divisions.
Mike is the Vice President of the BC Weightlifting Association
Mike is the head coach of the CrossFit BC Barbell Club and Capilano Weightlifting Club
- British Weightlifting Assoc. Staff coach and National coach.
- Former World Masters Record Holder
- 2014 BC Masters Champion.
- 2014 BC Masters Championship Best Lifter
- 2014 BC Masters Records 94kg class
- 2014 Sea Fest Gold Metal
- 2014 Sea Fest Team Coach
- 2014 BC Provincial Championship Qualifier
- 2014 BC Masters Records 85kg class
Tim “TKD” Frazer
Olympic Weightlifting Coach
Certs
- Crossfit Level 1 Trainer
- NCCP Olympic Weightlifting Coach Level 1
- CrossFit Power Lifting
Achievements
- Crossfit BC Team 2011 Canada West Regionals
- Crossfit BC Team 2013 Canada West Regionals
- 2012 BC Provincial Olympic Weightlifting Championship
- 2013 Seafest Olympic Weightlifting Championship – Silver
- 2013 BC Provincial Olympic Weightlifting Championship
Paul “Paulie” Nyzuk
Apprentice Coach
Certs
- Crossfit Level 1 Trainer
Mary “Crash” Ross
Apprentice Coach
Certs
- Crossfit Level 1 Trainer