Sara Mass: Owner, Head Coach

Certifications:
CrossFit Level 1
CrossFit Level 2

Specialty CrossFit Certifications:

Olympic Lifting
Kettlebells
Endurance
Gymnastics
Goal Setting
Scaling

Sara has been an avid CrossFitter since 2009, and was immediately hooked. She was first introduced to the sport by her brother, Jerry Hill, owner of CrossFit OldTown in Alexandria, VA and 2014 CrossFit Games Master Athlete. The siblings like to joke that “it’s in their blood.” Since she started CrossFit, she qualified for and competed in the CrossFit Games Northeast Regional Competition for four consecutive years, where she placed impressively and where she often competed against women in their early 20s. She brings her love of CrossFit to those around her, and her passion for the sport is infectious. She has a great knowledge of CrossFit movements and form, and has earned numerous specialty certifications. Sara motivates others to reach their personal best both in CrossFit and all aspects of life. She is especially committed to ensuring the safety of those she coaches. Sara is responsible for the overall operations of the gym, including all programming.
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Fernanda de Paula Campos Muniz: Bilingue Certificado de Nível 1

Certification:
CrossFit Level 1

Specialty CrossFit Certification:
Lesson Planning
Spot the Flaw

Fern was never interested in joining any kind of fitness class, but when she heard about CrossFit through friends, she decided to give it a try in 2015. She went into it thinking she wouldn’t last a month, and was happily surprised to be wrong. It was challenging in the beginning and Fern, at 42, thought she was too old to become an athlete. Being a wife and mom, she had others priorities in life but then something happened. Her body started changing, she became stronger, she started eating well and most importantly she felt healthier in both body and mind than when she was in her 20s. Fern describes it as a “pure love” that she was feeling. And her passion for the sport and the community grew immensely over the next few years, and in 2018, CFMV owner and head coach, Sara Mass, invited Fern to join the coaching family, at which point Fern earned her CrossFit Level 1 certification. Fern is passionate about CrossFit and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. She is always searching for ways and studying to gain more and more CrossFit knowledge. She’s completed a few CrossFit specialty courses and is currently completing her next specialty: Anatomy. Fern is committed to continuing to educate herself, and she is proud to be CFMV’s bilingual Certified Level 1 trainer.

Eu nunca havia me interessado em participar de qualquer tipo de aula de fitness, ouvi sobre Crossfit através de amigos e decidi tentar em 2015, sabendo que eu não iria durar um mês, como eu estava errada. Foi um desafio no começo eu me sentia um pouco velha (42) para ser uma atleta. Sendo esposa e mãe, eu tinha outras prioridades na vida, mas então algo aconteceu. Meu corpo começou a mudar, eu me tornei mais forte, comecei a comer bem e, mais importante, me senti mais saudável do que quando eu estava em meus 20 anos. Foi quando a Sara Mass (treinadora e proprietária do Crossfit Martha’s Vineyard) me convidou para se juntar à família, não conseguia acreditar. Quase 4 anos se passaram e o amor só fica mais forte. Eu sou tão apaixonado por Crossfit que eu não me vejo fazendo nada além de. Estou sempre pe estudando para me tornar uma boa treinadora, já completei alguns cursos de crossfit e atualmente estou fazendo Anatomia e continuarei me educando. Espero que minha história inspire alguns de vocês. Tenho orgulho de dizer que sou uma treinadora Bilingue Certificado de Nível 1.

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Johanna Douglas: CFL1

Certification:
CrossFit Level 1

Jo grew up playing team sports. In college, she was a nationally-ranked lacrosse player and was named one of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) College All-American Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year.

After college, she thought her days of athletics were nearly over. Her parents (both in their sixties) first introduced her to CrossFit; they have been avid CrossFitters for more than a decade (her dad’s deadlift is 525lbs and she says her mom has much better form than she does). She was hooked since it gave her an outlet for her competitive drive and active nature.

Fortunately, she remains tied to athletics. Jo coaches girls ice hockey and is the head coach of girls varsity lacrosse at the high school. In the winter, you can catch her driving the Zamboni at the Ice Arena.

Relying on the functional fitness component of CrossFit, Jo also runs her own pig farm called Fork to Pork — through CrossFit, she has built up her strength and learned proper lifting techniques so she can safely haul buckets of food around to feed her thirty hogs.

While she has had dozens of coaches in various sports and athletic pursuits, Jo never thought she’d become a coach herself, let alone make a career out of it. Now she’s coaching everyday! She’s just so happy spending time with others in the gym, on the ice, or on the field. It brings her great joy to support athletes and encourage them to be the best version of themselves. She specifically loves the positive community atmosphere of CrossFit.

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Mariah MacGregor: KidFit Lead Instructor

Certification:
CrossFit Level 1

Mariah began CrossFit in 2013 when she moved back home to the Island. Before CrossFit, she was an every day, 2-hours-a-day, gym goer, dancer and horseback rider. But CrossFit changed the fitness game for her, because nothing compares to the camaraderie, challenges and fun! Mariah grew up riding horses, specifically training in Classical Dressage. She has held a riding instructors license since she was a teenager and has ridden with various judges and trainers. Being a dressage instructor began her career in teaching, as well as her coaching career; watching people and their horses move, assessing and fixing those movements. Nothing is as exciting as when a student finds the ‘zone’ and feels the full potential of their body. Mariah has a BFA in photography and art history, as well as a Masters of Art in Teaching from the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. She currently teaches K-5 visual art, and also general ed for 4th and 5th grade at the Chilmark School. Mariah began coaching the KidFit program at CFMV in 2018 and, due to her experience, qualifications, and passion, Mariah quickly became the KidFit Lead Instructor. She strongly believes that young people can learn persistence, intrinsic motivation, and pride in their accomplishments from CrossFit.

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Sarah Walsh: CFL1 and Certified BirthFit Coach

Certifications:
CrossFit Level 1

Certified BirthFit Coach

Specialty CrossFit Certification:
Olympic Lifting

Coach Sarah’s CrossFit story is a simple one: Girl meets CrossFit. Girl loves CrossFit. Girl gets certificate to coach CrossFit. What this modest coach likely won’t tell you is that Girl goes on to change people’s lives as a coach.

Coach Sarah started CrossFit in the fall of 2012, and shortly after earned her Level 1 in the spring of 2013, where she then trained under Brad Cardoza, a Division 1 athlete, professional strong man competitor, strength and conditioning coach for over 20 years, and owner of CrossFit New Bedford.

Sarah holds a specialty certification in Olympic Lifting, and has experience as a strength and conditioning coach for a teen softball team, as well as experience coaching CrossFit Kids, which she did under CrossFit New Bedford’s programming.

She believes her love of the sport actually makes her a better coach than an athlete. She understands the struggle, the fight, and the frustration to learn a movement, to improve a skill; she didn’t walk into the gym with pull-ups, toes to bar, or a 300lb deadlift. She personally saw how CrossFit improved her life, recovered old injuries, and connected her to an incredible community. Well before she was a coach, she was an EMT for 9 years. This was a job she loved and was passionate about, but her career was cut short due to an injury. She has found the same passion coaching CrossFit, and loves walking into the gym and learning from other athletes. She loves the moment that a movement clicks, a bad day turns around, and someone hits a new PR. Whether an elite athlete takes :14 off their Fran time, a new mom gets back to her pre-pregnancy back squat, or a 75 year old man is able to squat below parallel, she is equally excited for all gains.

Coach Sarah joined CrossFit Martha’s Vineyard in the summer of 2014.