We think everyone should be crazy about their fitness. You only have one body. Treat it well! CrossFit has enriched our lives and we want to share it. We’re athletes on a developmental journey, with aspirations and goals, just like you.

We chose CrossFit because we sought what you seek now. Once we dedicated ourselves to our health and fitness, our lives started to improve. Learn more about our experiences below.

COACH ERIN L

Erin finally found her sport when she started CrossFit after moving to Kansas City in 2017. Erin has always been interested in living an active lifestyle. She first found a passion for the gym while working out with her twin brother. They primarily trained powerlifting movements which laid the foundation for the strength component of CrossFit (there’s a reason why she never misses squat or deadlift days).

Apart from the strength aspect of CrossFit, Erin has enjoyed making improvements in her gymnastic skills and overall functional fitness. Once Erin saw improvements in skills she never thought she would be good at (strict pull ups), she was motivated to continue challenging herself.

An injury in the spring of 2021 forced Erin to step back from the gym for a few months. While Erin recovered, she was consistently encouraged by the coaches and members of CrossFit Matters. She resolved to come back stronger and become a coach. As a coach, Erin is ready to offer you the same support that she received!

COACH ERIN D

Erin, a tomboy, had dabbled in sports as a kid with very little success. Scrappy and unskilled yielded little consistent commitment to any one thing. As an adult and consummate academic, her life was relatively sedentary until she met Jim Caskey who introduced her to the world of CrossFit. The variety meant she didn't get bored. The community meant she had other people to support her. She was slow to grow, having joined in 2012 but not really making serious goals until later. Now she enjoys challenging lifts and fast runs.

Coaching was a natural transition. As an art historian and college professor, she finds that having to explain things to others means she understands them better. Coaching has made her a better athlete. She enjoys seeing others reach their goals and encouraging them in their fitness journey. Ask her anything about nutrition, she likes to cook and eat and bake and eat; let's swap recipes!

COACH LUCAS

Lucas Tillman started CrossFit in 2012 and quickly became obsessed with the sport's focus on functional fitness, the ongoing challenge of movements and workouts, the community, and the results. To fulfill his desire to help others enjoy the sport as much as he has, he pursued his level one CrossFit certification in 2015. He has been a coach ever since and has immensely enjoyed the opportunity to interact with and help athletes conquer new movements and achieve new levels of success for themselves. He has found that he's in the best shape of his life and attributes that to CrossFit. He loves seeing athletes come into the gym and giving all they have! 

When he is not at the CrossFit gym, he works full-time as a firefighter and paramedic for the Raytown Fire Department, manages a portfolio of rental properties, and enjoys relaxing evenings on the front porch with a good cigar and his beautiful wife. 

COACH LORA

Lora did not discover her love of fitness until she had to solve the puzzle so many people run into: how to regain the health as an adult that you seem to get for free as a kid. The effects of exercise on her health, both physical and mental, were so profound that ever since then, working out has been a non-negotiable part of her life.

Lora tried several sports and training methods before discovering CrossFit in 2011. It was love at first workout. She adores the endless challenge, the inclusive community, and the personal transformations that happen every day.

Lora became a Crossfit coach to share her love of fitness with others. She extends a special welcome to those who might not believe CrossFit is for them, including busy parents, older adults, and those with chronic health issues. She is excited to help you change your life.

COACH CHRYSTAL

At 5 years old, my daycare took us on a field trip to gymnastics. I fell in LOVE! By the end of the trip, I could NOT wait to go home and tell my mom that I wanted to start gymnastics! Little did I know, that was the beginning of my 11 year journey to become a competitive gymnast. I also tried other sports in middle school, in between my gymnastics schedule. I did Track, Cross Country, Volleyball & Basketball. The passion for those sports were not as strong as my passion for gymnastics, but still taught me other athletic skills that could always be used in life. In November 2004, my Junior year of High School, I was in a serious car wreck that put me in a wheelchair for 8 weeks. I had fractured my hips and separated my pelvic bone. I knew that was the end of my competitive gymnastics career. That didn’t stop me though. It’s hard to stop me. I went through physical therapy to learn to walk again and before you knew it, I was back on my feet, ready to do something. So I tried out for the Cheerleading and Swim Team and lettered on both teams my Junior and Senior year. After high school, I stayed pretty active, mainly going for runs, walking on my hands (which is one of my favorite things to do) and got into Yoga. In 2014, a friend that I worked with kept asking me and my now husband to come try CrossFit. I had no idea what that was. At that time I was so consumed with wedding planning for my soon to be wedding in September 2014. She told me after we got married she really wanted us to try this CrossFit thing. Literally almost the day after our wedding, she was calling me up asking when we were going to start. October 2014, my husband and I started the Elements Class at CFM to learn the movements of CrossFit. The passion and energy of this community was contagious. My husband has a very athletic background as well and we just fell in love with CrossFit and the community behind it! Jim’s passion to help others grow and live a fit and healthy life have drove me to want to help and teach others as well. I now also teach gymnastics where I used to do gymnastics and hope that helps me to teach adults the gymnastics aspect of CrossFit. CrossFit is now my adult gymnastics life and I can not imagine life without CrossFit!

COACH DEVIN

Being active and involved in sports have been passions of mine for as long as I can recall.  Running, swimming, hiking, rowing, climbing, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, snow blading, roller hockey, soccer, skateboarding, track and field, basketball, golf, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, etc. You name it and I probably enjoy doing it.  Though my specific interests have evolved over the course of my life, physical activity and participation in sports have remained a constant and my go-to outlet to relieve the stress of life and regain balance & harmony. While I first learned of CrossFit in 2010, my first direct experience with it didn’t come until April 2018.  I spent all of my twenties and into my thirties doing the typical gym-bro routine; chest day, followed by arm day, skip leg day, rinse and repeat. Like many newcomers to CrossFit, the monotony of this routine eventually left me feeling stagnant and wanting something new, something different. At that time, I was living just a few blocks from CFM and mustered up the courage to give it a go.  My first drop in was led by coach Brittney and consisted of workout that called for as many reps as possible (AMRAP in CrossFit lingo) of burpees in seven minutes. Only seven minutes, how bad could that possibly be? It proved to be both a physical and mental challenge that left me with my hands on my knees gasping for air, wondering what just happened to me! Nevertheless, I was hooked and haven’t looked back since!

 Without question, my favorite part about CrossFit is the community.  The support and encouragement that takes place between coaches and athletes, coupled with the shared experiences of physically and mentally demanding workouts, build a strong sense of community and inclusiveness.  Watching those around me push themselves, regardless of where they are on their journey toward better health through fitness, is an incredibly awesome thing to be part of.

COACH JON

On July 18, 2004, a fire was lit. Jon was in a serious motorcycle accident, one that almost cost him his life. A dozen broken bones, several internal injuries, a concussion and 96 hours of life support later, Jon spent the next 3 weeks in the hospital and the remainder of the year going through physical therapy, speech therapy and recovering from his injuries. This event changed his life for the better and was the kindling that lit a fire inside him.

And that fire still burns very hot to this day.

Jon began to see things in a different light. He wanted to do things to help others, to rediscover the joy in exploration and to challenge himself, both mentally and physically. A friend asked him in 2007 if he wanted to run the San Diego marathon. Having been an avid runner in high school, Jon didn't hesitate to say yes. He completed the marathon on June 3, 2007. It was one of the most difficult things he had ever done. After vowing to never run a marathon again, he found himself completing the same marathon the following year. That's when he asked himself; could I run a marathon in every state?

Thus Jon began a 12 year journey to run a marathon in all 50 states. There were ups, downs, blood, sweat and tears. Every marathon he ran was difficult; the physical and mental toll it takes to complete just 1 marathon is daunting, let alone 50. He ran the Disney marathon with a stress fracture in his foot, a marathon in Laramie, WY, at a 9,000 foot altitude, several marathons in 100% humidity, the Indianapolis marathon in 20 degree weather, and the Hoover Dam marathon with gallstones. The difficulty made him appreciate what he was doing even more. On April 15, 2019, Jon ran the Boston marathon and completed his 12 year, 1,310 mile quest and completed his 50th marathon in his 50th state.

Luckily during those years Jon happened to meet a young, energetic soul like himself. His name is Jim Caskey and the two became friends immediately. In 2011, Jim invited him to try out his gym, CrossFit Matters. Thinking it would be an easy cross-training workout, Jon realized over the course of the 15 minute workout that it was one of the hardest workouts he had ever done. Jon has never looked back, having been doing CrossFit for 10 years and even becoming a CrossFit coach in 2020.

The physical challenge of CrossFit is one of the main reasons Jon has continued to go to Matters for 10 years. The other reason? The community. No matter your physical abilities, age, gender, race, religion, etc, the community at CrossFit Matters will support and encourage you, cheer you on and motivate you to become a better version of yourself. It doesn't matter how much you can squat, how fast you can run or if you can't perform certain movements; the community cares that you are there doing the work and will always support the athletes that give it their best.