ABOUT US
OUR COACHES
Meet Matraca! Matraca is from Rice, Minnesota and graduated from UWRF with a degree in Exercise and Sports Science. Matraca has a background in track and field, as she was a sprinter until her early years at UWRF.
Matraca has experience coaching track and field at the high school level and her coaching philosophy is heavily geared towards pushing others to unlock their full potential. She wants to make exercising FUN for everyone! She feels her calling is to make a positive impact on those around her (don’t we all need this!?). In her free time, Matraca enjoys spending her time with family, friends, cooking, exercising, and shopping! Her favorite quote is: “You are the greatest project you will ever work on”.
Meet Gabby! Gabby belives that fitness should equip individuals with a strong mind, body, and belief in overcoming life's greatest challenges.
Gabby enjoys working with everyday athletes pursuing fitness goals for life. She has been coaching in a 1:1 setting in River Falls since 2021.
Originally from Stevens Point, WI, Gabby was a collegiate All-American wrestler who pursued opportunities with Team USA through 2020. She has coached wrestling at the collegiate level and built S&C programs for wrestlers pursuing the Olympic dream. Gabby's hobbies include Olympic weightlifting, reading, and writing. "Sport is a great playground for life because we can understand ourselves through the process of goal setting and achieving or falling short, and processing how we respond in a controlled context."
Meet Brandon! Brandon is from Hastings, MN and graduated from UWRF with a degree in exercise sports science. During his time there, he played football for all 4 years and won the NSCA All American award his senior year. Brandon has been in the fitness industry for 5+ years and has experience working with middle school athletes to college athletes. He has also been coaching group fitness classes for the last 3 years. Brandon enjoys helping individuals achieve their goals, whether it be weight loss, adding muscle, performance, or creating a healthier lifestyle. When he isn’t in the gym, you can find him walking his dogs around town or hanging out with friends and family.
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Meet Vic! I'm certified with 200 hours of YTT (Yoga Teacher Training). I became passionate about yoga when I took a class 4 years ago. The class would lead to a life changing health journey for me. I often say 'your reason not to quit must be bigger than your reason you started.' I’m a mom of two and wanted to give them my best self. More importantly, I wanted to give myself that! I felt a knocking on my heart to get certified and hopefully inspire others because YOU are worth being your best self. When I’m not teaching yoga, I love being outdoors up North with my family, working out at Strength Academy, enjoying life with friends, and appreciating each moment given to me.
Meet Nick! Over the years, I've been both an NCAA Division I and Division III athlete. I specialized in high jump and achieved All-American status at the DIII level. I also competed in football as a tight end after finishing with track. I have my Bachelor's degree in Chemistry and my Master's degree in Exercise Science. I have coached track and field at both the high school and college level, competed in physique shows, and managed an F45 franchise. I have started personal training businesses in Denver, CO and Scottsdale, AZ, and was fortunate enough to have my clients vote me into the Top 5 Denver A-List's Best Trainers in 2018. In addition to training, I pursued a career in firefighting and served as Firefighter/Health and Fitness Instructor for Mesa, AZ Fire and Medical, where I helped prepare new firefighters for the physical demands of the job.
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My Training Philosophy
Physical training is more than an opportunity to improve our bodies. Training gives us the capacity to improve every aspect of who we are. It is the foundation upon which the skills of self-improvement are tested and acquired. Training is about experiencing first-hand how consistency and effort can break through the mental and physical barriers of who we thought we could be. It is through testing ourselves that we discover whether the best in us has yet to be revealed and that realization is transformative. Confidence built in the gym does not stay in the gym. We carry it with us every day. Therefore, as a coach it is not my role to push you past your limits. My role is to help you define your limits and guide you in building the strength to overcome them.
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