Coaches

Welcome to the CrossFit Morristown Athlete Program coaches page.

Mike Metzger:  had been involved in sports for my whole life.  Growing up it was the typical soccer – baseball – wrestling – basketball – track whatever sport was in season was what I was doing.  As I got older  I began to focus on cycling and running.  I did mountain bike races, 5 and 10 k’s and did some triathlons.  I did well in my age group, and was happy with my fitness. 

Then, I had a daughter, and my time shrunk, but I still needed to train.  I had heard of Crossfit and it fit perfectly with my newly tightened schedule.  I did only Crossfit for 2 or 3 days a week for 5 months.  The workouts were incredibly difficult but perfectly short.  I knew my fitness was improving and my strength was better than it had ever been.

I then decided to do a triathlon without doing any training other than Crossfit, just to see if the training really provided the results it claimed.  I had done this triathlon before and knew my times from years past.  However, in doing Crossfit I had never worked out longer than 25 minutes, and the race had usually taken about 1 ½ hours.  As the race grew closer I grew less secure with my fitness. 

Race day came.  I pr’ed on my run time, and finished the race 2 minutes faster than I had ever done before!  I was sold.  The proof was in my results, and from there I became a fanatic.  I joined Crossfit Morristown and got my level 1 trainer certification.  The community of people at the gym was amazing, and  I started coaching as soon as possible in order to provide others with the incredible quality and results I received from using the Crossfit methodology.

As a high school teacher and coach I saw great potential for kids and Crossfit.  I knew our sports teams would benefit because Crossfit brings to the surface the best of our physical potential.  I hope to bring out in all people the best that their potential has to offer, and assist young people in developing elite fitness in a safe and effective environment. 

Crossfit Level 1Trainer Certified

Crossfit Endurance Certified

Crossfit Kids Certified

Email Coach Mike

Amy Ottavinia:  Amy has played sports and been active from a young age. She is a graduate of Mt Olive High school where she played 3  sports: field hockey, basketball, softball. She then went onto play Field hockey at the University of Richmond and was a 2 time regional All-American. She has coached in college and is currently a high school field hockey coach. 

"After starting crossfit a year ago I kept saying I wish I had this training when I was in high school and college. I am in the best shape of my life. I want to give this opportunity to young athletes all around. Not only does crossfit give you a physical training edge and prevents injury, it also mentally prepares you for any challenge. I love the workouts, the people, and the challenges."

2 time Regional All-American Field Hockey

Email Coach Amy

Pete Paradiso: Reflecting on my childhood, and now adult life, I cannot recall a time when sports and fitness were not a part of my life. Starting from a young age, I played as many sports as possible; of course coming from an Italian-American household, soccer was #1.  As much as I loved soccer, I have always been involved in many other sports like gymnastics, wrestling and lacrosse.

In high school I was a three sport athlete playing soccer, wrestling and lacrosse.  I continued in college by playing soccer and rugby at St. Joseph's University. Being that I was mainly a soccer player and endurance athlete, a lot of my training involved long runs and heavy endurance type of workouts.  Much of my weight training was your standard bench press, back squats, and ab/core type of workouts.

Towards the end of my college career I started to understand the importance of weight training and its effect on my performance on the field. This knowledge came from my experience coaching high school wrestling and lacrosse at a school in the Philadelphia area. As I introduced interval training and mandatory weight lifting for my own athletes, I notice improvements in their strength and endurance as the season progressed.  In addition, they stayed injury free during the duration of the season.

Now: fast forward to a year and a half ago. I first heard of CrossFit from a fellow lacrosse coach who use to do it when he lived in San Diego. At the time I had just moved back home to New Jersey and starting looking for a gym.  Last April, I found CrossFit Morristown. I came in for a free teaser week and was hooked. Within a month I started to notice the effect that the training was having on my fitness on the soccer field during my men's league games. I was stronger and no longer winded during long sprints.

Since then I have become another die-hard CrossFit advocate who can’t get enough. My constant drive to want more and know more inspired me to attain a Level 1 certification and to become a coach at CrossFit Morristown. My passion to inspire and coach others within our CrossFit community keeps me coming back for more.

CrossFit Level 1 certification
D-1 Men's Soccer St. Joseph's University: 3 years
St. Joseph's Men's Club Rugby: 1 year
Coaching experience:
The Episcopal Academy: 6 years
High School: Boy's soccer, Wrestling, Boy's lacrosse
Middle School: Wrestling, Lacrosse
The Shipley School: 1 year
High School: Boy's Lacrosse, Girl's and Boy's Swimming
Upper Merion Lacrosse Club: 2 years
5th/6th Boy's lacrosse

Email Coach Pete

Jimmy Airey:  In June 2010, my brother asked me if I wanted to attend a CrossFit certification with him.  Being a lifelong wrestler and always being fit, I said, “why not!”  To say the least it was a very humbling weekend.  At that point, I amped up my training. However, I wouldn’t say I was doing CrossFit one hundred percent.  Then in September of 2010, I attended a CrossFit certification at CrossFit Morristown.  I was training for the Goofy Challenge; Saturday run the half marathon and Sunday the marathon.  The weekend training at Morristown so impressed me that I decided I was going to make the drive (1 hr. 45 min. one way) to train, twice a week with them.  The training regiment at Morristown CrossFit convinced me to train exclusively with CrossFit.  After just four months of CrossFit endurance training I completed in the Goofy Challenge at Disney World.  I finished the half in 1:26 and the marathon in 3:09.  It was my first marathon.   I never ran more than 15 miles a week for a  39.3 race.  Besides the running, I did CrossFit workouts five days a week.  So, if anyone wants to know if Crossfit works, I’d say, “yes!”              
             

CrossFit Level 1

CrossFit Endurance

Underground Strength Coach

Maxkettlebells

Cavemantraining

Email Coach Jimmy

Mike Deltorre: Five pull ups, ten push ups, fifteen  squats…as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes…this is going to be easy…15 rounds, 16 maybe…

…20 minutes and 7 rounds later, I was laying on the ground gasping for air.  A 20-something male, well-versed in the top bodybuilding routines, strength and conditioning coach at a local high school, personal trainer…floored by a workout of bodyweight movements?!  That’s when I knew I’d found something worthwhile.  I dove headfirst into every mainsite WOD from that day on, eager to learn and experience as much as possible.  The hunger continues today.   

CrossFit took my preconceptions of fitness and completely turned them upside down.  The competition, the camaraderie, and the openness of the community are refreshing (especially when compared to your typical Globo Gym environment)!  I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of the CrossFit Morristown and CrossFit Bernardsville communities; I’m looking forward to working, coaching, and learning with you all!

CrossFit Morristown Head Coach
CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
USA Track and Field Level 1 Coach
Email Coach Mike