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Meet our Trainers
Dayton
Dayton
Dayton is the YMCA Sports Performance Coordinator. The core philosophy in Dayton’s training is to improve human performance through holistic exercise, nutrition, and recovery methods. Dayton specializes in Sports Performance having worked with hundreds of athletes throughout the greater Springfield area. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist as well as a Certified Personal Trainer through the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association). He holds a bachelor’s degree from Illinois Wesleyan University where he was team captain of the football team from 2009-2012. He also received his Master’s in Sports Administration from Robert Morris University (Chicago) while serving as the Wide Receivers’ Coach on the football team from 2013-2015. The last 6 years he has
enjoyed moving back to his hometown of Springfield where he has continued to train youth, high school, and collegiate athletes of all sports. Dayton is committed to investing in the youth of our community and equipping the next generation with the tools they need to be successful for not only athletics but also the game of life!
Certifications:
NSCA
CSCS
CPT
Tara
Tara
Tara is a health and fitness enthusiast. She has prior experience as a fitness instructor and recently received her ISSA certification as a personal trainer and nutritionist. Tara is passionate about helping you reach your fitness goals. Whether you are a beginner just starting your fitness journey or simply want to get back on track with your fitness plan, she looks forward to helping you get motivated and develop a plan. She can also assist with developing a nutrition plan to ensure overall healthy lifestyle. In addition to personal training, Tara also works part time as a dental hygienist. When not in the gym, Tara enjoys spending time with her family and friends and enjoying the outdoors.
Certifications:
ISSA
CPT
Nutrition
Gina
Gina
Gina has over 20 years’ experience as a personal trainer. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Champaign in Applied Health Science and has been certified by the American Council of Exercise since 1998. She loves empowering women of all ages to live a healthy, happy, and active lifestyle. She also loves training teens and young athletes in strength and agility so they can be
better at their sport, as well as off-season conditioning. She works on balance issues with seniors and those with Parkinson’s and Epilepsy. She also creates exercise programs for people after they finish physical therapy post-injury or postsurgery as a continuation of their rehab. One of her favorite styles of training is in groups: best friends of all ages (13-90+), couples and siblings. She also loves teaching stress-reducing yoga classes privately or in small groups. Gina was the first State-Wide Wellness Coordinator for the Illinois State Police. She was a trainer and fitness instructor in Chicago and Boulder, CO before moving to North Carolina to work as an exercise physiologist at a hospital where she created exercise programs for those in the cardiac rehab program. She holds several certifications including yoga instructor for kids, seniors, pregnancy, and arthritis. In her free time, she was the assistant cross-country coach for a local school and loves to swim, bike and run with her friends. She has competed in over 200 races from marathons, triathlons and mountain biking. Gina’s goal is to help people stay active, healthy, vital, and happy as long as possible!
Certifications:
ACE
CPT
DeAnne
DeAnne
DeAnne believes that staying fit is a key to staying in good health and that health is the new wealth. Her fitness journey started in high school where she learned fundamentals of fitness as body movement along with strength training. She completed the Master Fitness Training Course in the United States Army and holds Personal Training Certifications from the World Instructor Training School (WITS) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). Her main enjoyments in life are being a wife, helping others, and playing board games with her family. She is CPR/ AED certified.
Certifications:
WITS
NASM
CPT
Zaxxson
Zaxxson
Zaxxson has pursued fitness for the past 10 years, primarily to prepare physique and conditioning for acting and dancing roles. He has trained clients as a certified trainer for one year. He is passionate about functional strength, results based training, and corrective and diverse exercising.
Certifications:
FITOUR
CPT
Emily
Emily
Emily grew up playing sports all through school. One thing she remembers from her time in sports is that healthy looks different on everybody! She has learned firsthand that health is much more than what is viewed on the outside or what is defined by age. Bodies were made to move, and Emily’s goal is to help them move well. Emily has a bachelor’s in biology and taught anatomy for 5 years before moving out of public education.
Certifications:
NASM
CPT
Alan
Alan
Alan began his career in hospital-based fitness facilities performing stress tests, exercise prescriptions, body composition analysis, movement screens, lecturing and personal training. He has experience working with clients with fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes. He has trained single and multi-sport athletes, amateur and professional, and children and adults. Alan has been involved in the martial arts studying Shorin-Ryu Karate since 1976 and he has achieved a fifth-degree black belt.
Certifications:
Black Belt
CSCS
CPR/AED
Daniel
Daniel
Daniel feels everyone can benefit from functional strength training and improving their strength and mobility. Whether you want to improve performance on the field or move more freely around the house, the building blocks stem from the same place. His passion for exercise stemmed from battles with injury in college baseball causing him to devote himself to helping others not just improve their performance, but their overall health no matter their age or goals.
Certifications:
Exercise Science Degree
NSCA
CPT
Emma
Emma
Emma has chosen personal training as a career path because she once was a beginner and encountered the struggle of navigating the overwhelming sphere of fitness and wellness. As she navigated the path of exercise, she realized that she no longer dreaded exercise by embracing the mental challenge and rising above the difficulty of learning something new. Emma’s motto is that radical transformation
begins in the mind and then spreads to produce physical change.
Certifications:
NASM
CPT
Nicole
Nicole
With over a decade in the fitness industry, Nicole has worked with diverse clients, from elite athletes to those with Parkinson’s, helping them achieve milestones like getting off medications and walking unaided. As a mother of two, Nicole is passionate about supporting other moms while welcoming all clients. Her focus is on enhancing health and mobility for mothers and understanding their unique challenges. Together she will work with you to achieve a balanced, vibrant life.
Certifications:
NASM
Supplement Specialist
