Coach Profile: Tom Kelly
Get to know Tom, one of our valued coaches at CrossFit Wrexham.
Why did you decide to become a coach at CrossFit Wrexham?
I started CrossFit In 2012, and after a few years of just being a member of the gym, I decided to take my CF Level 1 and train to become a coach at the box where I was training. When I moved to Wrexham in 2016 and found CrossFit Wrexham. At the time, the gym had only been open for a few months, and shortly after joining I was given the opportunity to start coaching, which - as a newly qualified coach, starting at a new gym - was exciting. As the gym was growing, so was my coaching knowledge and experience. I’m now a CF Level 2 coach and have been coaching at CrossFit Wrexham for 9 years.
What are your goals as a coach?
My goals as a coach are to keep building trust and confidence in the members. It’s important to me that they believe in the advice I’m giving them, and knowing that I won’t ask them to do something that I’m not willing to do myself.
Going forward, I want to keep myself approachable and relatable to people inside the gym. I work full time for a building company and became a Dad in May 2024, so my life outside the gym is busy, but I feel like that is a big part of my coaching now. Coaching other parents, and making their time in the gym the best hour of their day, and worth the time they are giving up to be there.
What is your favourite CrossFit workout?
I have 2 favourite workouts. FRAN and JACKIE.
Both of them have thrusters and pull ups and Jackie has the 1000m row at the start. A previous coach of the gym, James Burns, told me that it’s going to hurt no matter what, its just how much into that hurt you’re willing to push yourself.
Once I had that mind set, both of those workout changed massively for me and I approach them with an all or nothing attitude.
FRAN:
21-15-9 Reps For Time
Thrusters (95/65 lb)
Pull-Ups
JACKIE:
For Time
1,000 meter Row
50 Thrusters (45/35 lb bar)
30 Pull-Ups
What are your training goals for 2025?
My training goals for 2025 are to stay as consistent with my training as I can, getting into classes when the strength or skill sessions are programmed in, if I happen to miss that class, I will try catch up in open gym to keep all the plates spinning and try not let one fall off.
What are your favourite things to do outside the gym?
As I mentioned earlier, I became a Dad last year so spending time with Max and my wife Jess (also a Coach at CrossFit Wrexham) is pretty much what I do when I’m not working or in the gym.
Spending time outside in the garden, going for walks, going to the zoo and meeting up with friends.
