About Us
Saltwater Athletics is a CrossFit, Strength & Conditioning gym located in Somers Point, NJ. Located steps away from the entrance to the Garden State Parkway South, Saltwater believes that a happy body leads to a happy mind. Our goal is to help increase an individual’s overall mental health by supporting their fitness goals.
Driven by the community
Saltwater Athletics
Mission
Saltwater Athletics is dedicated to improving individuals’ overall mental health by providing Strength and Conditioning to the local community.
Saltwater Athletics was created in partnership with Surfside Recovery Services, a long-term addiction treatment program. Using scientific research that supports integrating regular exercise into a recovery program to reroute neural pathways, we intentionally built this space to support folks from all walks of life.
Our Beliefs
Our belief is that everyone is recovering from something. Whether it’s bad relationship, addiction, depression, grief, or just a crappy day, everyone needs a healthy place they can thrive and be themselves. We believe that movement & community can support overall health and happiness.
Vision
To provide a fitness community that is supportive and safe. To be available for people and provide a cost-effective option for folks to experience CrossFit, strength & conditioning along with other avenues of physical fitness. To encourage people to set aside fear of failure and try something new – even if it’s difficult at first.
Team
The Saltwater Athletics Team
Russ Garrett
General Manager, CF-L3 Coach
Russ is a former colliegate rower, a Certified Level 3 CrossFit Coach and the friendly face who handles Saltwater’s day-to-day operations. Russ cares deeply about making people feel welcome, comfortable in their own skin, and confident in their ability to move well. With a major emphasis on nailing proper form, Russ offers a mix of encouragement & outstanding coaching. He’s often your first point of contact for inquiries about getting started is passionate about health, nutrition, and good music.
Alyssa Fountain
Co-Owner & CF-L2 Coach
Alyssa initially joined CrossFit in July of 2017, hoping that a strength-building program may improve her abilities as a runner. Alyssa never considered herself particularly coordinated or athletic, and was surprised by how quickly she fell in love with the sport. She & her husband opened Saltwater Athletics in 2020 & she attained her CF-L2 in 2021. She can be found coaching Friday nights & Saturday mornings. If you’re undecided about trying CrossFit, Alyssa’s best advice is that truly nobody cares how much you lift, how fast you move, or how good you look… we’re just happy to have you here.
Ian Koch
Co-Owner & CF-L1 Coach
Ian joined CrossFit in November of 2017 when his wife dragged him along for some late evening classes. He quickly fell in love with the routine and eventually obtained his CF-L1. By day, Ian is a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor and the Founder of Services Recovery Services. He and his wife are also the owners of Saltwater Athletics, inspired by the idea of creating a supportive community for anyone looking to improve their health. Ian loves kitesurfing, spending time with his wife & dogs, and training competitively with Brute Strength.
Ryuta "Utah" Amaike
Coach, CF-L2
Ryuta (pronounced “Utah”) is a lifelong athlete, but an especially skilled baseball player. He played college baseball and was always involved in coaching wrestling & baseball at all levels/ages. In 2019 he was introduced to CrossFit and immediately fell in love with the sense of community, with a tiny bit of competition sprinkled in. After years of competitive sports, this is exactly what he was looking for. In 2021, he obtained his CrossFit L2 cert. You can find him strength building & working on his weaknesses nearly every day… leading by example!
Nicole Perone
Coach, CF-L2
Nicole discovered CrossFit about 7 years ago – within 6 months of joining, she obtained her CrossFit L1 certification because she loved it so much! She now holds a CrossFit L2 cert and can be found coaching most of the early morning classes. After years as the Assistant Principal in the EHT school district, she is now the Assistant Athletic Director. If she can offer one piece of advice, it’s to simply walk in the door. CrossFit is a judgement-free zone where athletes encourage & celebrate one another. Just walk through the door and the magic will happen!
Andrew Beatley
Coach, CF-L2
Andrew is a natural athlete who played sports throughout high school and eventually played college baseball at Johns Hopkins University. He was Saltwater’s first gym manager, supporting us as we grew from a 1,600 sq. foot facility to today’s 6,000+ sq. foot location on Chestnut Street. Though he initially avoided CrossFit (fearing it was a cult, of course), he found that the community and camaraderie eventually had him hooked. He is a Level 2 (CF-L2) CrossFit Coach.
Scott Hansen
Coach, CF-L1
After years of college baseball and sports, Scott tried CrossFit and was immediately sold. He holds his CF-L1, as well as Yoga Teacher certification. Around 2020, Scott found that the combination of CrossFit & yoga helped him grow through grief and times of significant change. He is the Experiential Coordinator for Surfside, leading men in early recovery through many movement & mindfulness-based activities (like CrossFit!). He is a calming presence, especially for folks trying CrossFit for the first time.
Thibaut Fleming
Coach, CF-L1
Thibaut (pronounced T-Bo) discovered CrossFit in the Spring of 2022 and quickly developed a regular routine, stepping outside of his comfort zone and jumping into workouts, even if he had to modify the weights and movements. As someone who’s always enjoyed being outdoors and being active, he found that just showing up and doing the WOD changed his entire mindset. Within his first year of CrossFit he obtained his Level 1 certification, shadowing Russ before diving headfirst into coaching with us!
What do You Have to Lose?
Your future starts here. If you want to be truly sucessful, you cannot be content with pretty good. How we do anything is how we do everything…and there is nothing in life worth doing half-assed.