Ellie Burgoon-Bates

Hi, I’m Coach Ellie—and I’m proof that you don’t have to grow up as an athlete to fall in love with fitness. In fact, I never liked P.E. as a kid and didn't play sports either. My perspective began to change during my senior year of high school. That's when I discovered a small kickboxing gym, and for the first time, movement felt fun, empowering, and focused on lifelong health, not competition.

I started small—literally mopping floors to earn my membership—then worked the front desk, and eventually trained to become a fitness instructor. That was back in 2012, and I’ve been passionate about sharing movement ever since. I explored bootcamp, spin, Zumba, and more before discovering CrossFit in 2015. I instantly connected with its functional philosophy and the deep sense of community it fosters. As a coach, my goal is to create that same inclusive environment where people feel seen, supported, and stronger every day.

One of the most fulfilling parts of my journey has been coaching our CrossFit Kids program. I’ve always loved children—and honestly, I’m a big kid at heart—so being able to laugh, play, and teach functional movement to the 3–5 and 5–10 age groups has brought me a whole new level of joy. We focus on building coordination and confidence through movement and games, and recently started incorporating nutrition education to help them understand how to fuel their growing bodies in a fun, approachable way. Watching these kids light up in class reminds me every day why I love what I do.

My passion is creating spaces where people feel safe to move, grow, and belong—no matter where they’re starting from. I’m especially motivated to support those who may have felt overlooked or disconnected from traditional fitness settings. I want kids to grow up loving movement and adults to rediscover that it’s never too late to begin. Coaching lets me show others that fitness isn’t about perfection—it’s about possibility, joy, and connection.