Gillian “G” Formaneck
General Manager
Gillian has been involved with CrossFit since 2006 and has her Level 1 Certification. She comes from a background in distance running, and is now a competitive Olympic Weightlifter. Gillian is a student working toward a kinesiology degree and aspires to become a college Strength & Conditioning Coach. She has competed in the CrossFit Games (2008) and two national Olympic Weightlifting meets, as well as a ten year career in running. She loves to coach and feels like CrossFit is a great tool to becoming a better all around athlete, no matter who you are.
Gillian can be contacted at: gillian@crossfitcostamesa.com
Favorite Workout: Helen
Playing on her iPod: Reggae!
Maximilian “Max” Mormont
Director of Training
Max played soccer, hockey, and football in high school and went on to play soccer at the collegiate level for Central Washington University. He started lifting weights at age fifteen. In college, his soccer coach introduced him to “body hardening,” which consisted of gymnastics and complexes mixed into high intensity circuits.
After rehabilitating a knee injury Max went through a brief period of bodybuilding, learning how to cut weight, add mass and look the part. After a few competitions he realized that this training method provided the aesthetics, but not the functions of athleticism so he began researching new training methods. From this experience he found his true passion for strength and conditioning.
Max trained out of Cal State Fullerton from 2002 to 2004, and worked as an assistant strength coach at University California of Irvine from 2005 to 2008 under Mike Nagler. He began incorporating kettlebells into his program in 2001 when he became Russian Kettlebell Certified. From here Max discovered Olympic weightlifting and received his USAW certification in 2002 under Mike Burgener. A great friend and his first oly lifting coach, Skipp Benzing, took Max on and helped him qualify for Nationals at his first competition. In 2003, he met Josh Everett, who introduced him to CrossFit.
Max holds a Level 3 CrossFit certification and has assisted at CrossFit Level 1, Olympic and Powerlifting certifications. He helped develop the CrossFit Football program and curriculum. He also holds NASM, Functional Movement Screening and Corrective Exercise Specialist certifications. Max is currently the athletic director for Community Roots Academy, where he is developing the physical education program for their students.
He qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials for weightlifting, and is currently training to repeat this in 2012.
Max can be contacted at: max@crossfitcostamesa.com and Facebook
Favorite Workout: “Linda” AKA 3 Bars of Death
Playing on his iPod: Reggae
Stephen Esmerio
Coach
Steven found CrossFit in 2013, just before getting out of his military service with the United States Marine Corps. He spent 7.5 years as an MP (Military Police) with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 473 Det. (-) out of Miramar, CA. Prior to getting out, Steven took his Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) test and received his CPT license. 6 months into being a CPT, the intensity didn’t match the intensity previously received in the Marines so, Steven took his first CrossFit class the day before Thanksgiving 2013, a year later he was a CF-L1 and has never looked back. Now a Level 2 with numerous CrossFit certifications under his belt including Gymnastics, Mobility, CrossFit Football (now Sports Specific), Scaling, & Pose Running to name a few. Steven is currently working on attaining a Certified CrossFit Trainer (CCFT/L3) by the end of the 2018 year and hopes to someday be apart of the CrossFit Seminar Staff. He also works with At-Risk Youth inside a local OC incarceration facility providing them with CrossFit resources for options to a better future.
Stephen can be contacted at: steven@crossfitcostamesa.com
Favorite WOD: Nutts
Playing on his Android: Everything