The Team
Nick Niedzwiecki
Owner
My name is Nick Niedzwiecki and I am a lifelong resident of Athens, Alabama. I attended Athens High School, graduating in 2010, and then went on to the University of North Alabama where I met my beautiful wife, Jordan. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Geography in December of 2013. I began my journey to fitness after college and having been overweight my whole life. I started like most, blindly going to the gym with little structure and no knowledge of what I needed to do in order to reach the goals I set for myself. I started doing my research and found CrossFit, but thought it wasn’t for me. So, I kept doing my own conditioning and made progress along the way, but still struggled. It wasn’t until I reached a plateau that I finally decided to seek guidance and came back to CrossFit. This time taking on the challenge- this would be the best decision I would make in my journey. After starting CrossFit, I learned that it was way more than your typical fitness program. The methodology behind it fascinated me and I quickly learned that everything about the lifestyle of CrossFit is designed to make you a better person. It teaches you things about yourself that you never knew could be possible. Not only did I start to see physical changes that I had always wanted but my mental and personal health improved substantially as well. This is when I began looking into becoming a CrossFit trainer and sharing this passion with others around me. Since beginning my fitness journey, I have managed to lose 80 pounds, change my outlook on life and have learned what it means to live a happy, healthy life and continue to learn every day! I became a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer in November 2018 and have been sharing this passion with others ever since. I then went on to become a CrossFit Level 2 trainer in October of 2020. I am now bringing the CrossFit methodology to Athens and want to show everyone what it has to offer. I look forward to helping every single person who walks through the doors of our gym regardless of where they are in their journey. Thank you for visiting and I look forward to meeting you!
Jordan Niedzwiecki
Coach
Jordan started CrossFit in 2018 after many months of her husband, Nick, asking her to take a class. She has a Bachelors in Geography and a Masters in Geospatial Sciences from the University of North Alabama. Jordan received her CrossFit Level 1 in 2021 and has been coaching ever since. She decided to pursue coaching because she loves helping people with something they may not be able to do on their own. She said, “helping people be able to play with their kids and live longer is an awesome feeling.” If she’s not in the box, you can find her traveling or rock climbing. Jordan’s advice to someone new: “it never gets easier, but the community is what keeps us coming back each day. Talk to people you see each day in class and cheer them on. This is a great place to meet people of similar mindsets.
Aprle Hudson
Nutrition Coach
I didn’t find Crossfit until I was in my 40s. Walking into the gym I questioned if I was too old and whether or not I was fit enough. I quickly learned that Crossfit is for everyone regardless of age and fitness level. Excited to share with others the community, strength and confidence I found, I got my Level 1 and 2 Crossfit Certification. I added another layer to my experience by focusing on my nutrition. I felt so much better and performed better in the gym. My Precision Nutrition Certification helps me to lead our athletes to a healthier way to live.
Rick Dougherty
Coach
My wife is the one who actually got me into CrossFit. She was going to an Introduction to CrossFit class and I thought I would go see what it was all about. I never imagined that I would actually enjoy it and after the Introduction class I had only intended to sign up for one month. I was hooked after the first week. I had struggled with my weight and exercising for years. Up and down and on and off, over and over again and nothing would stick. I would get frustrated and quit. CrossFit changed all of that. You come into the gym and the workout is already planned for you, the coaches lead you through everything and the other athletes in your class become your accountability partners. A lot of times you will hear people talking about things in there life that flipped the switch for them. Walking into the gym for that first introduction class was it for me. CrossFit has allowed me to get in the best shape of my life, introduced me to friends I would have never met otherwise and now I get to help others through their fitness journey as a coach. Seeing people making the change in their life and progress towards their goals is extremely rewarding. When I am not at the gym I like to spend time at home with my family. I am married and have two little girls. They keep me on my toes most of the time as they are as different from each other as night and day. I also enjoy hunting, fishing and occasional carpentry work.
Jessica Bzdell
Coach
I got into CrossFit when some friends invited me in to try out a class. I was instantly hooked. Enjoying feeling challenged, I could tell I needed it because it absolutely kicked my butt. It gave me a new perspective on exercise and a new place to socialise. I love coaching. Knowing I can help another recognize their achievements, large or small, makes it worth it. Being there to share in someone’s excited when they achieve a goal is one of the best feelings. Outside of the gym I am a stay at home mom and enjoy seeing my little ones grow and experience life. We stay outdoors or trying new things. I enjoy playing disc golf, riding my bike, and trying new sports. In the time to myself I listen to loads of podcast and like to binge watch shows with my husband before bed.
Steven Ferguson
Coach
I started at CrossFit Athens in 2020 while looking to get into better shape for my job in law enforcement. After participating in my first class, I knew I had found a home. I quickly began noticing changes in myself that I had not experienced with any other fitness program. Not only was I improving my physical health, but my mental health drastically improved. A couple of years later, after earning my CrossFit Level 1 trainer certificate, I began coaching. I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to share knowledge and help others reach their goals. Being a member of CrossFit Athens has been life changing for me and I hope to provide that same feeling to others. When im not working or coaching I love spending time outdoors and traveling.
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