Coaches

Michael Rutherford

913-905-1944 ext: 700
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Michael Rutherford (a.k.a. Coach Rut) has over a quarter century of fitness coaching experience. His experiences include working with competitors from the ranks of international, Olympic, collegiate, high school, middle school and elementary school aged athletes. Coach Rut has also worked in hospital wellness environments and rehabilitation clinics.

All of these experiences have allowed Coach Rut to bridge the gap between the needs of the competitor and those of the man, woman and child seeking to enhance their personal health and fitness.

All of us are athletes. Some of us are in training and some of us are not. Our job as a coach is to awaken the inner athlete. — Coach Rutherford

Coach Michael Rutherford’s BOOT CAMP FITNESS program is the area’s largest and most established group exercise program. His training services have assisted thousands of Kansas City residents over the last two decades.

Michael Rutherford has been a regular contributor to the CrossFit Journal as well as The Performance Menu. His Max Effort Black Box (M.E.B.B) collection is the most requested back issue from The Performance Menu.

He has produced five DVDs ranging from nutrition, to program design. His DUMBBELL MOVES series is the number one selling DVD on the application of the most underutilized tool in any strength training program.

Michael Rutherford holds academic degrees in Biology, Physical Education and Masters Degrees in Exercise Physiology and Sports Biomechanics. He is a certified Club Coach by the United States Weightlifting Association and is a Crossfit level III certified coach.

Coach Rutherford participates in the sport of Weightlifting and was the 2006 National Masters Champion at 94 kg.

Tammy Pottenger

913-905-1944 ext: 701
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Tammy Pottenger has been involved in athletics in one form or another since 7th grade. Growing up an avid volleyball player, she went on to play 4 years of DI volleyball at the University of Tulsa. There she earned a B.S. in Applied Mathematics in 1990. Tammy decided to become a teacher/coach and went on to earn an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1992. Post graduate school, she and her future husband decided to settle in Kansas City. Residents of KC for 17 years, they have three active busy kids ages 12, 10 and 7. Tammy has been a math teacher for a total of 14 years. During her years as a high school math teacher; she has coached high school track and volleyball and her children’s basketball, soccer and volleyball teams.

Tammy has been a consistent runner for over 20 years, completing the Boston Marathon in April of 2009. She has tried aerobics, personal training, circuit training, stepmills, spinning, treadmills and weight training. After joining Boot Camp Fitness in October of 2008, she quickly became a fan of the Cross fit based training methods. She is a Level 1 Certified Cross fit trainer. Tammy recognizes the role that nutrition plays in the success of any athlete and works individually with those seeking a better understanding of applying this science.

Tammy believes that the easiest way to make exercise a routine is with the support of others in a group environment. Boot Camp Fitness builds in that support naturally. The class works to improve everyone from the level at which they start. It is awesome to watch those working out around you make a commitment to change and stick with it. Remember, “you will always regret turning off the alarm and sleeping in…you will never regret getting up and getting your workout DONE. “ Get up and get going!

Kelley Colby

913-905-1944 ext: 703
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Kelley is a Level I CrossFit trainer, and a lifelong exerciser. From the day she walked through the doors of Boot Camp Fitness, she was hooked – the camaraderie of the group workout, the results-oriented program, the challenge of trying new exercises every day – it all combined to make the hard workout fun. She tells anyone who will listen about Boot Camp.

In addition to CrossFit, Kelley has practiced various forms of yoga for more than 12 years. She also enjoys swimming, biking and running.

Kelley is a K-State engineering grad, and keeps busy, after morning exercise, chasing 4 kids, who attend 3 different schools, and play sports non-stop.

Lindsey Hoyer

913-905-1944 ext: 704
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Lindsey received her Bachelor’s degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Kansas and went on to complete a Master’s degree in Sports Administration, also from KU. She has been Head Athletic Trainer for various area high schools over the past six years, currently at Lansing High School. At LHS, she provides medical coverage for all varsity competitions and practice coverage for all levels.

Lindsey has been Crossfitting since October 2009. Through her own gains in fitness with the new style of programming, she quickly realized a passion for helping others achieve their fitness goals using the CrossFit method. She began coaching CrossFit in January of 2010. In July, Lindsey entered the community of Bootcamp Fitness to join in encouraging it’s members to enhance their physical fitness.

Mark Johnson

913-905-1944 ext: 706
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Throughout his life Mark has enjoyed an active lifestyle, taking up rock climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, skiing, and competing in cross country, tennis, lacrosse, and rowing. Throughout all of this, he used weight training to develop his abilities, but eventually began to appreciate the “training” as a sport unto itself.

While Mark occasionally still runs competitively (mostly 5 and 10ks), plays some tennis and enjoys mountain biking, his main focus is Crossfit-style exercise, with a special love for weightlifting. He is a USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Coach, a Crossfit Level 1 Certified Trainer and Bootcamp Fitness Endurance Team coordinator.

Mark is also a musician who regularly plays banjo, guitar and other instruments with bands around the Kansas City and Lawrence areas. He has a B.A. from Colby College in Waterville, ME.

Dan Ammon

913-905-1944 ext: 707
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Dan is a native of Kansas City and returns to us from Stanford University where he was committed to conference and national championships by providing each student-athlete with the tools necessary to be successful at the highest levels of both academic and athletic performance. Dan designed and executed all aspects of performance training for Football, Men’s and Women’s Track & Field, Men’s and Women’s Water Polo, Men’s and Women’s Volleyball ( including five 2008 Olympians).

Dan is now committed to educate the community and clientele on the importance of lifelong health and performance objectives. Dan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science from the University of Missouri Kansas-City. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Emily Johnson

913-905-1944 ext: 705
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Emily has enjoyed competitive sports her whole life. In 2001, she took up mountain biking and immediately fell in love with it. A year later she began competing in endurance mountain bike races, and has since had a variety of podium finishes in 3, 6, 12 and 24-hour races. Recently Emily began competing in off-road duathlons and cyclocross races as well.

Along with her husband Mark, Emily discovered CrossFit in 2008 and began to see the results of using CrossFit for race training. She has a passion for fitness and nutrition and enjoys helping to motivate and encourage others to reach their goals.

Emily is a certified CrossFit Level 1 instructor, and coordinator of the Bootcamp Fitness Endurance Team.

She is a board member of Camps for Kids and a team member of 360 Racing. A graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute, she also continues her work in graphic design.

Heather Carroll

913-905-1944 ext: 702
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Becoming a Level 1 Crossfit trainer in Oct ’11 is what one would call a “natural progression” in Heather’s lifelong involvement in fitness and athletics. An athlete since childhood, she has played numerous sports and has been fortunate to realize great success. Whether it be soccer, tennis, volleyball or running, she has and always will be a competitor.

Upon finding Bootcamp Fitness KC/Crossfit KC in 2008, the inner athlete in Heather was reawakened. For her, being a part of the Bootcamp Fitness community is like being back on a team all over again. “We compete and are challenged as individuals but we finish our workouts as a team. We greet every morning with not only a new physical test but also a mental assessment of drive and determination. With the help of those around us, we get it done with a good sweat and a great feeling!”

Heather has always been a leader and thrives on the opportunity to help others reawaken their own inner athlete. Laying the groundwork for people to rediscover themselves as a competitor at any age is a challenge she willingly takes on.

Graduating from the University of Kansas with a double major in Journalism and Italian, Heather spent over a year traveling around the world with nothing more than a pair of running shoes and backpack. Upon her return, she settled back to her hometown of Prairie Village and started a family. Heather enjoys competing, coaching and living life to the fullest.

Jessica Reinhardt

913-905-1944 ext: 710
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Jess has enjoyed participating in athletics her entire life. She started participating in sports with soccer at the age of 5 and hasn’t stopped since. As a teenager she swam competitively and was a ranked Division I swimmer. She also played on her varsity soccer team.

After getting her BA in Business Administration and Marketing from Truman State University she decided to pursue her life long love of health and fitness.

In October of 2010 she received her ACE Certified Personal Training Certificate and is currently pursuing an ACE certificate for training adults 50 years of age and older.

Along with her personal training she also works as Bootcamp’s Administrative Assistant and helps new members get integrated into the Bootcamp/ CrossFit program.

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Testimonials

Having followed the MEBB now for almost a year, I wanted to give you some feedback from the frontline. Prior to using your template I was an avid Crossfitter following the mainsite for 3 years. What I found was that my overall fitness improved but at the expense of strength and some significant overuse injuries. I felt the constant high rep schemes of the Mainsite wods were taking a toll on my musculoskeletal system. At 39 yo and as a former competitive baseball player, I want to maintain topnotch fitness, but not at the expense of my joints and longevity in this endeavor. Having followed your program now, including the emphasis on flexibility, posterior chain, and post wod soft tissue maintenance, I can say this is a true evolution in the boiler plate CrossFit programming. I can use the 3 day template adding in a Tues. longer Crossfit wod and have set PR’s in most of the benchmarks since beginning the MEBB. I have had NO overuse issues, have not missed a planned training week in over a year due to injury, and feel my joints have markedly benefited from this approach. Also, the strength component has allowed me to improve in that aspect although that was not my primary concern. You are to be commended on your work in improving the design of this fitness program with a safe and efficacious program.

I am very interested in the Intelligent Design Seminar and would love to see you guys come to the Southeast at some point. I reside in SC and know there are many advocates of the MEBB here. In closing, please continue the efforts in spite of some recent “backlash” from others in the community. My feelings are that those such as yourself will always continue to succeed since your goals and results are in the best interest of your athletes and trainers.

Dr. S Jacob, South Carolina

Thank you so much. I also wanted to let you know that I am on your site quite often and have used your MEBB program to much success. It has really helped me increase my strength and fitness which is very important in my job as a firefighter.

Chris Kidd / Memphis, Tennesee

I attended your ‚Intelligent Exercise Design seminar last year in Toronto and have been using your method with my clients ever since. I just wanted to say thanks. The MEBB program has helped many of my athletes, and myself, get stronger and better at all aspects of CrossFit.

James Gordon / Orillia, ON

I can not overstate how happy I am to have joined your program . I consider it literally one of the 3-4 best decisions of my life (if only I had made it sooner!). I can count on one finger the number of activities for which I will happily rise at 4 a.m. almost every day, and that is because the one hour I spend at Bootcamp Fitness / CrossFit Kansas City is easily the most productive of the day. In roughly six months, the benefits I have seen are countless and even transcend the significant fitness gains. Thanks for being the driving force of this enterprise you are making a lot of people’s lives a lot better.

Scott Worthington / Fairway Kansas

I have just received the 3 DVDs (Dumbbell Moves I & II, Bigger & Stronger) that I ordered from you last week. Delivered to Australia in only 8 days, thanks for the great service. I have watched the DVDs and I can see they are going to be a great source of information and ideas for years to come. Thank you very much.

Rod Simpson / Mackay, Australia

Just wanted to let you know what results I’m seeing since enrolling in BootCamp 6 weeks ago. Since I was in the initial BootCamp all those many years ago I knew what I was getting into and knew that you get out of it what you put into it but I had no idea it would have such a huge impact on my golf game. I play roughly 150 rounds a year and I can honestly say that I have had the two best rounds of the summer since enrolling. Bootcamp is increasing my strength and increasing my flexibility, the two most important things in golf. Thanks for keeping the pressure on us in our workouts, I’m looking forward to a great year!

Dan Stephens, Lenexa, Kansas

Procrastination is one of my more practiced habits, albeit not something I am proud of. Getting my rear in gear concerning personal health and fitness had been something I put off way too long. I am sure like many others, I always thought tomorrow will be the day, or when the weather warms up, or after I lose a couple pounds and there were plenty of excuses and that is exactly what they are excuses.

During a round last summer with a good friend, I made a comment about his improved posture, attitude and stamina. He filled me on this new morning Bootcamp workout he was attending and how it had changed his views on fitness and traditional workout routines. A few weeks later I had the great fortune to meet this ‚Boot Camp guy, Coach Rut on the golf course which is one of few places where a persons true colors shine through. I inquired about the program and expressed some interest in attending although I fell back into the old excuse routine.

I found it interesting at no time after our initial conversation did Coach Rut inquire if I was still interested?, when was I going to start?, etc. Then I realized, he wasn’t in the business of recruiting people, he was in the business of helping people. You ultimately are the one who has to make the decision to get it done. Family and friends may show their support but you are the one getting up at 0500 hours to get your game face on and ready for the next fanny waxin coming your way.

It’s been 6 months since that first Bootcamp WOD and it is hard to explain in words how my life has changed. I didn’t set specific goals because I trusted they would come with hard work and they have; 15 lbs less and 2 inches of my waist was great but the real benefits are an energy level explosion enabling me to get way more productivity out of each day. A whole new outlook on how food drives so many aspects of your life. A more positive, accepting outlook on family, friends, work. And most of all an appreciation of not only what it means to be healthy but to live healthy.

When the day begins with beating the alarm clock to the punch and jumping out of bed ready for Bootcamp, I know I am on the right track.

Ryan Powell / Prairie Village Kansas

My name is Kevin Ayers and I am the head football coach and sprint coach for the track team here in Sharon Springs,Ks. I have an athlete, Hallie Kuhlman, a junior, who won the 100, 200, 400, and 800 meter sprints in the 1A girls division this past spring. This was a repeat performance as she did it her Freshman year as well. She was also the 1A state powerlifting champion in her weight class. A very, very special athlete with an unbelievable work ethic. ESPN Rise contacted me and wanted to do a story on how we train her. We have used your MEBB as the core of her strength program, incorporating CrossFit endurance and mainsite wods as we see fit. I want to give credit where credit is due. I would like to give them your website and some of the ins and outs of the program. I hope this is ok with you? If you have any input please feel free to email me. Your workouts have not only helped out our track team but we use them for our football squad as well.

Coach Kevin Ayers / Sharon Springs, Kansas

I have been training with Boot Camp Fitness/CrossFit Kansas City since the middle of November.Since then I have lost 30 pounds and 4 inches off my waist. I would like to say that this class started out as a commitment to lose weight and it has turned into a way of life.

My body has not felt this good in years. It can be the same for anyone who really dedicates themselves to coming to class daily and eating right‚both of those go hand in hand, and if you stick to that you will see results.

I am blessed to have found this class and would like to encourage everyone to keep coming and sticking with your eating regiment.

Thank You Coach Rut. You have really inspired me and changed my life.

Jeffrey Carley / Overland Park, Kansas

I purchased the MEBB DVD a while back ago. I watched it soon after and we did some of the programming but did not stick with it as we should’ve. We implemented your program for the month of October. After only one month we had dramatic results. To be honest I was skeptical when I first got it but now I’m a full believer. Thank you for the help. Best of luck and continued success.

Polo Lopez, CrossFit CFL