Get to Know Our Coaches
Renée-Claude Rioux: Owner/Head Coach
In 2009, Renée graduated from the University Laval in Quebec with her Kinesiology degree. Since then she has dedicated her life to working in the fitness industry. She worked for the Canadian Forces as a fitness instructor for over five years, training military for special unit task and fitness test. At the time, she was also playing elite level soccer and training for several races (5K-10K- 21.1K).
Renée has been hooked on CrossFit since 2012 and began coaching in 2014.
What started as a love for the sport quickly grew into a drive to push her limits and compete at the highest levels. Over the years, she’s earned spots at the 2016 and 2017 Western Canada Regionals, placed 18th in Canada after the 2019 CrossFit Open, and qualified for the CrossFit Semi-Finals in the 35-39 age group in both 2024 and 2025, finishing 64th and 68th worldwide.
She’s also taken her passion international—winning first place in the RX Trio division at Wodapalooza in 2024.
More than a decade in, Renée’s fire for CrossFit and competition hasn’t dimmed, it’s stronger than ever!
With 15+ years of coaching experience, and a background in both running and gymnastics, she brings not only knowledge but also a genuine passion for helping others. Her biggest goal is to inspire and support anyone who’s ready to chase after their own—always reminding them with a smile that “it’s going to be so fun!”
David Coulombe: Owner/Coach
David has always been a very talented athlete. He started training for speed skating at a young age before switching to soccer, which he found success in. ​He played at a very high level (D1 under 15) in France, then with the most elite club of the region of Quebec for over 8 years. He also coached young athletes for over 7 years.
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Eventually he needed a bigger challenge and started to get into long-distance running and took part in several races in the province. Since then, he has completed more than 20 marathons (42.2K) and has discovered a passion for endurance sports.
One of his most remarkable feats is tackling the grueling Fat Dog race, a 120-mile journey that he completed in 47 hours. But for David, it's not just about crossing the finish line—it's about embracing the challenge and emerging stronger on the other side. Showing both incredible physical strength and a heart for giving back, David took on the challenge of running 7 marathons in 7 days, all to raise funds for children's sports. With each stride, he not only pushed his own boundaries but also inspired others to believe in the power of perseverance.
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David is currently training for an Ironman and has ambitious goals in the world of ultra running. Fuelled by an unyielding determination and fortified by an indomitable spirit, David continues to push the boundaries of what's possible, inspiring all who cross his path to reach for their own extraordinary heights.
Leesa Schlenker: Coach
As a ‘try it all’ type of athlete, growing up Leesa fell in love with pushing the limits of her fitness. She competed in many sports growing up, but strength training and time in the gym is what she looked forward to every day.
From this passion she chose to pursue a degree in Kinesiology, specializing in health and exercise physiology, with a keen interest in strength and conditioning. Throughout her schooling and over 7 years of coaching experience, Leesa has been a strength coach for multiple university sports teams, elite hockey teams, worked with aspiring speed skating and alpine Olympians, and has helped everyday athletes move towards their own goals.
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Leesa’s passion for fitness development has seen her pursue her own strength and fitness goals across many domains. From distance running to olympic-style weightlifting, athletic development, and road/mountain biking, she has always looked for new ways to test and improve her fitness, seeking new opportunities to challenge herself.
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All this led her to join CrossFit, a challenge she’s never looked back from. Leesa fell in love with the culture of continuous improvement and drive to be better every single workout. She is inspired daily by each person who walks into the gym and they challenge her to continue to seek the best version of herself.
Leesa is committed to helping you step out of your comfort zone and really see what you're capable of!
Maxime Bidan: Coach
Maxime completed a STAPS license (Science and technique of physical and sports activities) at the University of Nantes in France, before completing a specific sports trainer diploma “BPJEPS Activity in the specialty form Weightlifting/bodybuilding” in 2018.
He subsequently passed his Level 1 CrossFit trainer certification in 2019, then began working in CrossFit Gyms (CF War Machine / CF Human Project / CF Saint Hilaire de Riez) in France.
In 2022, he passed his Level 2 CrossFit trainer certification to deepen his knowledge of the methodology and be able to provide the best content to everyone he coaches.
Maxime has always been very active—12 years of playing soccer and 6 years of playing rugby, always in parallel with functional training in the weight room to help him in his sports performances. In 2018 he discovered CrossFit and developed a passion for the methodology. Between 2019-2023, he completed many national-level competitions in France, and qualified 3 times in a row to participate in the CrossFit Quarter-Final.
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After 5 years now coaching in CrossFit gyms, he is keen to pass on his passion for the methodology and help members achieve their goals, whatever they may be!
Lauren Mason: Coach
Lauren’s journey with CrossFit began in 2011 (she’s an OG!) when she discovered how much she loved being challenged in new ways every workout. Having been active in sports her whole life, she quickly fell in love with the friendly competitiveness and community that CrossFit brings.
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Now training as a Masters athlete, Lauren is passionate about showing others in the 40+ age group that fitness has no limits. She hopes to inspire athletes to push beyond what they thought was possible—whether that’s trying something new, gaining strength, or simply feeling more confident in their own abilities.
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Outside of the gym, Lauren keeps busy running her construction business and has recently developed a passion for golf. She loves how the strength, discipline, and focus built through CrossFit carry over into every part of her life—including her swing on the course.
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Lauren is excited to help athletes of all levels step out of their comfort zones and see just how strong they can be.
Gemma Marchant: Coach
Gemma started CrossFit in 2019 after quitting competitive gymnastics. She immediately fell in love with the sport as she always loved the conditioning side of gymnastics, and she excelled quite quickly.
Gemma is a certified ActiveStart, Level 1, and Level 2 gymnastics coach. She coached at her local gymnastics club for 8 years, before moving onto coaching both adult and kids CrossFit. With special emphasis on a CrossFit gymnastics class.
In 2022, Gemma completed her bachelors in Health Sciences at UNBC with a major in Biomedicine. During this time she really focused on factors influencing health, physiology, anatomy, and nutrition. She is especially passionate about helping people become the best version of themselves, and living their healthiest lives. She is now attending medical school at UBCO.
When Gemma started CrossFit she struggled with a lot of anxiety; sometimes pulling up to the gym and driving away before she could get through the doors. If you’ve met Gemma now, this might be hard to believe. But she attributes her newfound confidence to the sport of CrossFit and the uplifting people she is surrounded by. She has since competed internationally at 2023 Wodapalooza in the team RX division, and is ranked in the 99th percentile worldwide.​
Rees Weninger: Coach
Rees has always been passionate about sports and fitness, with a lifelong background in competitive athletics. Growing up, he played a variety of team sports including baseball, hockey, and football, and thrived on both the thrill of competition and the camaraderie of being part of a team.
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As he got older, Rees shifted his focus toward individual pursuits, exploring bodybuilding and fitness competitions, where he was drawn to the discipline, dedication, and physical challenge. About five years ago, he discovered CrossFit and immediately fell in love with the sport’s intensity, variety, and strong sense of community.
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Since then, Rees has dedicated himself to coaching and helping others achieve their fitness goals. He has experience working with athletes of all skill levels and loves guiding people to push past their limits and realize their full potential.
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If you’re looking for a supportive and challenging fitness community, the team at CrossFit FYP can’t wait to meet you and help you reach your goals!
Liz Blackburn: Coach
Throughout her life Liz has always been an active person, participating in all kinds of sports including soccer, snowboarding, dirt biking, hiking, etc. Earlier in life, she attended the gym often but her results weren’t progressing and quickly hit a plateau. Having a previous desk job caused her to always struggle with back pain and other compensation patterns. After years of training in CrossFit, she can confidently say that it has incredibly benefited her by relieving back pain and teaching the correct movement patterns. Now, Liz can fully enjoy her favourite hobbies and activities, pain free! CrossFit has changed her life mentally, emotionally and physically.
Liz started CrossFit in 2014. She knew right away that she was hooked and only a few months later she felt a strong desire to become a coach. She then took her CrossFit Level 1 and Level 2 Course certifications. Her biggest motivation is seeing members progress and watching them achieve something they never thought they could do!
Since becoming a CrossFit coach, Liz felt an even stronger desire to push her understanding of the human body and learn how to correct muscle imbalances. She completed the Registered Massage Therapy (RMT) program in 2019 and is now using the extent of her knowledge as an RMT to even further coach the client’s in the gym!
Liz is always amazed to notice the progress everyone makes and the friendly and welcoming vibe you get as you walk through the doors. She encourages everyone to give CrossFit a shot, no matter what your goal is, your age, or if you have never been to a gym before—there is something for everyone!
Charlot Butler: Coach
As a child, Charlot was always interested in every sport imaginable, but particularly passionate about gymnastics. She trained for 26 hours a week from pre-school until the end of Grade 9, learning complex skills. Her dedication paid off, and she eventually reached a national level, competing across the United States and Canada. Her experience in gymnastics has given Charlot valuable knowledge that she can apply to coaching individuals in CrossFit.
Upon completing high school, she moved to Edmonton for six years to pursue a combined degree in kinesiology and education at the University of Alberta. Charlot was a varsity athlete, representing the university in both track and rugby. Through her years of playing sports, she gained extensive knowledge in Olympic lifting and had the privilege to train with elite coaches.
In the final year of her university studies, Charlot made the decision to travel to Calgary and attend a Level 1 CrossFit certification course in January 2021. She is a firm believer that functional fitness is essential for everyone to live a successful life and be able to enjoy the small leisure activities that make life worth living.
Charlot have been coaching and training in CrossFit for about three years now, and has never looked back. After graduating as a varsity athlete, she was unsure of what to do with her sporting career until she discovered CrossFit. It has filled a void inside and given her a community that supports her with the same passion, drive, and discipline she always had when training as a varsity athlete.
Brad Duffin: Coach
Brad, professional Firefighter, is passionate about CrossFit. With more than 5 years practicing the sport intensively, he brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the FYP CrossFit Community. He also completed his CrossFit Level 1 certification in 2023.
Prior to coaching CrossFit, Brad played professional hockey in Sweden and spent 6 years as a strength and conditioning coach. His expertise led him to work with high-performance athletes ranging from 14-year-olds up to professionals. Notable achievements during his playing career include captaining the Olds Grizzlys in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), winning a Telus Cup National Midget Championship in 2012, and winning two NCAA National Championships with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Brad loves the friendly competitive side of CrossFit, and enjoys learning and sharing efficiency/skill tips with other members.