Meet the Kohen Krew
Coach Madison Upshaw
CrossFit Kohen Owner/Operator/Coach
CF Level 2 Trainer
Madison’s passion for CrossFit began in 2015 when she walked into a CrossFit gym the first time to continue her fitness after high school!
She instantly fell in love with the challenges that CrossFit presented to her. Over the first few years of CrossFit, she started to fall in love with the community that surrounded her. This led her to start coaching in 2018.
“CrossFit changes lives. Movement changes lives. Community changes lives. I want others to experience that!” - Coach Madison
Not only did Coach Madison love coaching adults, but she also found her gift of coaching kids/teens! She has been running a kids/teens fitness class since 2019.
“CrossFit/fitness isn’t just for adults nor is it just for those wanting to play sports. My favorite thing is watching parents and kids workout side by side. This creates generational change!” -Coach Madison
Hobbies: hanging out with my husband, being outside, crushing people in spike ball, going to the beach, and trying new sports!
Favorite Workout: Anything with gymnastics or a heavy barbell!
Favorite Quote: Work Hard. Be Nice.
“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV
Coach Trisha Schaffner
CrossFit Kohen Owner/Coach
CF Level 2 Trainer
Trish serves the local community by being a Corpus Christi Police Officer.
She has her CrossFit L2 and USAW L1 and has been training since 2004.
Trisha has been a life long athlete and fell in love with CrossFit in 2018. In 2019, Trish began her CrossFit coaching career.
Hobbies: Doing all things fitness! Competing, racing, and continually trying to find new things to challenge herself.
Favorite Workouts: Fight Gone Bad and Heavy DT.
Favorite Quote: “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”
Romans 5:3-4 NLT
“Stop holding back on life because you fear failure. Failure isn’t losing, it’s gaining experience. Failure isn’t the end, it’s redirection. Start living, even if it means failing.”
Coach Cody Schaffner
CrossFit Kohen Owner
CFO Level 1 Trainer
Cody is a Master Chief in the Coast Guard.
Cody has been doing CrossFit for 5 years. He has been active duty in the Coast Guard for 20 years so when he's not in the gym he's out patrolling the waters of South Texas!
Hobbies: Hunting, fishing, and spicy workouts.
Favorite Workout: Any workout that makes him say "that sucked" at the end.
Favorite Quote: "I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong. I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to learn to solve. I asked for prosperity and God gave me a brain and brawn to work. I asked for courage and God gave me dangers to overcome. I asked for love and God gave me people to help. I asked for favors and God gave me opportunities. I received nothing I wanted. I received everything I needed." -Hazrat Khan
Coach Jonathan Brazell “Braz”
CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
Coach Braz has been doing CrossFit for 11 years and a coach for 10 of those years. He coached in Kentucky and Delaware before moving to Texas.
Hobbies: Surfing, mountain biking, drinking good coffee
Favorite Workout: “The Seven”
Favorite Quote: “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” A.W. Tozer
Coach Brian Mandel
He has his CrossFit Level 2 Trainer certification.
Brian has been doing CrossFit for 12 years! He has been a coach for 4 of those years and loves helping athletes understand the mechanics of movement.
Hobbies: Hunting, fishing, “learning and playing new sports!”
Favorite Workout: Acid Bath
Favorite Quote: 1 COR 4:2
“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
Coach Jess Johnston
Coach Jess serves the local community by being a Corpus Christi Firefighter Engineer. She has his CrossFit Level 1 Trainer certification.
Jess has been doing CrossFit for 6 years.
Hobbies: Hiking, spending time at the beach with her dogs, and drawing.
Favorite Workout: Any partner workout!
Favorite Quote: “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” -Unknown
Coach Allison Zollicoffer
CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
Bio coming soon…