MEET OUR TEAM

OUR OWNER

Sissel Svenkerud

Sissel was born and raised in Norway, and she moved to NC in 2015. Ever since she was a little kid, she has been active. Sissel grew up on a farm where they had trotters (horses) and cows. In addition to farm work and horse activities, as a child she played handball. With her husband and kids, their activities have expanded to include: Show jumping with horses, Driving with horses, Soccer, Hand-ball, Skiing, Ice Skating, Drag Racing, Basketball, Swimming, Dancing, Cheerleading, Softball, Baseball, and Running (to name a few!)

Hear From Sissel: Fitness is a journey and I love CrossFit because it’s a perfect way to take ownership over that journey. Teaching proper technique and training functional movement enables our members to be healthy and strong throughout their lives. I love to share and coach while constantly aiming to improve myself and everybody around me. To see an athlete accomplish a task they have been working so hard for, and then see how it affects them in other parts of their lives, whether it is physical or mental, is an amazing feeling.

Sissel lives in Statesville, NC with hubby Roy. Step-son (Truls), daughter (Hedda), son (Erling). She also has two step-children and a grand baby in Norway.

Certifications:

Certified P-Trainer, through National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES)
Weight Loss Specialist (WLS)
Fitness Nutrition Specialist (FNS)
TRX Certified
Certified Pre-& Postnatal Coach (CPPC) through Girls Gone Strong Certified
CrossFit Level 1 (CF-L1)

USAW Level 2

COACH

Nicole Michelle Kevwith

I am 33, have been married for 11 years and have two children. A little bit about my own journey, Fitness was always a part of my life, but after college I took a step back and for 10 years let fitness fall to the wayside. I had had two kids and let life and many excuses get in my way. In 2017 I finally decided enough was enough and joined a small group fitness gym in Michigan. Shortly thereafter I became a coach and felt my passion reignited. Coaching brought me so much joy. In 2019 we were relocated to North Carolina and I was gutted, how do I go back to being just mom? I decided to give CrossFit a try and felt a long lost piece of me come to life. The competitiveness, camaraderie, and pushing ourselves to see what we’re capable of makes me feel alive. I’m so very excited at the opportunity to be a coach again! I can’t wait to learn and grow with this community that has come to mean so much to me.

COACH

Mike Garmin

I started my journey to fitness a little later in high school. Growing up I was active, but I never really cared about what I ate or really focused on a true work out plan. I had always viewed diet and exercise as more of a chore, and because of that I was always on the heavier side as a kid. In high school and college, I focused more on my fitness and eating properly, which let me drop over 90 pounds and 16 inches off my waistline in a couple years. However, I let my focus on fitness slip after college until I found CrossFit a couple years ago. It brought something to health and fitness I had been missing the entire time, community. The people and the challenges are what helped change my mindset of fitness as a chore to fitness as a way to see what you are capable of. My hope is to help bring that sense of community to everyone who walks through our doors and help them find what they are capable of.

COACH

Jonathan King

I have been attending CrossFit Fort Dobbs since the Spring of 2020. The pandemic brought me back to my hometown of Statesville where I needed a CrossFit community.
 
Since leaving in 2011 to attend East Carolina University for teaching (English), I had developed a love for plyometrics, which led me to High Intensity Training meshed with weightlifting. In fact, as I am writing this, the guy that annoyed me about joining the CrossFit gym in Wilson NC is sitting across from me. The price and preconception of a chauvinistic culture initially made me wary of taking the plunge. I could not have been more pleasantly surprised with the community I became part of when joined. So since March of 2019 I have been perpetually humbled by different movements, weights, and efforts of the person beside me in the CrossFit box. That is, mainly because the space for personal improvement is greater than the space for pride and posturing in these environments.
 
I have had the pleasure of competing in some very competitive settings from the CrossFit Open to regional competitions; however, what fuels my effort and consistency most is the shared suffering of my friends on a weekly basis. So come learn what I did. Investment fosters results because everyone understands you get what you pay for. Moreover, choosing to do something hard and sharing in suffering builds a community that is tough and honest. 
 

COACH

William Bennett

Born and raised in Statesville Will and his family are excited to be back in town after living across the state for the last 11 years. His wife Mary and daughter Chandler are his two favorites, along with their dog Webb. They moved back to Statesville in 2021 and opened a mental health counseling practice. From sports to an active life style in college (Go App!) Will landed in a CrossFit box in 2017. He quickly became the annoying guy who got Jonathan to join CrossFit. The way CFFD combines fitness with community is something he is excited to be a part of and help grow. The best part about CrossFit is having others alongside you for the journey. You can be anywhere along the fitness continuum and find value and growth at CFFD. What Will loves most about CFFD is that it is not a place where you have to be the fastest or strongest to succeed, but a place where together we strive for our goals. Will is passionate about coaching and loves seeing people set and reach their goals. A driving mentality for Will is not only focusing on what happens in the hour you are at the gym, but also reorienting the 23 hours outside the gym to become your best self!

Security Boss

SuziQ

SuziQ, the best box Dog with a capital D. Big Dog in a perfect body, 45 lbs and a Fran time of 3:05. She can not be ignored, but do not get intimidated by that, she is actually a really sweet and loving dog. SuziQ is a true CrossFitter. She has full control, loves being lazy, eats almost whatever and loves partner wods! She is friendly to everyone who comes with good intentions. But if your intensions are harmful….