OUR STAFF

MATT TITUS

• B.S. in Biology, concentration in Anatomy and Physiology
• CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
• USA Weightlifting and Sports Performance Coach
• CrossFit Olympic Lifting
• CrossFit Kids Trainer
• CrossFit Mobility & Movement
• Blackbird CrossFit Head Coach and Co-Owner

Matt developed a passion for CrossFit in 2009 that changed the way he viewed fitness. Never a gym rat or weightlifter, Matt played college rugby and is a life-long soccer player. He immediately recognized CrossFit as a way to combine all of the things he loved about being an athlete; the competition, the team camaraderie, the intensity, the fun and the skill. His experiences in the box changed the way he trained, the way he viewed nutrition, and the manner in which he attacked daily life.

Matt has been a part of three other CrossFit boxes in Balitmore City and Carroll County. He became a coach and opened up BlackBird CrossFit to help others in their journey to making long-term lifestyle changes. Regardless of a member’s starting fitness level, he considers every member an athlete. He believes in the importance of a varied strength and conditioning program, whether the athlete is training for The CrossFit Games or is an everyday person looking to improve their overall health. The most rewarding part of coaching for him is when a member has their “ah-ha moment” and releases all of their self-perceived limitations. That is when the real training and fun begins!

“I want BlackBird CrossFit to be an important part of my community and serve as an example of how to be fit, enjoy life and strive to reach your true and full potential.”

REBEKAH TITUS

• CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
• USA Weightlifting and Sports Performance Coach
• CrossFit Kids Trainer
• CrossFit Gymnastics
• CrossFit Mobility and Movement
• Blackbird CrossFit Co-Owner

Rebekah Titus was first introduced to CrossFit after the birth of her first daughter in 2009. Matt had heard about CrossFit and talked her into doing Foundations together. She loved the WODs but wasn’t sold on the weightlifting aspect. She returned to her 4-5 day a week group fitness class regimen and running half marathons. After the birth of her second daughter, group fitness classes and running were not garnering any results. In 2013, CrossFit came back into her life. Within the first year, she lost 20 pounds, lost inches all over, saw muscle definition, had increased energy levels and confidence, and fell in love with weightlifting! The lifelong athlete and competitor in her had returned. A fire was lit and she never looked back.

“CrossFit was a game-changer for me. I want to bring that to others. It’s amazing to watch our athletes reach their goals both in the gym and in their daily lives. We work with every day people who just want to get stronger, have more energy, and be able to chase their kids around. It’s been amazing to be a part of their first unassisted pull up, graduate from knee push ups to toes, lose weight, change eating habits, and get healthy! Other than motherhood, opening up Blackbird CrossFit is the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done.”

MICHELLE MERSON

• ACE Certified Personal Trainer
• CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
• USA Weightlifting and Sports Performance Coach

She has always been an athlete, so she decided to turn her passion into her career. After 5 years of personal training, Michelle found CrossFit in 2012. She instantly became hooked. She believes in the value of CrossFit and strength training for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Michelle has worked with a wide variety of individuals and groups ranging from high school athletes as a Sports and Performance Coach, adult amateur athletes, pre and post natal women, to the elderly.

Being a mom of young children, Michelle has a particular love of working with other moms. She understands the challenges of getting “your body ” back and finding the time to exercise with a busy family and work schedule. Through her personal training and CrossFit coaching, Michelle loves showing her athletes, moms in particular, that functional, high intense, interval training is the winning combo to reaching your fitness and health goals.

“My favorite thing about CrossFit is seeing people achieve things that they never thought they were capable of doing.”

STEVE WEATHERHOLT

• B. S. in Health and Physical Education, minor in Exercise Science
• CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
• USA Weightlifting and Sports Performance Coach
• CrossFit Kids Trainer
• CPR and First Aid instructor

Steve is P.E., Health, & Weightlifting teacher at Century High School right here in Eldersburg, MD. He also coached Freshman Boys Basketball and Varsity Football at CHS until 2017. Steve found CrossFit in 2012 when a group of teachers invited him to work out with them. After the first workout, he was sold. He began programming and doing WODs with other faculty members before school until joining the Blackbird coaching staff in June 2014. CrossFit was a turning point in Steve’s life. He began to make health a priority; constantly emphasizing proper nutrition and physical activity to himself, his colleagues, and most importantly his students.

Steve believes that CrossFit is a fitness methodology that spills over into everyday life. It can positively affect nutrition habits, work ethic, and overall outlook on life. The competitive atmosphere drives him to work hard during every WOD, constantly competing with others in his class and with himself to achieve better fitness. Besides CrossFit, Steve’s passion is working with people who struggle with their nutrition.

My favorite aspect of CrossFit is looking over during a WOD and seeing the person next to me struggling just as much as I am. It’s through that struggle that we build a community of people working together to achieve lifelong health.

JUSTIN METZGER

• CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
• CrossFit Endurance
• CrossFit Kids Trainer

Justin Metzger is excited to bring his knowledge and experience of running and endurance training to his fellow athletes at Blackbird CrossFit, the Eldersburg Rogue Runners, and all who are interested in running farther, running longer, improving their workout times, and most importantly moving more efficiently!

Justin brings years of experience as a competitive endurance athlete himself. In his younger years, he competed on his high school and college Cross County and Track & Field Teams. He has since channeled his love of running into coaching others, and was the Head Boy’s Cross Country Coach at Century High School from 2011 to 2016.

Justin’s journey as an endurance coach took an unexpected turn in January of 2011. A group of teachers invited him to start doing CrossFit with them in the school gym, which completely changed his outlook on fitness and endurance training. He learned the importance of form, began to appreciate running as a skill, and realized more effective ways to train besides just volume. From that moment on, Justin has continued to learn as much as he can about CrossFit, endurance, aerobic training, and nutrition. During this time he became a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, Aerobic Capacity Ambassador, CrossFit Kids Trainer, and holds a CrossFit Endurance certificate. With this knowledge, he helped his Cross Country team place in the top five in the State every year since 2011 and earn a second place finish in the State in 2016.

Now, as he moves on from coaching high school runners to adults, he looks forward to this next chapter where he can bringing his knowledge of running and endurance training to his fellow Blackbird CrossFit athletes as the head coach of Blackbird CrossFit’s Performance. Aerobic Capacity. Endurance. and Recovery. (P.A.C.E.R.) program. Also, he is working with Tri Sports Junction to design programming for the Sykesville/Eldersburg running and triathlete communities to help them achieve their goals of competing in races from 5K’s, half marathons, marathons, and triathlons.

JORDON LEPPO

• CrossFit Level 1 Trainer

Jordon is a born and bred Carroll County farmer and South Carroll High School alum. He is an avid outdoorsman, fisherman, and hunter, graduating from Garrett College in Western Maryland with an adventure education degree. It was his training in mixed martial arts during that time that introduced him to the CrossFit training methodology. After college, Jordon worked for Young Life, where he met his beautiful CrossFitting wife Virginia. He used CrossFit to train for MMA bouts, to train his athletes while coaching high school football in Tennessee, and as a member of the Special Operations Response Team in a corrections facility. After settling back home in Carroll County, Jordon begin training athletes in his barn on the family farm where he lives with his wife and 3 young boys. We have now snagged this 9 year CrossFit veteran, amazing athlete, and inspirational human as a new coach at Blackbird CrossFit!

JACK DELNUNZIO

• CrossFit Level 1 Trainer

Jack has been a part of Blackbird CrossFit since he was a sophomore in high school. He immediately recognized that Blackbirds were different. Not only did they collectively form a unique community, but they positively influenced him to change his lifestyle and challenge himself. He began to notice profound improvements in several facets of his life and from there joined as a regular member alongside adults. As a 16-year- old, it was intimidating. But as Blackbird does best, Jack was genuinely inspired by those surrounding him. In the summer of 2016, Jack decided that his passion wasn’t solely derived from the benefits he garnered for himself, but also in the benefits that CrossFit could provide for others. Jack obtained a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate, interned for 6 months at Blackbird, was an Assistant Coach for another few months, and then earned a coaching spot at Blackbird. Despite his age, Jack brings with him personal CrossFit experience, an abundance of nutritional and cooking advice, and an acting background that he adapts to coaching. But most importantly, Jack is convinced that the CrossFit formula works: A BETTER YOU is where it all starts. CrossFit is infinitely and universally scalable. Prepare for the unknown and live a fulfilling life by fueling properly and performing constantly varied functional movements at a high intensity with people who radiate the same passion!

CHRIS RICHELDERFER

• CrossFit Level 1 Trainer

Chris is a Pennsylvania native and grew up outside of Harrisburg. After college at Mount Saint Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, MD, he commissioned in the US Army and has spent the last 13 years living in various places in the US and abroad. During a deployment to Afghanistan in 2007, he was introduced to CrossFit but didn’t actively start following the CrossFit methodology until 2009 when his wife Ashley and he were stationed in Bamberg, Germany. After moving back to the States, he eventually joined CrossFit Fort Bragg in North Carolina and later CrossFit Syracuse in New York. While at CrossFit Fort Bragg, Chris competed as a member of the gym’s team at the Reebok CrossFit Games Mid-Atlantic Regional in 2013. During an assignment in Washington State and for about a year after Chris moved to Maryland, he spent about two years working out in his garage and focusing on Olympic Weightlifting. He was pleased with the strength he gained (adding 30lbs to his Snatch and 20lbs to his Clean and Jerk) and earned podium positions in a few small, regional meets. Two years was enough, though – he realized he needed the community, variety, and intensity you can only find at a CrossFit Gym, so…he joined Ashley at Blackbird almost a year ago and decided to start working towards his goal of being a CrossFit coach. He began an internship with Matt and Rebekah in March 2018 and obtained his CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Certificate in May 2018. Chris is looking forward to continuing to work with the Blackbird community and helping our members achieve their goals!