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The Root 18 CrossFit Team

Meet the Team that is Dedicated to Your Success

Our Mission

Owner Carlin Vandendriessche

Owner Carlin Vandendriessche opened Root 18 CrossFit in August of 2012 with a group of like minded individuals driven by a passion for helping people increase their quality of life through fitness.

Their mission is to make training at Root 18 CrossFit The BEST HOUR of each persons day.

Most members call it their second home. They enjoy providing a fun training atmosphere and helping their athletes discover they can do far more than they ever thought possible.

Carlin started his CrossFit career in the Summer of 2012, but he’s always been a high level athlete with a love for sports. A local Medina High School grad, Carlin played soccer for the Bees. He then went on to play soccer collegiately at Baldwin Wallace University and graduated in 2012. Shortly after Root 18 began.

Erin a graduate of Perry High School where she was an elite gymnast and diver. She went to college at Baldwin Wallace University and graduated with a Bachelors in Nursing. She worked on a Neuro floor and Labor and Delivery for 3 years. This past year she quit the hospital and started her own nutrition consulting service, Body by EV, and started working full time at the gym. Starting her CrossFit career in 2012 she has accomplished many achievements in the sport of CrossFit. She qualified for the Central Regionals on a team in 2017, Individual in 2018, won the Italian Showdown Sanctionals in 2019 and earned her ticket to the 2019 CrossFit Games to compete with the best of the best.

Together they have comprised a great team from many different fitness backgrounds who were brought together by the joy of helping others and the sport of fitness. Root 18 is more than just a gym, we are Family.

our coaches

Carlin Vandendriessche

CrossFit Level 1
CrossFit Level 2

Born: 1990
Hometown: Medina, Ohio
Education: B.A. Baldwin Wallace College 2012
Athletic Background: Played soccer at Baldwin Wallace
Began CrossFit: early 2012
Began Coaching: late 2012
Coaching Goals: To help achieve the health and fitness goals of every person who walks through the door.
Favorite WOD: Karen
Least Favorite WOD: 14.5 – 21/18/15/12/9/6/3 of thrusters and burpees
Favorite Coaching Cue: “Chest up, tight back!”

Michelle Bunn

CrossFit Level 1 Coach
Born: 1969
Hometown: Euclid, Ohio
Education: B.A. Theater 1991 Bowling Green State University
Athletic Background: Soccer, Softball, Running
Began CrossFit: 2013
Began Coaching: late 2015
Coaching Goals: To help people learn that they are capable of so much more than they think! I love coaching new people! Such a joy to see someone achieve their fitness goals!
Favorite WOD: Annie or anything with HSPU 🙂
Least Favorite WOD: Fran
Favorite Coaching Cue: “Core to Extremity” use the power in your core and shoot it out to the extremities.

John Volcansek

CrossFit Level 1 Coach
Born: 1987
Hometown: Medina, Ohio
Education: B.A. University of Akron 2009
Athletic Background: University of Akron Basketball
Began CrossFit: Late 2012
Began Coaching: 2013
Favorite WOD: Grace
Least Favorite WOD: Anything with running

Sophia Sgobbo

CrossFit Level 1
Born: 8/11/1993
Hometown: Parma, Ohio
Education: Cardiovascular Technician, Pre Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Athletic Background: None
Began CrossFit: 2017
Began Coaching: 2019
Coaching Goals: Giving people an opportunity to show themselves they are capable of more than they know, and lead them to a healthy and active lifestyle.
Favorite WOD: 17.1
Least Favorite WOD: 18.5

Joe Shafer

CrossFit Level 1
Born: 1989
Hometown: Medina, Ohio
Education: B.A. Muskingum 2011
Athletic Background: Played Football at Muskingum University Began
CrossFit: Late 2012 Began
Coaching: 2013
Coaching Goals: To help people improve everyday.
Favorite WOD: Nancy Least
Favorite WOD: Fran
Favorite Coaching Cue: “Started from the bottom….Now we’re here”, “Squeeze the cheeks”
Trey Vaughan

Trey Vaughan

CrossFit Level 1
Born: 4/26/1992
Hometown: Uniontown, Ohio
Education: Business management at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University
Athletic Background: Played football, basketball and ran track in high school. 4 years of college basketball.
Began CrossFit: 2016 at crossfit 1808 in college and received my L-1 after a year of crossfit then received my L-2 in my 3rd year.
Coaching Goals: Help our members have the best hour of their day, while taking steps toward their fitness goals and a happy, healthy lifestyle.
Favorite WOD: Amanda
Least Favorite WOD: DT