CrossFit Solaria

Owner and Coach Greg Petersen has been CrossFitting for nearly a decade and is Functional Movement Screen certified. He loves seeing people accomplish things they never thought possible, while accomplishing their goals.

Though he didn't play any sports in high school or college, he trained in Tae-Kwon-Do for 15 years and is a 3rd degree black belt. He started CrossFit in 2008, and became a Level 1 trainer a few years later. He took the leap toward opening CrossFit Solaria two years ago and hasn’t looked back since.

Regina Petersen has been CrossFitting for seven years, and as a mobility coach loves seeing people push themselves to try a new skill or get a new PR. "Seeing them complete a weight or workout that they thought they couldn't do is something I really enjoy," she says.

Regina has been active in martial arts for 24 years and is a 3rd degree black belt. "I’ve been a martial arts instructor for 20 years," she says. She also teaches martial arts to youth and adults at Montclair Community Center. What brought her to CrossFit? "I started CrossFit with my family and really liked it," she says. "I got my level 1 certification in January 2015 when Crossfit Solaria first opened."

Her favorite quote is: "Strong people are harder to kill than weak people, and more useful in general." - Mark Rippetoe

Coach Tony Gargano focuses on high school strength and conditioning and powerlifting, and is passionate about training high school athletes. Helping them learn is the best part of the job. “CrossFit covers a wide range of skills and movements, so it’s rare to have someone walk through the door for the first time and have everything mastered already,” he says. “As a coach, I love the challenge of finding that cue or progression that can help someone figure out a certain movement. Some skills can take months or even years to get down and when a member finally has that ‘aha’ moment it’s extremely rewarding to see.”

Tony’s path to CrossFit coaching began when the owner of another CrossFit gym encouraged him to do weightlifting at his box. He became a personal trainer and used many of the CrossFit methods in his programming. “I was also an instructor in kettlebell classes at our gym, so when we added CrossFit, that’s when I formally did my level I certification to become a CrossFit coach.”

Back in high school, Tony was not your typical ‘gym rat’ and felt he had a lot of untapped potential. “Basketball was my main sport, and I put in the bare minimum of work in the offseason and thus struggled during the season,” he says. “My senior year, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and hit the weight room. I also joined the cross-country team in the fall before basketball season. That year was by far the best season I had ever played in my life! I look back and really regret not stepping up my training sooner.” Since then, he has made the barbell his life and strives to help younger athletic generations learn from his mistakes, while guiding them to reach their athletic potential.

Mark Snow has been working with kettlebells since 2007, and specializes in movement pattern restoration and barbell/kettlebell training. He’s passionate about life—and seeing others succeed. He enjoys the experience of meeting with and getting to know all of our members here at CrossFit Solaria, especially since we have so many unique personalities in our community.

Mark was a three-sport athlete in high school and played football at Midland Lutheran College. He started in kettlebells a decade ago when he was looking for something challenging but success-driven.

Married to Coach Nikki, with whom he has sons Kaden, Drew, and Cam, Mark’s favorite quote is: "If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes."
- John Wooden

Eric Payne is our Group and Personal Trainer and specializes in kettlebell training. He is passionate about helping people reach their fitness goals, and loves the high level of personal interaction we’re known for providing. He lives by the motto: "Expect nothing, but appreciate everything."

Eric’s athletic background includes football, basketball, track and bodybuilding. In the CrossFit world, he started off with kettlebell training but "didn't think that kettlebells were ALL that," he admits. "Soon, though, I was so addicted that I wanted to teach this kettlebell stuff to others, so I became an SFG instructor." Eric also has a passion for the youth—teaching them about getting stronger to help them in later life as well as for their respective sports—and coaches youth basketball teams.

Sherri Wahl is another kettlebell form specialist who enjoys the benefits of good health and helping others reach goals. She most loves inspiring dedication in our members while they embark on their CrossFit journey together. "The passion our members have to get better is what I love most," she says.

Sherri was athletic in grade and high school, earning a four-year high school letter in volleyball, three-year high school letter in track, and two-year high school letter in basketball. Her own CrossFit path began when her massage therapist recommended that she join kettlebell due to hip and lower back issues that she had. Her favorite quote: "The difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting." - Walt Disney

Coach Drake Stachler specializes in weight and competition training, in addition to Olympic weightlifting—and is passionate about fitness and nutrition. He loves being able to connect with our members and help them reach their goals. "I enjoy helping people. If you ever have any questions, I would be happy to help, whatever your goals may be," he says.

Drake was a D3 collegiate athlete in both football and track, and played just about every sport growing up. He won his first local Strongman competition and qualified for the national competition, and had been training with Nick Scott for a year when he and fellow teammates said he would make a good coach. "I got my Level 1 for CF mostly as a personal quest without thinking of using it to coach," he says. "Greg was looking for a coach and here I am."

Drake’s favorite quote comes from the great philosopher, Aristotle: "Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit."