Meet Our Coaches
Kim Smith
​Certifications: CrossFit Level 1 & Level 2, CrossFit Kids, Olympic Weightlifting, ACSM Personal Trainer, TRX
Coach at FFW Since: 2013
​
Kim—fondly known as Coach Kim—is one of our founding coaches. Her passion for fitness began after watching a grandparent face significant health challenges related to inactivity and poor nutrition. Motivated to take charge of her own health, she committed to regular training, and as she grew stronger, fitter, and healthier, others took notice. Their interest inspired her to pursue formal education in fitness, earning her first training certification in 2009 and continuing to grow her knowledge and expertise ever since.
Kim’s dedication to helping athletes improve their strength and performance has played a key role in expanding our gym’s reach, including building partnerships with IU East College and Richmond High School athletics.
She has a special talent for connecting with younger athletes and is a regular coach for our kids’ classes. Kim firmly believes that age should never limit someone’s ability to pursue fitness—and that it’s never too early or too late to begin your journey.
​Kate Schamel
Certifications: CrossFit Level 1, Olympic Weightlifting, TRX, Mad Dogg Spinning, Powerhouse Pilates, BodyPump, BodyCombat, RPM Cycling
Coach at FFW Since: 2013
​​​
One of our founding coaches, Kate grew up on a family farm south of Chicago and attended Manteno High School, where she was an active athlete in volleyball, track, and cheerleading, as well as a member of show choir and performing arts. She went on to attend Olivet Nazarene University, where she continued her volleyball career.
Kate’s renewed passion for fitness began in 2001 when she became a Spinning, water aerobics, and Les Mills Body Pump instructor at Health Connection.
As a mom of four, Kate believes strongly in setting a positive example of health and wellness for her children—something that’s clear in how active she remains within the fitness community. In addition to coaching classes, she leads our specialty OCR class inspired by Spartan Race, teaches a Spinning class at our main gym, and works with a dedicated roster of personal training clients.
​​Steve Hornak
Certifications: CrossFit Level 1, CrossFit Level 2, CrossFit Level 3 Certified
Coach at FFW Since: 2015
Steve has always been active in sports, playing soccer, baseball, and basketball at Seton High School. He went on to coach the local high school baseball team while attending Earlham College, where he also played Division III baseball. He graduated in 2014 with a degree in biochemistry and is now a full-time science teacher. Steve joined the FFW staff in 2015 and has been an integral part of our community ever since.
Steve enjoys Olympic lifting, CrossFit, and bodybuilding-style training just as much as he enjoys coaching others through those workouts. He values the opportunity to connect 1:1 with athletes—focusing on proper mechanics, refining form, motivating individuals to push their limits, and ensuring everyone gets the most out of each session.
For Steve, the gym is truly a family affair—you can often find his wife, Steph, and their three kids around the gym, usually having a great time (and occasionally causing a bit of a ruckus).
Jeff Horton​​
Certifications: CrossFit Level 1
Coach at FFW Since: 2017
Jeff has been an athlete for practically his entire life. He attended Valparaiso University, where he earned his master’s degree while playing football. During his college career, he was named an All-American and was later inducted into the university’s Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
After college, Jeff realized that if he couldn’t continue being an athlete full-time, he could do the next best thing—train like one and coach others along the way. He has a unique ability to connect with athletes, offering cues tailored to their individual needs and constantly encouraging them to step outside their comfort zones.
You can usually find Jeff, his wonderful wife, or one of their three energetic kids around the gym. Outside of FFW, Jeff is a full-time teacher, a part-time football coach, and an avid snowboarder during the winter months.
Thomas Wuertemberger
Certifications: CrossFit Level 1 & Level 2, Olympic Weightlifting L1, Husband of the Year Award
Coach at FFW Since: 2021
Thomas was born and raised in Richmond. He attended Richmond High School, where he was a state-qualifying swimmer for three of his four high school years and also played soccer. He now serves as an Assistant Swim Coach for the high school. Fun fact: Thomas likely would have swum in college—until he discovered he’s actually allergic to chlorine (the burns-holes-in-his-lungs kind of allergic), so coaching became the better option.
A fourth-generation farmer, Thomas plans to take over his family’s farm, so staying active is simply part of his lifestyle. He joined FFW in 2016 after returning home from Purdue University and started coaching a few years later.
Even though Thomas coaches during the limited downtime he gets from farm life, his energy is felt year-round. He brings a consistently positive attitude, loves working with athletes of all levels, and is always encouraging everyone to become the best version of themselves.
In the rare free time he does have, Thomas enjoys woodworking, snowboarding, hiking, welding, and spending time with his wife and daughters.
​​Angie Wuertemberger
Certifications: CrossFit Level 1 & Level 2, Olympic Weightlifting L1, TRX, Silver Sneakers, Water Aerobics, CrossFit Nutrition, ACSM Personal Trainer
Coach at FFW Since: 2020
Angie is a Colorado native who moved to Zionsville at age 12 and later settled in Richmond in 2019 to be with her husband, Thomas. She has been involved in sports from a young age, playing volleyball and softball in high school before transitioning into a support role as a Student Athletic Trainer. She attended Purdue University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and shifted her focus from caring for injured athletes to training the general population. She earned her personal training certification in 2015 and has coached at various locations, finally making FFW her home in 2020.
Angie later returned to school to become a Registered Nurse and now works full-time as a post-surgical nurse at Reid Health. With experience working with individuals across a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and health needs, she prides herself on her ability to truly connect with each athlete and support them in reaching their goals.
For Angie, the gym is a full family affair—her husband is also a trainer, and their daughters (affectionately known as the gym’s “honorary mascots”) and they wouldn't have it any other way
Steve Rankin
Certifications: CrossFit Level 1, Precision Nutrition Level 1
Coach at FFW Since: 2022
Steve has been an active member of the gym since we first opened. After coaching at our main gym beginning in 2018, he officially joined the FFW coaching team in 2022 and now works alongside Kate to lead our specialty OCR class inspired by Spartan Race.
While Steve had always been intermittently active, he never had a routine he consistently followed. After turning 40—and finding himself 50 pounds overweight with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and a family history of significant health concerns—he felt a strong motivation to change his life. Shifting his mindset to view fitness as a long-term lifestyle rather than a short-term fix is what solidified his commitment to improving his overall health and wellness.
That transformation sparked a desire to help others on their own journeys. Steve continues to challenge himself physically and mentally through functional fitness and strength training, ensuring he maintains a healthy, active lifestyle. His dedication to continual learning and growth fuels his passion for coaching, supporting athletes in becoming the healthiest version of themselves.
Diego Cedeno​​
Certifications: CrossFit Level 1
Coach at FFW Since: 2024
Diego is our resident bilingual instructor, originally from Guayaquil, where he grew up working on his family’s cocoa bean and Criollo chicken farm. He has lived in the U.S. for the past 16 years with his wife and two children. When he realized his health was slipping, he began running to lose unwanted weight—an effort that eventually led him to discover functional fitness at a local CrossFit gym in Ashland, where he quickly fell in love with the training style.
After relocating to Richmond, Diego found FFW and immediately became part of the community. With a long-standing passion for nutrition and fitness, Diego is as dedicated to his own health as he is to helping others pursue theirs. He especially thrives with gymnastics and kettlebell work in class.
In his free time, Diego enjoys fly fishing and spending quality time with his family.