Meet the Team
Anthony Campo
Head Coach
(714) 653-2212
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Certifications: CrossFit Level 1, Coach Prep Course Participant, Level 2 Participant, Oylimpic Lifting, Endurance, Kids, International Sports Science Association-Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine-CPT, Apex -CPT, Special Population Continuing Education Units, and a Bachelor’s Degree from Chapman University in Leadership and Organizational Studies Anthony Campo grew up in Huntington Beach, California and has lived here most of his life.He attended Mater Dei High School where he played football.
At Mater Dei, the students were taught excellence on the field and off the field and were consistently surrounded by the best and brightest youth in Southern California. In the off-seasons, Olympic Coach Steve McNair led running clinics and the coaching staff held weightlifting sessions, strength and conditioning programs that included sprint training. He learned about Olympic and power lifting. They participated in daily push up and sit up sessions that were brutal, grimy, and battle worthy.
The times in the weight room are reminiscent of what is accomplished at CrossFit Surf City. Post high school Anthony attended Orange Coast College where he continued to play football. He had the opportunity to be coached by Jr. Tagaloa. He gave Anthony a new perspective of how to play the game and how to train. While playing for OCC, he became stronger, faster and an overall better athlete. It is during this time his passion for human performance and strength evolved. He began this path by obtaining his International Sports Science Association Certified Personal Training certification and began to work at 24 hour Fitness. After football, he moved on to rugby where he met someone who introduced him to CrossFit. There he dabbled for a few years in the CrossFit philosophy.
He then made the decision to continue hardcore and evaluate what two months of solid CrossFit could do for his performance on the rugby field. After those two months he went back to playing rugby and was astonished that could run faster, was more agile, and his endurance was at a place it had never been before. He was hooked and soon realized the direction in which to take his career. He had always been curious about human performance; questioning how to get someone to run faster, jump higher and become a better athlete. CrossFit Surf City began over 2 1/2 years ago in a garage gym they endearingly termed the Compound. The Compound was just over half of an acre located in North Huntington Beach. It fielded a house, a detached garage, and a massive open area with a tennis and basketball court. Anthony cleaned out the garage, bought some bumper plates, a couple of weightlifting bars, med balls, and installed a pull bar that hung from the rafters.
In the beginning first it was just his friends, but soon enough more people started to come. As they did, he bought more equipment, put up 3 more pull up bars, and expanded the class schedule. After the welcome was worn with the surrounding neighbors, it was time to leave. In June of 2010, after months of searching for a place, CrossFit Surf City moved into the current location in Huntington Beach. Anthony and his coaching team have worked hard to bring out their personality and the ambiance of Surf City giving their athletes the best workout and training experience possible.
Melissa Popovich
Coach
(714) 837-6793
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Melissa Popovich is originally from Medina, Ohio. She was introduced to CrossFit in 2007 by one of Surf City’s original members Nick Bartsch, a friend and rugby teammate of Anthony’s. He relentlessly nagged Melissa about trying the program for about three months before she finally conceded to his persistence. She currently has her CrossFit Level 1 and Nutrition certifications.
Melissa was a gymnast for 18 years. She was a member of the Bowling Green State University Gymnastic Team for 4 years. Since those days are no longer, she finds herself loving CrossFit as means of a competitive and team oriented replacement. She believes CrossFit offers the mechanics and functions of the body that she learned from gymnastics; it is the most similar activity to the sport that she grew up training for. Melissa is also the designer and owner of Popovich Purses (www.popovichpurses.com). All of her purses are handmade and are a creative outlet that she pursues when not coaching.
Jason Grow
CrossFit Endurance Coach
(714) 615-2498
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Jason Grow was raised in Rhode Island. He began CrossFit in April of 2008 with Anthony at the Sugar Avenue gym. He had gained knowledge of the CrossFit philosophy from working with a physical therapist. Since then, Jason has achieved his Level 1, Endurance, and SMR certifications. CrossFit is a major aspect of his life with respect to his personal goals and passion for helping people achieve their own fitness goals.
Jason grew up playing soccer 7 days a week, running Cross Country and Track. Now he spends much of his non-CrossFit time mountain biking, snowboarding, hiking, and any other new activity that he can find. His favorite CrossFit WOD is Helen and the Filthy Fifty. He enjoys every movement of CrossFit, not having one as his favorite… “they all hurt, they all feel good, they are all my favorite”!
His goals are:
- To begin competing in triathlon and adventure racing events regularly
- Develop an outstanding Endurance Program at CrossFit Surf City so the athletes will have the opportunity to expand their training regime
- To Climb Mt. Whitney and Mt. Shasta by the end of 2011
Nick Del Boccio
Endurance Coach
(714) 642-4742
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Nick Del Boccio hails from Pleasanton, California and has been involved with athletics all of his life. He attended the University of Nevada in Reno and received a BS in Civil Engineering before relocating to Huntington Beach.
Nick began training at CrossFit Surf City in November of 2008 to increase his strength in preparation for the fire academy. He has a background in endurance sports and has competed in multiple sprint triathlons as well as the Desert Winds 12-hr adventure race.
In his spare time, Nick participates in a variety of physical activities including surfing, mountain biking, soccer, wakeboarding, and snowboarding. His favorite workouts are anything that involves rowing and pull ups. He has his Crossfit Level 1 Certification, EMT-Basic Certification and is CPR certified.
Megan Simmons
Office Manager
(714) 402-9195
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Megan Simmons was raised in Huntington Beach and has lived there most of her life.
She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science from CSULB.
She has always been interested in finding new ways to workout and one day a friend introduced her to CrossFit. She tried it out and loved it. A year later, another friend introduced Megan to CrossFit Surf City.
Her favorite workouts are anything that include Olympic style lifts or rowing.
