Featured Athlete – Bradd McClelland

Bradd Before
Bradd After

My Name is Bradd McClelland. I work for Union Pacific Railroad in the signal department. I played football in high school and power lifted. I have always been a big guy. I have struggled with weight my entire life. It seemed like no matter how hard I worked or what I was doing I never noticed a change for the better.

After graduating in 2003 at 301 LBS I didn’t set foot in a gym for a while. When I got hired at Union Pacific I was sent to work in Houston and lived in a hotel. Since I didn’t know anyone and didn’t have anything else to do I worked out consistently 4 or 5 days a week for a solid 8 months. I never noticed any significant change in my physical appearance. When I got moved back to Beaumont I started working nights. So my routine became sleeping most of the day working at night and eating whatever I could get to. I started noticing a considerable weight increase. I was appalled but still had no motivation. I can remember saying “when I get to 320 LBS I will start doing something.” Well 320 came along. Guess who didn’t do anything. Then I would say “when I get to 330.” Finally I got on the scale at 347 LBS! I was disgusted but still no clue what to do.

Coach Stephen had been telling me about Neal starting a CrossFit in Beaumont and having free workouts in the park. But to be completely honest I was scared to death! I was so out of shape and hadn’t done anything like that for years. I already had some knowledge of CrossFit from a good friend of mine D.J. that was a drill instructor in the Marines. I kept making excuses when I talked to Stephen. Then my friend Kasidi went to a Saturday work out in April and came back to tell me how awesome it was and that I needed to try it. I knew it was time to do something so might as well start there. I already had friends involved so why not?

The following Tuesday I went. I’m a typical competitive male and wanted to do the workout like it was prescribed. I was really nervous about being ridiculed by other people in there because I was so out of shape. When I walked through the door I noticed a sign that said “check your ego at the door.” When I read that It made me feel a lot better. I don’t remember the workout exactly but it involved air squats and kettle bell swings I was instantly hooked! I loved it, everything about it from the atmosphere to the music being blasted through the speakers. I knew that I would be back. I woke up the next morning and felt like I had been hit by a freight train. But I didn’t let it discourage me. I think it did the exact opposite. It took me a full week to recover.

I listened to the nutrition talk from Neal and I thought I love meat, vegetables and fruit I knew I could do it. Within my first month of the Paleo life style I lost 35 LBS. I was amazed! People were telling me how much weight I had lost and how good I looked. I couldn’t believe it! Those compliments made me want to work even harder. Since joining on April 22nd I have lost a total of 70 LBS. Over all I am more fit that I have ever been at any time in my life. I owe it exclusively to CrossFit and the Paleo lifestyle. When I came into the gym I couldn’t run 400 meters without needing a water break. Now I can run a mile and then do a work out. I love being healthy and telling people how I have done it. Nothing better than seeing someone that I haven’t seen in a long time and them being like “WOW what have you been doing?”

One of the best things about CrossFit is the people. I have made some great friends and met some really cool people that I would never have met. Also the workouts are all scalable to anyone fitness ability. I fully believe that anyone can do it. I hope to be inspirations to people that were in my shoes. I still have a long way to go to be where I want to be. But I will strive to become a better athlete every day of my life and I can’t wait to see where I will be in the next 6 months. I want to thank CrossFit Beaumont and all the staff for giving me the tools that I need to make me a healthier person. I couldn’t have done it without y’all and look forward to a life time of this sport.

19 thoughts on “Featured Athlete – Bradd McClelland”

  1. I am Bradd’s mom and I am sovery proud of him & his accomplishmmets! He has worked so hard to get to where he his! Way to go Bradd, I love you babe! You look awesome.

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Wade Aran

COACH

My name is Wade and I’ve been part of the CFB family for close to 3 years now. I’m happy to say that I’m the newest addition to the CFB coaching staff! Whether you’re a well rounded athlete or a complete novice, the coaching at CFB will push you down that pipeline to become a better athlete and also a better version of yourself. I’ve also found that being in the CF environment, there’s no better place to make new friends with the same mindset and goals. So come get fit, make some friends and let’s achieve our goals together!

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Justin Moffatt

COACH

From a young age, sports have been a central part of my life, with football and golf being my main passions. I played football for 19 years, finishing up my career at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. I am currently stationed at my second Coast Guard unit in Port Arthur and joined CrossFit Beaumont upon arriving here in the fall of 2023.

In early 2023, a severe knee injury left my body at its weakest. I spent months in physical therapy, working hard to regain the ability to walk. Moving to Texas, I was determined to join a gym that emphasized community, camaraderie, and functional fitness applicable to everyday life. That’s exactly what I found at CrossFit Beaumont.

Less than a year into my CrossFit journey, my knee has fully recovered. I feel stronger, more flexible, and healthier than ever before. As an avid golfer, I’ve noticed significant improvements in my mobility and performance on the course thanks to CrossFit.

CrossFit has inspired me to learn the methods behind it so that I can be fully equipped to lead and inspire others on their own fitness journeys. What we do here works; I’ve seen it firsthand, and the results are evident all around the gym. I hope to do the same for you!

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Yohannes Taddesse

COACH

Honestly, when I first joined CrossFit Beaumont back in July of 2021, I was in a weird place both mentally and physically. To get out of the rut, I tried other gyms, and I couldn’t find myself driven enough to go past three months or so. But when I tried that first class with CrossFit Beaumont, I knew immediately that I would be coming back. In fact, I signed up that very day. Though I had played soccer all my life and I was participating in the occasional 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons, I left that first class realizing how out of shape I really was. I was excited to come back and face the challenge. I recently learned that fitness is health and wellness throughout lifetime and by that definition, my journey is not complete. However, I have been here two years now and I am the healthiest that I have ever been. I am in a good place both mentally and physically. And as a plus, in sharing the challenge of the class with others, I made some of my best friends. I can never give enough appreciation to the coaches and the members that guided and cheered me through all of it . . . There just aren’t enough words. But I am now part of the coaching staff and it’s exciting for me to be able to share and help guide others through the fitness journey that I went and still am going through.

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Sophie Hurley

COACH

Staying active has always been part of my life. I played sports growing up and I have been a dancer my entire life. In college I was searching for the next step in my health and fitness journey, not sure of where to go to achieve my goals. I stumbled upon CrossFit Beaumont and never looked back. The constant variation kept me interested and allowed me to do things I love as well as improving weaknesses. I am a dance instructor and I have a passion for sharing an active lifestyle with others. I am so grateful for the relationships I have developed within this community. Becoming a coach has been a dream come true and I am proud to be on the CFB team. There is nothing quite like the environment of CrossFit Beaumont and the opportunities I have to improve myself and cheer on those around me.

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CrossFit Level 1 (CF-L1)

Sean Bebeau

COACH

” Growing up, I was always on the move. I loved playing baseball, basketball, and football with friends. I loved the comradery we built over years of continuously rooting each other on. I especially loved the competition that forced us all to grow and improve. As I have begun my journey to becoming a coach at CrossFit Beaumont, I’ve realized the reasons I enjoy CrossFit so much are the very same reasons I loved athletics in my younger years. I’ve formed amazing friendships with the people I see in class every day. There is an awesome sense of competition that pushes me to do my absolute best in each workout. The benefits of the CrossFit methodology are great, but what makes CrossFit special is its unparalleled culture. I’m proud to be a part of the unbelievable team at CFB. I’ve seen the dedication and care that our coaches pour into their classes and athletes first hand. It is my goal to do the same for each person I get the opportunity to coach. “

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CrossFit Level 1 (CF-L1)

Javob Yentzen

COACH

I started at CFB almost 8 months ago. I will say JJ thoroughly disappointed me in promoting the atmosphere and the fun in suffering I have experienced. At least Neal would tell me to try it out from time to time. I am husband to Heather of 9 wonderful years, and father of crazy, wild, and awesome kiddos Bryson (3) and Bailey (5). Through the years since college, I really have just got into that sedentary life style that I always knew I needed to get out of. I needed it for my mental health as much as for my physical health. I have always done a month here and a couple months there at these globo gyms in town, just to never hang on and not find anything that got my competitive juices going. I have found that in life you will always find time for things that you enjoy and things that are important to you. And these gyms were never anything I enjoyed or became a priority. I now look at my schedule every week and see what classes I can make because CFB checks those enjoyment and important boxes. Since joining CFB, the fellowship and encouragement from members/coaches (now many friends) have been things that stuck out to me. Always someone there encouraging when you feel like you don’t have that last rep or those last 10 calories on those horrible assault bikes. Oh and I’ve also never been this fit in my life and look forward to the progress I know is still in front of me. Thank you to all friends and coaches! Can’t wait to get another pair of shoes……….

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CF-L1 Trainer

JUSTIN GIBBONS

COACH

I’ve been around sports my entire life. I played the big three growing up: baseball, basketball, and football and I continued to play baseball into college for five (5) years. I’ve seen and met all types of coaches and I’ve learned many lessons from them all. Coaching and teaching have always been passions of mine. Helping others set goals, seeing their journey, and helping them achieve those goals is something that really drives me. Crossfit has let me continue these competitive and coaching passions on a daily basis. We have great coaches at CFB that bring their own flair and styles which let myself and members gain a wealth of knowledge to continue to set and achieve goals.

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CrossFit Level 1 (CF-L1)

SAMANTHA BRIGGS

COACH

I have always been an athlete, from swimming, volleyball, basketball, softball and powerlifting, but college changed a lot of that for me. As I moved to Beaumont in 2014, I started getting into a little routine at a local gym, but it wasn’t feeding my need, just checking off a task on the to-do list. I hadn’t touched a barbell in what seemed like ages and lost sight of my self-confidence. All of that changed when I came to Crossfit Beaumont. It’s funny, reminiscing about that first day you walked in, those feelings and that slight anxiety, but it changed my life. The workouts were like nothing I’ve been through before, the motivation from other athletes, who were complete strangers then, was a new concept all together and the fact that we were doing it all together really changed the dynamic of working out for me.

Since joining, I have become a Crossfit Level 1 Coach, a Certified Personal Trainer and a USAWeightlifting Coach. I have crushed goals and made new ones, I’ve learned to set my pride and ego aside and become coachable and I wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without the people I surround myself with at our gym. The passion, dedication and fun put into what we do here takes ‘just working out’ to a whole new level and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

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CrossFit Level 1 Certification

EMILY GIBBONS

COACH

Growing up I always wanted to be a ballerina! I stayed active in dance and in swimming throughout the years. In 2012 post college I needed some structure in my workouts and habits. Oh my did I fall hard for Crossfit! Since joining Crossfit I have found a balance with my workouts and nutrition that I desired. As a coach, I love bringing other people into the wonderful community we have here at CFB.

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CrossFit Level 2 (CF-L2)

NEAL RILEY

HEAD COACH

CrossFit Olympic Weightlifting Coach I have always had a passion for sports and fitness and love to compete no matter what. I thought myself in pretty good shape until trying my first CrossFit workout, Fight Gone Bad. Afterwards I was left on the floor unable to move wondering what the hell had just happened to me. I was hooked. Since starting I’ve gotten stronger, faster, and gained more endurance than I thought possible. CrossFit Beaumont is my dream come true of bringing a new level of training to everyone willing to put in the blood, sweat, and tears to attain elite fitness.CrossFit Olympic Weightlifting Coach I have always had a passion for sports and fitness and love to compete no matter what. I thought myself in pretty good shape until trying my first CrossFit workout, Fight Gone Bad. Afterwards I was left on the floor unable to move wondering what the hell had just happened to me. I was hooked. Since starting I’ve gotten stronger, faster, and gained more endurance than I thought possible. CrossFit Beaumont is my dream come true of bringing a new level of training to everyone willing to put in the blood, sweat, and tears to attain elite fitness.

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CrossFit Level 1 Instructor
USA Weightlifting Club Coach
CrossFit Gymnastics Coach
CrossFit Running & Endurance Coach

ERICA FAUST

Owner/Head Coach

My whole life I’ve been involved with cheerleading, gymnastics, track, the whole nine yards; so when I stepped into my first CrossFit class as a collegiate cheerleader in January 2011 I was expecting it to be just another day at the gym and no big deal. Wow, was I mistaken! The first fifteen minutes of class I was sweating more and working harder than I ever had in a gym. I knew that I had found my new sport, CrossFit. The more I came the stronger I got, the faster I moved the more I was hooked. I love that the hard work we put in constantly reaps results and that no matter what you’re doing there’s someone there pushing you or dying along side with you. Training others has been the biggest blessing and I love seeing our community at CrossFit Beaumont thrive!

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CrossFit Level 2 (CF-L2)
B.S. Nutrition & Dietetics

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