Meet the HG Athletics team

As dedicated parents to three busy children, Aaron and Susan bring a family-oriented and community based approach to HG Athletics. Through their personal wellness journey, they realized their passion for sharing the importance of fitness and an active lifestyle, which they believe are essential pieces of living a well rounded and healthy life. As active professionals and members of the Glen Ellyn community (Susan teaches preschool locally and serves on the library board and Aaron works for a tech startup company) their mission is to empower and inspire not only their own family, but also the wider Glen Ellyn community. When not at HG, they can be found sailing in Chicago, riding bikes with their kids or running around with their dog.

Jeff is a certified strength and conditioning coach with HG Athletics since 2016.

Before joining HG Athletics, Jeff worked at a physical therapy clinic during his undergrad, where he developed a deep understanding of injury prevention, rehabilitation, and optimizing performance.

After working with high level athletes in this setting, Jeff decided to pursue a career as a strength and conditioning coach. His extensive knowledge and empathetic approach, allows him to create tailored training programs for everyone’s specific needs and goals.

Whether you’re an athlete looking to improve your performance, or an individual seeking to improve their overall well-being, Jeff can help guide and support you on your journey.

When Jeff isn’t training clients, he enjoys his time watching movies, going to sporting events, or hanging out with his wife and two dogs.

Education:

BS Kinesiology: UIC ‘15

MS Applied Exercise Science: CUC ‘23

Certifications:

NSCA – CPT, CSCS; USAW-1; CFSC-1; PN-1; NASM – PES, CES; DBC L1; APCC

Specializations:

• Strength and Conditioning / Elite Sports Performance – Middle School, High School, and Collegiate Athletes
• Adult Fitness – Personal and Group Training
• Health and Lifestyle Enhancement

Education: BS in Exercise Science from Illinois State in 2017

Experience: Jake has trained athletes from every level (Youth, HS, College, Professional) at 3 different performance facilities with one of them being the highly accredited EXOS in Dallas, TX. Jake has been working and training here at HG since 2017.

Certifications/Specializations: Exercise Science Degree, XPS, DBC-L1, Sports Performance Specialist

Tyler is a Wheaton native who joined the HG Athletics community in 2019.  Tyler has a tennis background and was a top ranked junior tennis player.  Tyler finished 4^th in the IHSA state tennis tournament his senior year of high school, and was ranked in the USTA Junior division in the top 10 in the Midwest, Top 20 in the country and top 100 in the world.  Tyler also competed as a collegiate Division I tennis player.  Tyler found CrossFit in 2015 and fell in love with it instantly.  He enjoys the constantly varied programming of CrossFit that keeps the workouts fun and enjoyable.  Tyler has competed in numerous CrossFit competitions and Strongman competitions throughout the years.  Tyler obtained his CrossFit Level I Certification in 2020 and has been coaching at Hard Gainers Athletics ever since.  The HGA Community is his favorite part of the gym and he enjoys helping others reach their fitness goals and sharing his knowledge with the community.

Certifications: CrossFit Level 1

Kelly Reese joined HG as a client in 2021 and has since enjoyed learning the ropes of cross training. Although she had a background in sports and ran regularly prior to joining, weight training was a new challenge to her. For perspective, upon starting classes Kelly could barely do a push-up and was unable to do a pull-up. Today she is working toward goals like accomplishing muscle-ups and handstand movements, which shows that progress is possible! In stepping into the role of “Client Success Manager” she hopes to assist new and existing clients in working toward their goals and finding support in our community.

Spencer started CrossFit in 2020 and fell in love with the community, variety of movements, and learning new skills. He became a coach to share my experiences on what has helped me learn skills and develop as an athlete. He loves being apart of a community that challenges its members to be successful in and out of the gym and embrace everything during that journey.

Certifications: CrossFit Level 1

Juan Paolo is a fun and professional expert in sports, strength and conditioning, and fitness, with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Sports from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. He is also certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and an EXOS Performance Specialist. Currently studying to become a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist under the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Juan Paolo has a genuine passion for training and helping athletes and individuals reach their goals. With his dynamic and enthusiastic approach, he inspires and guides clients to surpass their limits and achieve their athletic aspirations.
Juan Paolo’s dedication to professional growth, combined with his love for training, continues to make a positive impact in the field of sports and fitness.”