our mission
The mission of Rugged Athlete LLC is to lead from the front in facilitating a new era of human performance in wildland firefighting
Rugged Athlete’s Founder: Austin Womack
My Story -
After 5+ years of being a professional strength and conditioning coach, including 2 seasons of coaching in professional baseball, I became a wildland firefighter in 2019. Going from S&C to wildland was an absolute shock for me in terms of the limited resources wildland firefighters had access to related to physical health and training.
In my first season I was able to immediately experience first hand all the ways my background and experience in strength and conditioning helped me on the fireline. I was also able to help a ton of guys on my crew with their fitness and injury prevention.
I knew with my education and passion for coaching that I could be a valuable resource for more than just guys on my crew, so Rugged Athlete LLC was born to be the go-to resource to help wildland firefighters all over the country.
Education
- BS Kinesiology - Hendrix College (4 year member of baseball team)
- MS Exercise Science - Pittsburg State University
Certifications
- Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) - NSCA
- Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator (TSAC-F) - NSCA
- CrossFit Level 1
- Functional Range Conditioning (FRC)
meet the rest of our coaching staff
justin demoss
Strength and conditioning specialist
Justin is a public servant and a human performance practitioner. After conducting research to assess predictors of occupational readiness for hotshots, he decided to gain firsthand experience with the Golden Eagles IHC where he currently serves. He also serves as the Director of Operations at Hotshot Wellness, a 501c3 non-profit organization that aims to provide wildland firefighters with preventative support and personal development opportunities.
Justin aim’s to dedicate his life to helping public servants achieve their health and performance goals. Justin is eager to work with the “boots on the ground” and equip them with the tools and strategies to become a more resilient and effective workforce.
Education
- BS Exercise Science - Cal State University, Long Beach
- MS Exercise Science - Cal State University, Long Beach
Certifications
- Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) - NSCA
- Yoga Instructor - Patanjali Yoga Foundation (Rishikesh, India)
JJ Shelley
Performance Nutrition coach
JJ has had several different paths that have led him to his current career as a nutrition coach. He was an infantryman in the Marine Corps after high school. He then jumped right into wildland by working on an engine on the Tonto NF in Arizona. Then he packed it all up and moved to interior Alaska, where he is now a dog musher training to run the Iditarod in 2028. All of these lifestyles made JJ realize just how crucial proper nutrition is if we want to live the way we do as firefighters.
JJ now consults with crews around the country on wellness and nutrition in an effort to provide our community with quality, applicable information and education.
Education
- BS Dietetics - University of Alaska-Anchorage
Certifications
- Certified Nutrition Coach - Nutritional Coaching Institute