Coach Matt is the Founder, CEO, and Head Coach of Una Stamus Fitness / CrossFit Una Stamus in Elk River, Minnesota. With over a decade at the helm of one of the area's most community-driven gyms, Matt brings a rare combination of coaching credentials and academic depth to everything he does in the fitness space. He holds a CrossFit Level 2 Trainer certification, a USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Coach certification, a CrossFit Burgener Olympic Lifting Coach certificate, and a CrossFit Kids Trainer credential — backed by a Ph.D. in Psychology with original research focused on grit, mental toughness, and their direct impact on athletic performance. What truly sets Matt apart is a coaching and teaching career that spans more than 35 years and nearly every context imaginable. From leading Karate for Kids summer programs to training police officers in critical incident response and crisis intervention, from delivering motivational presentations to audiences of 500 or more as an executive leader, to working one-to-one and in small groups to help individuals maximize results and achieve personal goals — Matt has spent his entire career in the pursuit of helping people perform better and believe more in themselves. Matt's approach to coaching is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: the gym should be a place where people feel supported, challenged, and genuinely connected. For him, building stronger athletes and building a stronger community are the same goal. That philosophy has shaped Una Stamus from day one — and it's what keeps members coming back not just for the workouts, but for each other.
