Willie graduated from the University of North Texas in 2002 with a degree in Marketing. From Junior High through his sophomore year of High School he ran in Cross Country, but for the remainder of his teen years and throughout college he did not lead an active lifestyle. In 2003 he discovered the weight room and spent several years just lifting weights, with no real direction or focus other than to get stronger. He first discovered CrossFit in June of 2009 when some friends from recommended he try out some workouts from www.CrossFit.com; it was an entirely different concept of working out. He got hooked pretty quickly and CrossFit brought an entirely different view to what being fit really meant. After spending a year working through the CrossFit main site programming and trying to learn the technical movements on his own, he decided to push for the next level and join a local CrossFit Affiliate. This opened up a whole new world of what people were capable of and allowed him to see what the CrossFit community was really about. Throughout the coming months Willie made a decision that at one point he would create a new path for his future and run his own CrossFit box.

In July 2011 he established a garage gym named North Texas Strength & Endurance where he would hold classes to train friends and family members during his off hours. CrossFit 3040 officially opened at it’s permanent location in February of 2013.

Certifications:
CrossFit Level 1 Certification
USAW Sports Performance Coach
CrossFit Endurance Certification
CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certification

Emily grew up in Mesa, Arizona where she participated in many different types of athletics throughout high school. She received a softball scholarship to Mesa Community College where she was eventually recruited by Abilene Christian University in Abilene, TX. After playing softball at ACU for 1 year she moved to the DFW area to finish her degree at the University of North Texas, and graduated with a B.S in Kinesiology in 2010.

Emily has had a passion for health, fitness, and athletics for most of her life. She worked as an intern for the Institute of Health and Productivity Management in Scottsdale, AZ and spent 3 years running 3 boot camp locations for Camp Gladiator in the Lewisville and Highland Village area before finding CrossFit.

In 2012 Emily was introduced to CrossFit and fell in love instantly. She has participated in many individual and team CrossFit competitions, and currently competes on the national level in the sport of Weightlifting.

Emily is wife to CrossFit 3040 owner, Willie McLendon, step-mom to 10 year old Lilly, and dog mom to the gym dog Izzy.

Certifications:
B.S. Kinesiology
CrossFit Level 1
USAW Sports Performance Coach