GET TO KNOW FRANCO FITNESS

FROM THE OWNER

I started a small one-on-one training gym in my garage to help a few friends that were having health issues. It slowly grew from from 30 to 200 friends, to an 8,000 square foot facility. Now, I pass along the fitness knowledge that I have gained from coaching a high school wrestling program for the last 21 years of my life. I grew my fitness knowledge through multiple certifications: CrossFit, Gymnastics, Krav Maga, RKC Kettlebell, and Olympic lifting. For me fitness is a never-ending passion that I love doing every day while surrounded by family and friends.

MEET OUR TRAINERS

Nacho Franco

Owner

My name is Ignacio Franco. I’m 40 years old, married to Manya Franco, and we have two beautiful children: Nico and Mia Franco. All my years of life as long as I can remember, I spent most of the day doing things outside and pushing myself to try any activity. The older I got, I involved myself in every sport you can think of from soccer, boxing, basketball, dodgeball, track, swimming, wrestling and football. As I got older, my passion for football and wrestling drove me even more to be the best, out work anybody, and achieve my own greatness in the sports I loved.

I took my passion for wrestling and wrestled at the Junior College level where I became an All American at the California State Championships, placing 8th for the Santa Rosa Bear Cubs. With lots of ups and downs, I never stopped working hard and believed in every second of work that I put in to make me a better man.

In 1997, I took over the High School wrestling program at my Alma Mater, Napa High School, where I am still currently the head wrestling coach. I continue to pass along my work ethic with every athlete that I train. Never a day went by that I wasn’t working out myself or training people and sharing my secrets to fitness, which is how I started my personal business in my garage. After running it for a few years, I decided to grow and open up Franco Fitness, which is now on its third year of business and going strong. The community that supports me is just another blessing that I have and enjoy every day.

I love working with people and seeing them achieve their goals. I am always continuing to pursue more knowledge of how amazing the human body is and how capable it can be to achieve anything you push it to do with the right mental attitude. I currently hold certifications in Kettlebells, CrossFit, Crossfit Football, CrossFit Gymnastics, Krav Maga, CrossFit Mobility, and I have 20 years of experience as a Head Wrestling Coach with a lifetime of hands on, hard training and do-work attitude.

Health and fitness is my life, and I’m blessed to have the ability to play in my gym every day. My mantra is: Never a day of rest, enjoy every second that I train, and share my passion to train hard with my Franco Fitness Family. Never Quit Attitude!

Manya Franco

I have always been passionate about fitness and exercise. Since a young age, I was following my Mom along to the gym while she taught aerobics in the 80s!
I got my own gym membership when I was only 15, and made fitness a part of my daily routine.

I graduated from SDSU with a B.S. in Kinesiology, with a specialization in Fitness, Nutrition & Health. I also have an A.A. in Social and Behavioral Sciences. 
Along the way, I acquired several personal training certificates and taught various fitness classes at several gyms in Southern California.
After moving back to Napa, I continued teaching at local gyms and decided to go to massage school.  
While working as a massage therapist, I went back to school to earn my CA State Teaching Credential.  
I have been employed as a Physical Education teacher with NVUSD since 2000. 
I also believe very strongly in the importance of holistic Health and healing, and am a certified Reiki Master.
Once introduced to CrossFit, I was hooked! We started with training a small group of people in our garage and eventually outgrew the space to eventually build what we have today. 
Mostly, I manage the paperwork side of Franco Fitness, while Nacho does the hands-on training and all the programming. However, occasionally, outside of the school day, I will step in and help out with training when needed.  
Our 2 children, Nico & Mia, keep us busy with their schedules of 4-H, Water Polo, Basketball, Track & Field, Volleyball, and Dance. 
I love the community we have created at Franco Fitness, and feel so blessed to be a part of helping people, kids and adults, make positive changes in their lives.
We are truly grateful for the opportunity to share our passion for health and fitness, and encourage others to do the same.

Grant Wright

Grant Wright has been with Franco Fitness for 8+ years and joined the coaching staff in 2020. Grant majored in Agriculture Business and is a former DII athlete, playing baseball at Chico State University where he was named team captain.

Grant is the son of Scott and Nancy Wright and has 5 siblings. Jordan, Garrett, Gianna, Jacob, and Isabella. All who have played high school sports and 2 others, along with Grant, are former college athletes. Scott, Grant’s dad, is a former D1 baseball champion from Cal State Fullerton in 1984.
While working out at Franco Fitness Grant has seen incredible improvements to his fitness and constant PRs. Grant loves the community and friendships he has made throughout the years the most.
Grant Wright has his CFL1 certificate as well as his First Aid/CPR Certificates.

Kennedie Mott

My name is Kennedie Mott and I am 25 years old! Fitness and sport have always been a huge part of my life. I grew up at Napa High, on the football field, and in the weight room, spending countless after-school hours watching my dad coach.

I began to make a mark of my own in the sports world on the basketball court where I played on competitive travel teams from the time I was ten years old to eventually being a part of the Napa High School Basketball Program. In four years we won 4 championships and as a senior I was voted by my teammates as a captain. After highschool, I continued to have a hunger for competition and fitness. I joined Franco Fitness four years ago where I found a new love; CrossFit, and the community that comes along with it.

I graduated in 2020 from Sonoma State University with a B.A. in Communication and Media Studies. I went onto Arizona State University where I continued my education and earned a Masters degree in Communication in 2021. I am the daughter of Troy and Bonnie Mott and have a younger sister named Peyton. I come from a family of athletes, my dad was a Division ll football player at Wayne State University in Nebraska, and my sister a Division ll softball player at Dominican University in San Rafael, CA. While I did not compete in sports at the collegiate level, I have found my own niche in CrossFit. The last four years I have accomplished things I never imagined possible and that is all thanks to CrossFit. CrossFit has been an incredible outlet of personal growth for me both physically and mentally, but my biggest take away has been the relationships and support system that come along with joining a gym. This appreciation has led me to earn my CFL1 certificate so that I can have an impact on the community that I hold so near and dear to my heart.

I am honored and excited to be a part of the Franco Fitness coaching staff and to share my love for CrossFit.

Hunter larue

I’m excited to join the Franco coaching team and meet you all!

I’m a Bay Area native and moved to Napa 3 years ago from San Mateo with my wife Chelsea (also a Franco member). I spend the majority of my day in the tech world designing software but always eager to close the laptop and get over to the gym in the afternoon.  

Athletically my background is in Swimming and Water Polo which I competed in throughout college at the University of Redlands. Over my water polo career, I led the team to 2 conference championships while also being named the 2009 NCAA and Southern Conference Player of the Year. On the swimming side, I was a 2-time all-American swimmer specializing in sprint freestyle events.

After hanging up the speedo, I jumped into the CrossFit world which has helped me achieve higher levels of fitness and health than even at my peak collegiate days. Over the last 9 years of training under the CrossFit methodology I have absorbed so much knowledge and recently completed my Level 1 CrossFit coaching certification. I’m now looking forward to sharing all that knowledge to help you achieve your fitness goals!

See you in the gym!

Coach Ryan

Shannon Litle

My name is Shannon Litle and I am so excited to be a part of the coaching team at Franco Fitness! I’ve been an athlete in some capacity from the time I was 18 months old and my parents put me in gymnastics. My competitive gymnastics career lasted from elementary school until my senior year of high school, and I coached all levels of gymnastics from 2005-2015.

After high school, I tried springboard diving, competitive cheer and Bikram yoga to fill the void left by gymnastics. I finally found what I was looking for in 2015 after I graduated from the SRJC police academy and started CrossFit. I immediately fell in love with the sport: the challenge, the growth and the community it’s given me since then has been life changing.
 
I grew up in Petaluma and moved to Napa in early 2020 to call the valley home with my husband Jordan and my three stepchildren. We welcomed our son into the family as the final member of the Litle household in December 2022. The prenatal and postpartum journey was and continues to be a whole new experience for me and my athletic career, and I hope to help other mama’s at Franco navigate that journey as well.
 
I spent most of the last decade in law enforcement and first responders (and their mental health) have a very special place in my heart. I’m in the process of becoming a licensed therapist who specializes in helping cops and firefighters navigate work-related trauma. Regardless of your profession, I hope to inspire folks at Franco to achieve well-rounded, whole-human fitness: body, mind and spirit.
 
When I’m not at the gym you can find me spending time with my family, going camping, watching baseball, or wishing I was on the beach in Wailea, Maui.
 
I am passionate about helping others, so let’s get to work and accomplish hard things together!

Get Your Groove Back

Achieve your fitness goals with us. We’ll develop a nutrition & fitness program just for you.

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EMAIL

nachitup@me.com

CALL

707-494-1177

CrossFit Journal: The Performance-Based Lifestyle Resource