about us

Serving the Buffalo community in the heart of the West Side. Guiding members to a journey to their happier and healthier self.

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our Vision

Our mission is to build an inclusive community of strong, humble, and passionate individuals who are focused on enhancing their lives through fitness, education, nutrition, and mindset.

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OUR MISSION:

TO PROVIDE

positive & challenging environments promoting health, fitness, well being & community

About us

Located in the heart of the West Side & Allentown, Nickel City Athletics is here to provide everyone who walks through our doors with a path to fitness.

We are built on the ideals of inclusion, community, knowledge, integrity, and gratitude. Combine all of these values and you get the culture of Nickel City Athletics.

We pride ourselves on having a clean & organized facility that offers a wide array of options for you to pursue your fitness goals. We provide expert coaching to keep you safe and having fun. When you walk through our doors, expect an all-inclusive fitness community that trains hard together, all while supporting each other through the process!

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OUR PEOPLE IS WHAT MAKES US GREAT

OUR TEAM

Becca witkin

Owner / Coach
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Steve Terry

Coach
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Lara Smith

Coach
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Anna Dow

Coach
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Ibeliz Rodriguez

Coach
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Zach Shaft

Coach
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Judd Kimber

Coach
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Lauren Mirro

Coach
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Sam Helfer

Coach
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Andrew Koons

Coach
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Rachel Heidenreich

Yoga Instructor
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Luna

General Manager
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Jason cwiklinski

Coach
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Erika hawley

Coach
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ARE YOU READY TO LEVEL UP?

getting started is easy!

1. SCHEDULE YOUR FIRST VISIT

Talk with a coach about your goals and learn how we can get you to your best self.

2. START YOUR TRAINING

You have defined your goals and you are ready to begin your journey. We will start you strong by taking you through the fundamentals of training and sound habits putting you on the road to success!

3. HAVE FUN REACHING NEW LEVELS

Once you have the basics down you’ll book classes easily on our app, enjoy the workouts with awesome people and reach your goals in no time!

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Nickel City Athletics

CONTACT US

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OUR PARTNERS:

GETTING STARTED IS EASY!

Simply fill out the form below and then schedule Your FREE No-Sweat intro Consultation on the next page.

Shortly after we will be in touch with you to confirm your intro session.

We are excited to meet you!

BECCA WITKIN​

OWNER / COACH

What’s up everyone! If you don’t know me, my name is Becca & I am the owner of Nickel City Athletics. I am proudly the only sole-woman-owned Functional Fitness gym in Buffalo, NY! I took over NCA from the previous owners in June of 2021. Prior to NCA, I have been working in the fitness space for over a decade. I specialize in functional strength, mindset, women’s health, and goal-specific training. It’s been a wild ride and I couldn’t be more proud of the people, culture, & community we’ve been building here at Nickel City Athletics. Proper strength & conditioning can be life changing, full stop. As a business owner & coach, it is my life mission to create accessibility to this type of fitness for every single person who walks through our doors. We have an incredibly diverse community at NCA. It doesn’t matter where you come from, how old you are, how you identify, or who you love…you will be welcomed & supported here. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We work hard, we move well, we lift heavy weights, hit sweaty workouts, have the occasional mid-lift dance party, and have fun every. single. day. Outside of the gym, I love to run races, road cycle, ski, backpack, go to concerts, spend time with dogs, bake, and climb mountains. My love language is making playlists. If you’re not having fun with your workouts, it ain’t worth it. Fun Fact: I’m partially deaf in both ears. Favorite Movement: Box Jumps, Double Under, Power Cleans Least Favorite Movement: Wall Balls/Thrusters

CERTIFICATIONS

CF-L2
NASM-CPT

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STEVE TERRY

COACH

Steve is our resident weightlifting enthusiast and will always remind you to make fitness fun. A USAW certified coach as well as having his CrossFit level 1 certification, you can count on Steve to be your barbell movement guru. Currently pursuing a degree in nursing, Steve is always looking for the best way to make sure you’re moving well and feeling well. Aside from helping you be the best version of you that can be, Steve loves bad jokes, dogs, and pursuing the perfect cup of coffee. If you see Steve be sure to say hello and tell him your best joke. “3! 2! Don’t forget to have fun!” -Coach Steve

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Certification
USAW L1

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LARA SMITH

COACH

Lara is Buffalo born and raised! Her athletic background is rooted in cycling, volleyball, running, and has performed functional fitness the last 5 years. She believes that through trial and error, everyone can find a style of movement that brings them joy. She is currently an inpatient Registered Nurse and studying to become a Nurse Practitioner. Her mission is to optimize quality of life through movement and primary prevention of disease. Outside of the gym, her favorite pastime is to be with her husband and 2 dogs outside in the sunshine. “Lara is her name and longevity is her game” Favorite movement: Thrusters Favorite book: My Stroke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor

CERTIFICATIONS

HCPL1BLS/ACLS
CertifiedCCRN Certified
(Critical Care RN)

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ANNA DOW

COACH

Anna grew up in a small town outside Erie, PA where she spent much of her time running and swimming with her high school sports teams until she discovered the world of functional fitness in college. Anna has been coaching for over four years. She coached and ran the Penn State CrossFit Club, the largest student run CrossFit affiliate, while also coaching at a local gym off campus. Anyone you ask will say she is notorious for singing and dancing while coaching, especially when it’s needed to help bring some energy to the 5AM. Outside of the gym, Anna is attending Daemen University to pursue her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She has her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Penn State. She loves snow and water sports, the outdoors, and is a bit of a book nerd. Favorite movement: Dumbbell Snatches Least Favorite: Thrusters Fun fact: I love planning CrossFit competitions!

CERTIFICATIONS

CF-L2 Trainer
ACE PersonalTrainer
CPR/AED Certified

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IBELIZ RODRIGUEZ

COACH

Ibe’s fitness journey began over 15 years ago when she was looking for an outlet to help her balance life, stress, & mental health. She found a love for Boxing & Krav Maga and followed along that path for years. She eventually realized that various forms of martial arts were taking a toll on her body and she wanted to learn how to move well! Ibe didn’t find what she was looking for at the commercial gym which is when she then began her journey at NCA. As she began moving properly, using progressive strength training, and programmed conditioning…the lightbulb clicked! “I have always had a deep respect for my coaches and instructors throughout the years. I have had the privilege of being in class with great instructors and I fostered a desire to become a Coach myself. My love for fitness and the positive effects it has on your mind and body has propelled me to coach others!” Ibeliz has a master’s in organizational leadership and a BA in Psychology. She is an operations Manager for a non-profit agency dedicated to assisting individuals with chronic health issues reconnect with medical, mental health, and substance abuse systems.

CERTIFICATIONS

CF-L1
CPR/AED Certified

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ZACH SHAFT

COACH

Zach is a technique master and loves spending time throwing around a heavy barbell and working out with friends. He has been coaching since 2017 while serving in the Navy. He has been coaching with the owner of NCA for many years and is excited to be bringing his experience and skills to Nickel City Athletics. Zach joined the Navy as a Corpsman in 2014 and initially was introduced to functional fitness when training for bootcamp. In his time outside of the gym, Zach is in graduate school for Computer science and plans on becoming a software engineer. He loves to hike, backpack, spend time with his dog, and to be outdoors as much as possible. *Swipe to see a 2014 throwback of Becca & Zach post-workout almost 10 years ago! Favorite Movement: Power Cleans Least Favorite: Toes to Bar Fun Fact: Zach has hiked 90% of the Appalachian Trail!

CERTIFICATIONS

CF L1 Certification Precision
Nutrition Level 1 Fitness
Nutrition Specialist Red Cross
CPR & AED

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JUDD KIMBER

COACH

Judd is a certified CF Level 1 trainer and has a passion for weightlifting, fitness, and wellness. Judd found functional fitness during graduate school and quickly fell in love with the community and progressive overloading/programming. Judd values the mind-body connection as a way to build not only physical strength, but emotional well-being. He is extremely excited to help the NCA community pursue their own goals – inside and outside the gym. Outside of the gym, Judd is a clinical research psychologist and enjoys exploring all the food around Buffalo.

CERTIFICATIONS

Favorite movement in fitness: Deadlift
Least favorite movement: Burpees
Fun Fact: “I grew up in the same neighborhood as Grace Jones!”

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LAUREN MIRRO

COACH

Lauren grew up on Long Island and played soccer her whole life. Lauren’s love for fitness and an active lifestyle came much later in life. In her own words, “As a kid I was truly a city mouse, much more interested in rock n’ roll shows than doing any kind of physical activity. A high school knee injury sidelined the possibility of soccer, and I found Functional Fitness about 12 or 13 years ago. The 1st time I dropped by a gym I thought “you guys think I would Like this? Me?” After one workout, I was hooked. It led me to Olympic weightlifting, which I focused on exclusively for a couple years. Learning a new sport as an adult taught me so much about myself; turns out slinging heavy weights is one of my all-time favorite thing to do, hands down. I’ve been a part of the fitness community in Buffalo for a long time and I absolutely love the community aspect! I love the idea of a safe space to be yourself, push yourself, and improve your fitness while having FUN. Belonging to a gym, especially one like NCA, is SO MUCH more than “working out”. I deeply believe that functional fitness is for EVERYONE, inclusivity and genuine connection is BIG to me. Outside the gym I love cooking, gathering with friends and family, obsessing over professional soccer, surfing, traveling, hanging with my husband and our 3 kids, volunteering in dog rescue, petting dogs, talking to dogs, going to see live music, and generally trying to have as much fun as possible at all times.” Fav movement: a heavy thruster/heavy clean Least fav movement: Running

CERTIFICATIONS

CF-L2
NASM-CPT

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SAM HELFER

COACH

Sam Helfer is a practicing doctor of physical therapy who has been in the fitness industry for over 15 years as a fitness and wellness coach. Sam is passionate about moving well and customizing each workout to help people feel good and achieve their Goals! Sam graduated from the University at Buffalo with his Master’s in Exercise Science in 2013 and his Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2017 with Academic Honors! Sam’s passion for coaching, biomechanics and holistic health is evident in every class he coaches and every session he has with his 1 on 1 physical therapy and skilled training clients. Sam continues to strive for excellence in all area’s with continued education and reflection of every interaction.

CERTIFICATIONS

Board Certified Physical Therapist
CrossFit Level 1 Certification
C-PS
BRM
CPR BLS and First Aid Instructor

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ANDREW KOONS

COACH

Andrew is certified CF Level 1 trainer with a passion for weightlifting, rowing, and gymnastics. A lifelong baseball player and snowboarder, Andrew was always drawn to team sports and the challenge of learning new athletic skills. He found functional fitness in his late 20’s and never looked back. The constant pursuit of increasing skill level and technique is what fuels his love for fitness and sharing his passion with others. As a taller and leaner athlete, gaining strength has not been the easiest road. Inspired by his own strength journey, Andrew is extremely excited to help the NCA community pursue their strength & fitness goals. By day Andrew is a Geologist. Outside of the gym, Andrew loves to hike, camp, bike, and spend time with his dog in his self-converted van. You will also find him as the resident (and self-titled) “Equipment Manager & Maintenance Man” at NCA.

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Certification

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RACHEL HEIDENREICH

YOGA INSTRUCTOR

“I have been an athlete most of my life, even went to college to play lacrosse. But after putting my body through the wringer for years, I wanted almost nothing to do with fitness. That was until I found power yoga about 3.5 years ago. This practice has given me so much. It has taught me to be gentler with myself, that in order to work hard, you have to rest harder. And most importantly, that however you showed up today is absolutely, 100% perfect. I am so excited to share this practice with such a wonderful community of athletes! On Sunday’s let’s embrace the stretch, so you can embrace the suck all week long!”

CERTIFICATIONS

CF-L2
NASM-CPT

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Luna

General Manager

“Oversees all day-to-day operations at NCA from the main office. Most days, Luna can be found auditing classes from the office window and sitting in on meetings. While it may seem like she spends much time sleeping on the job, Luna is an integral part of our coaching staff at NCA. She will accept bribes in form of treats, fetch, & neck scratches.”

CERTIFICATIONS

CF-L2
NASM-CPT

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JASON CWIKLINSKI​

COACH

As a former collegiate athlete in basketball and baseball I found CrossFit while looking for a change in my exercise routine as I turned 40. I’m always looking for ways to improve my own health and fitness as I have a passion for helping others do the same. 

I want to help members learn the why behind what we do not just complete the workouts. 

Outside of the gym you’ll find me enjoying time with my wife and 2 children being outdoors, swimming & traveling to Disney.  I also coach girls basketball.

“Ask me about my extensive sock collection.” -Jason

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Certification

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ERIKA HAWLEY​

COACH

Erika is a CF-L1 coach + Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner + entrepreneur + cat mom + change maker + extrovert. 

“Not that long ago, I was a completely different person- 100+ pounds heavier with ZERO athletic or nutrition background. Getting CURIOUS about my body changed my life and I’m committed to helping others do the same. In my work, I take a WHOLE PERSON approach to support & challenge you to actively choose being in the driver’s seat of your health and your life.” -Erika

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Trainer

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Andrew Koons

COACH

Andrew is certified CF Level 1 trainer with a passion for weightlifting, rowing, and gymnastics.
 
A lifelong baseball player and snowboarder, Andrew was always drawn to team sports and the challenge of learning new athletic skills. He found functional fitness in his late 20’s and never looked back. The constant pursuit of increasing skill level and technique is what fuels his love for fitness and sharing his passion with others. As a taller and leaner athlete, gaining strength has not been the easiest road. Inspired by his own strength journey, Andrew is extremely excited to help the NCA community pursue their strength & fitness goals.
 
By day Andrew is a Geologist. Outside of the gym, Andrew loves to hike, camp, bike, and spend time with his dog in his self-converted van. You will also find him as the resident (and self-titled) “Equipment Manager & Maintenance Man” at NCA.

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Certification

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DR. SAM HELFER​

COACH

Sam Helfer is a practicing doctor of physical therapy who has been in the fitness industry for over 10 years as a fitness and wellness coach. Sam is passionate about moving well and customizing each workout to help people feel good and achieve their Goals! 

Sam graduated from the University at Buffalo with his Master’s in Exercise Science in 2013 and his Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2017 with Academic Honors! 

Sam’s passion for coaching, biomechanics and holistic health is evident in every class he coaches and every session he has with his 1 on 1 physical therapy and skilled training clients.

Sam continues to strive for excellence in all area’s with continued education and reflection of every interaction.

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Certification

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STEVE TERRY​

COACH

Steve is our resident weightlifting enthusiast and will always remind you to make fitness fun. A USAW certified coach as well as having his CrossFit level 1 certification, you can count on Steve to be your barbell movement guru. Currently pursuing a degree in nursing, Steve is always looking for the best way to make sure you’re moving well and feeling well. Aside from helping you be the best version of you that can be, Steve loves bad jokes, dogs, and pursuing the perfect cup of coffee. If you see Steve be sure to say hello and tell him your best joke. 

“3! 2! Don’t forget to have fun!” -Coach Steve

CERTIFICATIONS

CrossFit Level 1 Certification

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CANCELLATION POLICY

All membership agreements require 30-days written notice to cancel your membership. This form will serve as your 30-days written cancellation notice. Note that if you have a scheduled renewal payment within 30-days of your invoice billing date, the payment will be processed as scheduled. Your membership will be canceled at the end of your final paid month. All payments are non-refundable. All grandfathered membership rates will also be forfeited and returning members will be subject to current rates.

MEMBERSHIP CANCELLATION REQUEST

Please fill out the form below and one of our team members will review your request. Warning. The submission of this form does not cancel your membership. We will review your request, then reach out to confirm.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

We Would Love To Meet You!

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& one of our amazing
coaches will be in touch asap! We are excited to meet you!

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WARNING!
Class Sizes Are Limited.

If you would like to reserve a spot... Simply fill out the form below letting us know what day you might come by & one of our amazing coaches will reach out to you to reserve your class.

OUR DROP-IN RATES

$20/day, $30/2 days, $50/week

OUR Information:

Location:

247 Virginia St, Buffalo, NY 14201, USA

PHONE:

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(716)908-5786

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The PERFECT Membership For YouR NEEDS.

OUR PRICING IS SIMPLE

Simply fill out the form below
& one of our amazing coaches
will send you our current
membership information.