Meet the Team

Chris Wamsley

A native of Knoxville, TN, Chris founded Elevate Sports Training in 2018 with an extensive coaching career in all levels of softball, including rec, high school, select and college. Currently the head baseball coach at Edison State Community College, Chris is also an instructor for Fastpitch Masters National Clinics, as well as Triple Crown Sports. Committed to understanding the ever-evolving world of baseball and softball, Chris has participated in camps with some of the greats, like Mike Candrea, Ralph & Karen Weekly and Carol Hutchins. An athlete in baseball, football and track himself, Chris is passionate about ensuring today's youth is educated and guided in the best direction possible for their personal growth and success. In addition to instructing, Chris has also led recruiting seminars to provide parents and athletes with the crucial information they need to get to the next level. With a strong focus on fundamentals and building a foundation, Chris' favorite part about instructing is seeing the athletes achieve something they did not think was possible. "You never see anyone build a structure with the roof first, if the foundation isn't strong, nothing else works."

Cedric Tolbert

Cedric Tolbert brings over 15 years of coaching expertise in varsity football and track and field across Dayton, Ohio schools. He's mentored numerous Division 1 collegiate athletes and shaped All-Ohio and All-GWOC players in various positions, including two-time OHSAA football playoff qualifiers and state runners-up in track and field. With a standout career at Xenia High School where he holds records for career touchdowns (53) and rushing yards in a season, he moved on to play football at the University of Cincinnati. With playing time at both strong and free safety, Cedric appeared in regular and post-season bowl games. Beyond physical training, he's dedicated to fostering mental fortitude, nutrition awareness and skill-specific and overall physical development. Because of the milestones athletics have provided in Cedric’s life, his true passion lies in challenging and helping student-athletes and training clients become the best versions of themselves.

Lori Whitson

A graduate of Centerville High School, Lori played soccer, basketball and softball -- earning several All-Conference accolades. After high school, she attended High Point University on a soccer scholarship, where she served on the Scholar-Athlete Advisory Committee. With 15 years of experience in the fitness industry and additional training in physical therapy and rehab, Lori has worked with athletes of all levels, ranging from beginners to professionals. Lori's extensive experience allows her to focus on injury prevention and mobility, enabling athletes to build a strong foundation. Through strength and conditioning, Lori helps athletes improve their knowledge of training and feel empowered to build and move their body properly. 

Alec Hutzelman

A homegrown graduate of Centerville High School, Alec works with our athletes to improve their pitching, hitting, fielding and catching skills. A Wilmington College graduate, Alec excelled athletically and academically, making the Dean's List. In addition to his playing experience, Alec is also the pitching coach for the Edison State Community College baseball team, allowing him to focus on advanced details of pitching with a large, talented staff. With a diverse mix of skills, Alec enjoys teaching youth athletes the right way to pitch, hit, field and catch. He focuses on improving velocity by teaching proper form and mechanics. Additionally, Alec works with catchers to help them understand how to properly block the ball and get more out of their throws. 

Matt Stivers

Our instructor Matt works with Elevate athletes on honing their hitting, fielding, throwing and pitching skills. A four-year starter for Xenia High School, Matt was part of the 2017 GWOC Championship team and received All-Conference honorable mention. A member of the Clark State College baseball program, Matt made Dean's List and is an OCCAC Academic All-American. He enjoys working on establishing coordination and solid hitting, fielding and throwing mechanics with players utilizing new concepts. Matt prides his athletes on the hard work they put in, doing the sport they love. 

Jodi Wamsley

A born-and-raised local, Jodi Wamsley serves as owner and fitness instructor of Elevate Sports Training. Jodi first developed her love for strength and fitness in her youth as an avid soccer player, earning her All-Conference and All-Region nods, as well as multiple college offers. As a fitness professional, Jodi has spent countless hours learning a variety of approaches and training methods to deliver the most personalized plan for her client's specific goals and needs. A proponent of women's fitness, Jodi offers both personal training sessions and group exercise classes to provide clients with something new, fun and effective for their fitness objectives. Jodi's personal training sessions are designed to the individual's needs, with a focus on helping young and mature women develop a strong core to serve as a basis for their fitness journey. In her weekly exercise classes, Jodi leads the group through a combination of strength, conditioning and flexibility drills to help individuals discover or reconnect with healthy lifestyles. Her favorite part of training is hearing about the results her clients notice from their strength and conditioning sessions and helping them to achieve whole-body results. 

Jeff Begley

Hailing from Southern Ohio, Jeff has a hefty resume in strength and conditioning training and CrossFit for various gyms, colleges and youth sports teams. A graduate of Peebles High School, Jeff still holds the record for his track career in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles and 400-meter relay. He attended Shawnee State University and Durham Tech and has extensive experience working with athletes at various levels. His favorite part about training is creating an enjoyable experience that can help individuals build a long-term healthier lifestyle and to improve overall physical success. He specializes in utilizing proper mechanics to strengthen the body, balance and flexibility. Jeff enjoys working with athletes to help them condition their bodies based on the sports and activities they're involved in. His training style focuses on athlete education about bodily movements to help them better understand how to produce results on and off the field of play.  

Amanda Tonkin

Amanda grew up in Kettering, Ohio and has more than 15 years of experience in fastpitch pitching instruction. A graduate of Fairmont High School, she was a four-year starter and was named to All-State First Team. She was an All-American pitcher at Notre Dame College and was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014 as part of the inaugural class. She is the pitching coach for Clark State College, has 10 years of select coaching experience and specializes in internal rotation (IR) and increasing spin on breaking pitches. Her favorite part about working with youth athletes is helping them to understand the mechanics behind pitching so they can help themselves in a game, at practice or when working on their own.

CJ Hartley

A graduate of Edgewood High School, CJ received honorable mention and the coach's award during her high school career for her time on the mound, in the field and as a slapper. CJ is the current head softball coach at Clark State College, where she brings a wealth of experience from her time as a utility player for Clark State College. As an athlete, she carried a .401 career batting average as a slapper, and was named to the OCCAC All-Conference and All-Region Teams and served as a three-year captain. With five years of select coaching experience, CJ has a passion for working with youth athletes. She concentrates on helping pitchers establish a strong foundation in IR (internal rotation) while preparing them to learn more advanced pitches.