MEET THE TEAM

OWNER/HEAD COACH - she/her/hers

Sam Higgins is the owner and Head Coach of Davidson Strength and Fitness. She started her journey almost a decade ago as a last-ditch effort to salvage her mental health and wellness. Seven months later she had a couple of certifications under her belt and has never looked back. Sam credits fitness with helping her regain control of her mental health as well as her physical health. Sam has a passion and devotion to kids' fitness and is often heard telling people that "Kids classes are the best 90 minutes of the week!". Sam strives daily to create a space that is inclusive and challenging to everyone! Sam has an affinity for black cats, tattoos and fantasy romance novels.

CO-OWNER/COACH- he/him/his

Lucas Higgins is not only a coach but jack of all trades here at Davidson Strength and Fitness. Being married to the owner will do that. Lucas has spent more than a decade teaching middle schoolers and before that another decade plus as a professional chef. His outgoing nature and background working in various service industires makes Lucas a fantastic asset to our members. Lucas began his fitness reawakening roughly 5 years ago when he walked into a gym and hammered out 10 handstand pushups without even trying. He has been overwhelmingly supportive of his partner in her endeavor to own and create a thriving gym space accessible to everyone. He is a dedicated father and husband and outside the gym he indulges his wife and daughters in their need to rescue any animal they come across, and does it with kindness and grace. He loves to unwind by playing his guitar and singing with his wife around a fire. Tattoos and video games keep him sane.

COACH - she/her/hers

Heather Stafford values fitness, movement, and a healthy active lifestyle! After being a former collegiate cheerleader at ASU, she discovered group fitness and loved the never ending challenges, the competitive opportunities, the gymnastics foundation, the close knit community, and the stress relief it provided in her life! After doing organized fitness for 10 years, she met an important goal of hers to earn and receive a coaching certification. She also has a passion for working with kids and the sport of gymnastics. She has been a gymnastics coach over the past 13 years. She was excited to find the opportunity to coach Kids at here when she moved to the area during the summer of 2023. She hopes to inspire the kids and help train them to have a love for the sport as well as a love for life! Besides working out and coaching, she also enjoys teaching kindergarten, spending time with her pup Zoe, hiking with friends and family, and visiting local coffee shops!

COACH - she/her/hers

EmmaLee is passionate about fitness and mental well-being, and she brings that enthusiasm to the community. Certified in numerous fields including group fitness, balance and stretching, and corrective exercise, she uses her expertise to help members reach their full potential. As an obesity medicine exercise specialist, EmmaLee also understands the transformative power of fitness. Community centered fitness has been pivotal in improving her own mental health, and she’s dedicated to helping others find strength both physically and mentally. Outside the gym, EmmaLee enjoys singing, dancing, meal prepping, and spending time with her son, Onyx.

COACH - he/him/his

Grant has had the distinct pleasure of being a coach for the better part of fifteen years now. The core has always been functional fitness, but he has also competed and coached in the fields of Strongman, Powerlifting, and Olympic Weightlifting. Grant also dabbled in Ultra Endurance adventure races like GORUCK Selection and Spartan Death Race. 

He currently is a full time Firefighter with Mooresville Fire Rescue and gets to work for the greatest team of coaches in the world, delivering material to new coaches around the world. He’s been happily married for fifteen years now and enjoys walking their dog, Axel, and cooking in their meager spare time. 

My journey in health and fitness started out in high school when my best friend and I wanted to be the strongest cheerleaders so that we could throw our flyer the highest. 

My journey continued when I joined ROTC in college and went from failing the physical fitness test to crushing it. In the Army I discovered my love for Power Lifting and then my husband Grant and I found both Strongman and CrossFit together. After the military we both became CrossFit coaches and love working together. 

I have always been fascinated with the human body and how everything in it is so connected and intertwined so I went back to college to become a Licensed Massage Therapist specializing in  Sports Massage, Trigger Point Work, Thai and Ashiatsu massage. 

I love helping people understand how their body works and recovers both in the gym and on my massage table. 

Tyler was born and raised in Charlotte, NC. He played football for a large portion of his life and when he stopped playing he still wanted to keep doing something athletic, which led him to CrossFit. He started doing CrossFit in 2012 and began coaching in 2013 and never looked back! He has seen the changes that consistent training and nutrition has produced in his own health and fitness journey and as a coach he gets to share in those same life-changing moments with others and walk with them through their own journeys. His greatest joy in coaching comes from helping people accomplish more than they thought they could.

I started my fitness journey in 2018 when I discovered CrossFit, and I was instantly hooked. Wanting to push myself and grow in the sport, I earned my CrossFit certification and went on to complete both my USAW Level 1 and Level 2. Over time, my training has expanded beyond CrossFit. I now focus on overall athleticism through strongman events, stone lifting shows, and ruck competitions.
Strength training is my true passion. I love the way it builds not just physical ability, but confidence and resilience that carry over into every other part of life. As a proud mom of four, I know firsthand the importance of strength, balance, and perseverance both in and out of the gym. Fitness has transformed my life, and I’m excited to help others experience that same journey.

I have been a coach for about 4 years.
I have done CrossFit style workouts for about 8 years!
Things I like to do for fun, mountain bike, waterski, and golf.
I spend my days leading a team to distribute Frito-Lay products.