We Built This for Real Life
We built Cru Collective out of real life: training, competing, working, raising kids, and navigating the ups and downs that come with it.
We believe your nutrition, training, and lifestyle should work together, not against you.
Whether you’re looking for nutrition coaching, performance training, or both, we build a plan that fits your life so you can stay consistent and actually make progress.
Why “Cru Collective”
Monte, our first daughter, has the middle name Cru.
At some point we started calling ourselves “the Higgins Cru”, just as a family thing, and it stuck.
Over time, it ended up meaning a lot more to us than we probably realized.
The last few years have changed a lot for us. Not in some big, planned-out way… just in real life.
How we train, how we take care of ourselves, what matters, all of it.
It hasn’t been easy on us mentally either, and that’s part of why this means something.
When we started talking about building something of our own, that name kept coming back to us.
Nothing else really fit the same way.
Our Team
Casey Higgins
I’m a wife, a mom of three, and a coach who understands that life doesn’t slow down for perfect routines.
I played Division I field hockey at Old Dominion University, where I earned my degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Sports Management. While my background is rooted in performance, my approach to coaching has evolved into helping people build consistency and feel better in the middle of real life.
Since 2017, I’ve worked closely under a mentor with a background in immunology and microbiology, with a focus on gut health, metabolism, and hormone function. That foundation has shaped how I approach coaching today.
As a mom, I know firsthand how much changes through pregnancy, postpartum, and the day-to-day demands of raising a family. My coaching focuses on simple, sustainable habits that support your life, not take away from it.
I’m also the co-founder of Cru Collective, where I lead nutrition and lifestyle coaching while Brandon leads performance coaching. Together, we’ve built a space centered around real life, where strength, nutrition, and consistency support everything else that matters.
Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach
I’m a husband, a father of three, a firefighter, and a coach who believes fitness should support your life, not compete with it.
With over 14 years of CrossFit coaching experience as a CrossFit Level 2 Trainer and more than a decade of wrestling coaching, I bring a strong foundation in movement, discipline, and long-term athlete development. My coaching focuses on fundamentals, consistency, and meeting people where they are, whether they’re just getting started or working to level up their performance.
As a Firefighter/EMT with Arlington County, I rely on strength, endurance, and resilience every day. That real-world demand shapes how I train and coach, prioritizing durability, performance, and results that carry beyond the gym.
I’m also the co-founder of Cru Collective, where I lead performance coaching and work with athletes and individuals looking for a more personalized, hands-on approach to training.
My goal is to create an environment where people feel challenged, supported, and confident in what their bodies can do, both inside and outside the gym.
Performance CoachBrandon Higgins
Start Where You Are
Tell us a little about your goals and what life looks like right now, we’ll take it from there.
Whether you’re looking for nutrition coaching, performance training, or both, we’ll build a plan that fits you.