BREAKING: Justin Bergh Out, Dave Castro New Leader of CrossFit Sport Team
CrossFit HQ’s General Manager of Sport Justin Bergh will be leaving the company and Dave Castro will step in as Leader of Sport Team. The major shake up comes only six weeks out from the 2023 NOBULL CrossFit Games—the pinnacle event of the sport.
The details: Bergh has been with CrossFit since 2013, ushering the sport from its first year in the Stub Hub Center in Carson, California through its tenure in Madison, Wisconsin.
- “After 13 years, Justin Bergh will be leaving CrossFit. JB has done so much for our community and we’re incredibly grateful for the role he’s played in making CrossFit what it is today. Dave Castro will step in to lead our Sport Team, who are prepping to make sure we have an amazing 2023 Games,” CrossFit CEO Don Faul said Tuesday morning, in an internal statement provided to the Morning Chalk Up.
- In the email, Faul told CrossFit employees: “Dave will be working closely with the team to ensure a smooth transition. We will provide more details as soon as they are firmed up.”
- An email regarding the news was also sent to all affiliates assuring everyone of “an amazing 2023 Games,” signed by Austin (Malleolo, the current GM of Affiliates).
Remind Me: Justin Bergh started his career with CrossFit in 2010 as a business director and from there he led Level 1 seminar staff for 5 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.
- He’s held his position as general manager through many leadership changes and shake ups, including new CEOs, layoffs, and navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Bergh described his General Manager role as managing “day-to-day operations for all aspects of the CrossFit Games. Executive Production of all competition-related media coverage. All business development for the Games, Licensing for CrossFit Inc.” It is unclear if Castro’s role will fully take over these responsibilities or have or if the new title means new roles inside the company.
Castro was fired from CrossFit in January 2022 and was brought back five months later as “key affiliate advisor.” Last month, he announced on YouTube that he was “taking over the EDU (Education) Team.”
- In the May 1 video, Castro said, “Traveling the world and being the frontline authority, and frontline voice, on educating and teaching CrossFit to people across the globe…that work has always meant a lot to me.”
- Castro stated another part of his role would entail company-wide oversight of CrossFit programming, to bring consistency in “tone” between CrossFit Affiliate Programming (CAP), Main Site, and Sport.
Now, Castro returns to CrossFit’s sport team, but not in his previous Director of Competition position, which Adrian Bozman currently holds.
The bottom line: Questions arise as Bergh’s departure comes only six weeks prior to the 17th annual CrossFit Games—an event that is estimated to draw up to 14,000 spectators per day. For Castro, it is yet to be seen whether this role change is a temporary one.
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