MEET THE TEAM

A gym is only as good as the people running the floor. Our coaches bring deep expertise across Strength, Gymnastics, Martial Arts, Hyrox, and Olympic Lifting. You don’t just get fitter here — you learn how to move and train properly.

George - Director and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Coach

George

Owner (MD)

George is a senior protection specialist and high-performance coach with more than two decades of experience operating in high-trust, high-consequence environments where discipline, judgment, and performance are non-negotiable.

His background spans executive protection, protective intelligence, discreet investigative operations, and high-performance coaching, underpinned by deep expertise in combat systems, self-defence, and strategic risk management. George is recognised for combining real-world operational experience with disciplined coaching, helping individuals develop confidence, resilience, physical capability, and practical self-defence skills.

Fitness & Combat Credentials

  • Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – 2nd Degree Black Belt
  • Gracie Jiu-Jitsu – Certified Instructor under Ryron Gracie and Rener Gracie
  • TKM – Certified Instructor
  • Mixed Martial Arts – Coach & Private Instructor
  • Chief Instructor – Combat & Self-Defence Tactics
  • Fitness & Strength Conditioning – Certificate III & IV

Professional Experience

George brings over 20 years of experience across executive protection, protective operations, protective intelligence, and discreet investigative services, with extensive expertise in personal protection, strategic threat assessment, risk management, and operational oversight across high-trust environments.

He has spent more than 18 years coaching and developing individuals of all ages and experience levels, with a focus on performance, discipline, resilience, and long-term capability development.

As co-founder of Botany Fitness, George has helped build a reputation for delivering high-level coaching, disciplined training, and practical self-defence instruction grounded in real-world experience.

His broader experience across private enterprise and high-pressure environments reinforces a coaching style built on accountability, composure, discretion, and consistent performance under pressure.

Marko - Co-Founder

Marko

Owner

  • CrossFit Level 2 Trainer
  • Crossfit Kids
  • asca level 1 Coach
  • CERT 3 AND 4 IN FITNESS
  • Concept2 Certified Instructor (Dark Horse Rowing)
  • CERTIFIED CONDITIONING COACH (BIOFORCE)

Marko has always embraced the evolution of constantly striving to become better in all that you do through hard work, evident in his substantial success at a young age in martial arts, soccer, and competitive swimming. He is also passionate about CrossFit, having trained and competed in CrossFit gyms in Sydney for many years.

For over 15 years now, Marko has been committed to improving the lives of everybody around him, molding young athletes across all sports and creating a space for people to reach their highest potential. He has built a unique and dynamic style of training which incorporates CrossFit training and has had dramatic effects on people’s fitness journeys.

This esteemed experience, together with his tried and tested approach, is how Marko knows exactly what it takes for a person or group of people to collectively obtain excellence in their CrossFit training and overall fitness journey.

Jayden - Head Coach

Jayden

Manager

  • ASCA Level 2 Coach
  • Weightlifting Level 2 Trainer -Burgener Strength
  • Concept2 Certified Instructor – Dark Horse Rowing
  • Certified Conditioning Coach – Bioforce
  • Cert III & Cert IV in fitness
  • CrossFit Level 2 Trainer / CrossFit Kids

Jayden Azzopardi is the Head Coach and Manager at Botany Fitness.

Jayden brings over seven years of active coaching experience across strength and conditioning, Olympic lifting, and sport-specific fitness — working with everyone from everyday athletes to high-performance sport programmes. His methods are built on a rare combination: the academic rigour of industry-leading certifications and the lived experience of competing and performing at the highest levels of sport.

As an athlete, Jayden has operated at the elite end of two demanding disciplines. In Rugby League, he progressed through senior high-performance units and leadership squads at the Canterbury Bulldogs, before representing his country as an international test match representative. In CrossFit, he has ranked among the top 30 fittest males in Australia — a two-time CrossFit Games Semi-Finals qualifier (2021 Team, 2023 Individual) and a 2023 Madrid Championships Elite Individual competitor.

As a coach, Jayden holds an equally serious credential stack. He is an ASCA Level 2 Coach, CrossFit Level 2 Trainer, Weightlifting Level 2 Trainer under Burgener Strength, Concept2 Certified Instructor, and a Bioforce Certified Conditioning Coach — qualifications that span athletic performance, sport science, and specialist disciplines. Jayden has coached NRLW, NPL1 and American Australian Flag Football Athletes in preperation for LA Olympics 2028. Each one reflects a deliberate investment in his craft, and a standard of knowledge he brings into every session.

Jayden’s approach is meticulous, motivating, and deeply informed by what real performance actually demands. Drawing from his own experiences competing under pressure, he works to build genuine self-belief, sharpen focus under fatigue, and develop the mental resilience to stay composed when it counts. For Jayden, true coaching isn’t complete until an athlete can trust themselves — in training, in competition, and beyond.

George - Director and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Coach

Angelo

Martial Arts Instructor

  • cert III & IV in fitness
  • kick/pad instructor
  • muay thai/taekwondo coach
  • Brown belt in brazilian jiu-jitsu
  • Gracie Jiu-Jitsu – Certified Instructor under Ryron Gracie and Rener Gracie

Accumulating more than 20 years experience in Taekwondo and Muay Thai, Angelo has always held immense passion for learning different Sports.

His 8 years of dedicated practice to the Fitness industry has led him to create many sustainable lifetime changes to clients of all ages and fitness levels.

Angelos positive energy and direct outlook towards dedicated and committed coaching drives all in his presence to achieve their fitness goals.

Corey - Coach

Enzo

Coach

Qualified Fields:

  • Strength and Conditioning Level 1
  • CrossFit Level 1

Enzo brings a lifetime of sports experience to his coaching, having excelled in a variety of disciplines such as soccer, oztag, and basketball. His background has gifted him with a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in athletics.

He thrives on guiding individuals and groups alike, helping them achieve their health and fitness goals through well-crafted, dynamic training sessions, which he has been coaching for 6+ months

Enzo’s friendly and engaging presence makes him a favorite among members. He takes great pride in the personal achievements of each individual, showcasing a supportive environment where everyone’s goals are celebrated.

His passion for community involvement and his dedication to personal and collective growth are infectious. Enzo is constantly pursuing knowledge to better himself and, in turn, inspire and elevate those around him to new heights of wellness and athletic performance.

coach Rich with his arms crossed

GRANT

Jiu-Jitsu Instructor

Coaching Credentials:

  • Purple Belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
  • Gracie Jiu-Jitsu – Certified Instructor under Ryron Gracie and Rener Gracie

Grant’s passion for Jiu-Jitsu is infectious – and it shows the moment he steps on the mat. A proud pillar of the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu community, Grant has been part of our team for two years and brings an energy and commitment to the craft that raises the standard for everyone around him.

Whether you’re stepping onto the mat for the first time or you’ve been training for years, Grant meets you where you’re at – pushing you to be better, keeping it real, and making sure you leave every session having learned something. His dedication to the art and to his students is what makes him not just a great instructor, but a genuine cornerstone of what we’re building here.

coach Rich with his arms crossed

COREY

Coach

Coaching Credentials:

  • Cert III & IV in Fitness
  • ASCA Level 1 coach
  • Burgener Level 1 Coach
  • CrossFit Level 2

Corey has been involved in sports for over 15 years and coaching professionally for the last 5+. His competitive background spans Boxing, OzTag, Rugby 7s, Rugby League — and has competed in CrossFit events.

One of his proudest moments for Corey athletically was representing his culture at the Hong Kong 7s.

Corey coaches because changing someone’s life physically, mentally and emotionally is the most rewarding thing he knows. Being part of that journey is what drives him every day.

Carl - Chief Instructor

Carl Halley

Chief Instructor (Tactical Krav Maga)

International Chief Instructor Carl lives and breathes for being well prepared to encounter life’s important situations. His experience in dealing with real world violence as a security professional is unimaginable, demonstrating his knowledge and dedication in the passion he shows when teaching others.

  • 6 years in the Merchant Navy
  • 12 years R.A.A.F (res)
  • 35 years Teaching Defensive Tactics
  • 30 years National and International Security
coach Laura with her arms crossed

FRANcesco

Coach

Coaching Credentials:

  • National Judo Athlete.
  • 5+ Years Youth Judo Instructor
  • CrossFit Level 1

Fran brings over 20 years of national-level judo experience from Italy, where he also spent five years coaching children aged 5 to 12. After relocating to Australia, Fran discovered CrossFit as a new outlet for his competitive spirit and love of training. He thrives on learning new movements and refining technique, which continues to motivate him beyond competition.

Fran’s coaching is driven by a passion to help others experience the same satisfaction, confidence, and sense of achievement that fitness has brought to his own life. His goal is to inspire every athlete to challenge themselves and discover what they’re truly capable of—both in and out of the gym.