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Cave Strength & Conditioning
Meet The Team
Meet The Team
Our amazing team of coaches share a passion for fitness and help us instil this passion for training and a healthy lifestyle in our clients.
BEC
Director of Strength & Conditioning Gym/ Head coach/ Business owner
Bec has been working full-time in the fitness industry for 22 years, starting as an enthusiastic 18-year-old eager to learn and help people.
What began as a high school hobby turned into a lifelong passion for Bec. Her fitness journey started with a focus on running and endurance before developing a keen interest in strength training.
She has competed in numerous competitions, including Powerlifting, Strongman, CrossFit, and Olympic Weightlifting, reaching both State and National levels.
In 2013, Bec founded The Cave with the vision of creating a welcoming space where anyone—regardless of experience—can learn to lift weights safely and achieve their fitness goals.
She is an absolute master mind of a Strength and Conditioning gym programmer and all the Cave gym programs to date have been created by her. Bec continues to write the programmes, inspire and support others in becoming their strongest selves.
Fun Fact about Bec – She has 12 siblings
Qualifications:
- Cert IV – Fitness
- Cert IV – Soft Tissue Therapy
- ASCA – Strength and Conditioning Coach
- AWF Sports Power Coach (Olympic Weightlifting)
- SFG Strongfirst Kettlebell Instructor Level 1
- AIK Kettlebell Instructor Level 2
- International Strentgh System Level 1 Coach (Sebastian Oreb)
- LLLS Certification (Training Elderly populations)
- Crossfit Level 1 Certificate
- Crossfit Gymnastics Trainer
- Crossfit Strongman Trainer
- Les Mills (RPM/BodyPump/Body Attack)
- Numerous seminars with top tier Strength Coaches in the fields of Powerlifting/Strongman/Weightlifting and Strength Rehabilitation
Nathan has 12 years of experience as a physiotherapist, successfully treating thousands of patients across various settings, from elite sports to occupational rehabilitation and aged care.
Nathan has a deep passion for Strength & Conditioning rehabilitation, shaped by his own experiences as a professional ice hockey player and physiotherapist.
He played in the AIHL for Melbourne Ice and Perth Thunder, as well as in the German Bayernliga and Junior A hockey in Canada. Having personally recovered from multiple severe injuries, including a spinal cord injury in June 2023 that initially left him paralyzed, Nathan defied expectations and rehabilitated himself back to lifting, running, and cycling. His diverse experience includes working with refugees, FIFO physiotherapy in mining operations, and applying strength-based rehabilitation to aged care.
Now, he channels his expertise into growing and developing the rehabilitation side of The Cave Strength and Rehabilitation, with a strong focus on mentoring his team.
Fun Fact about Nate – Canadian born and raised from the town Arnprior, Ontarior in the Ottawa Valley. In 2009 Nate was scouted for the Melbourne Ice Hockey team and permanently moved to Australia in 2012.
Qualifications:
- Honours Bachelor of Sport and Physical Health Education – Laurentian University
- Masters of Physiotherapy – University of Queensland
- Level 2 sport strength and conditioning certificates
- Advanced certificate in dry needling
NATHAN LACASSE
Director of Rehabilitation/ Business owner/ Senior Physiotherapist
BRAYDEN WESTWOOD
Chiropractor
Brayden has been working in the industry for over 3 years across several clinics. Even before graduating Brayden knew he had a passion for working with highly motivated athletes to rehabilitate their complex sporting injuries and help them return safely to their sport.
Brayden grew up playing a wide variety of sports including rugby league, rugby union, basketball, Australian rules football and excelled in long distance running, so this pathway always made sense to him. However, since working at The Cave Strength and Conditioning, he has found that working with complex chronic pain patients to decrease their pain, increase their strength and improve many aspects of their day-to-day life is now equal to if not more of a passion to him.
“The vast majority of new patients who come to the Cave Strength and Conditioning clinic have been in pain for years and come with multiple complex diagnoses. Having the ability to work in an ethical environment where the evidence-based approach yields the results that speak for themselves, is something that I’m very grateful for. It definitely gives me a feeling of purpose and I am extremely motivated to do everything I possibly can, now and in the future, to positively affect any patient that walks through the clinic doors.”
Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Clinical Chiropractic
- Certificate in Dry Needling
- Cert 3 & Cert 4 in fitness
Wes has worked as a chiropractor for the past 5 years with a specific interest in injury rehabilitation and return to sport. He has always had an interest in the musculoskeletal system, specifically, rehabilitation and injury management. Wes’s number one goal is working closely with his patients and helping them achieve their rehab goals, returning them to full function as quickly as possible.
Wes loves making the most of my spare time outdoors, playing cricket, golf, gymming and running! He also thoroughly enjoys developing return to run plans and helping people prepare for long distance running through strength training and running programs!
Fun facts about Wes -” I love spending time with my Kitten Mavis and teaching her cool at home tricks”
Qualifications:
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Clinical Chiropractic
- Certificate in Dry Needling
WESLEY NAIDOO
Chiropractor
VANESSA NEWICK
Coach
Vanessa has 14 years’ worth of experience in the fitness industry from Group Fitness to Personal Training/ Coaching at the Cave. She has competed in IFBB in figure Competition and Competed at State Leave Netball.
If she’s not coaching at the Cave you will find her back with the crew doing the workouts. Vanessa is Interested in all things fitness, she is known for always training in any and all types of exercise. She loves trying anything new involving the outdoors. When she isn’t training Vanessa likes to cook to relax.
Fun facts about Vanessa – She studied TEE Art and Design back in the day and wanted to be an Art Teacher. “I can actually draw as well” – Vanessa
Qualifications:
- Certificate 3 & 4 in fitness
- Strong Pilates
- Kimax Boxing
- Lesmill Grit Series and RPM
- Metafit / Hiistep
- Rollaflex / TRX
- Aqua and Swim Safety/Aqua Instructor
Tara has worked in the fitness industry since “the days of horse and cart lol” – Tara, which is actually about 35 years on and off. She has a special interest in holistic health, Menopause and autoimmune diseases and is looking to further her education on these in the incoming year. Tara absolutely LOVES dogs, training and spending quality time with family and close friends Laughing.
Fun Facts about Tara – Tara has had 4 children, the youngest two being twins.
Qualifications:
- Cert 3 & 4 in fitness
- Strength for Life Instructor (seniors)
- MyMT Weight Loss coach Level 1
- MyMT Lifestyle Practitioner
- FMA Strength Institute Level 1 Cert
TARA RUSCOE
Coach
SHELBY RUSCOE
Coach
Shelby has been into fitness and training for 7 years and working in the industry for about 4 years! She has her cert 3 & 4 in fitness but is wanting to explore more around the fitness realm with further courses in the near future!
The Cave is pretty much what got her into this lifestyle! Also inspired by her mum (Coach Tara). A goal of Shelby’s for the next upcoming year or so is to push herself out of her comfort zone! With new different challenges, especially try a couple half marathons!
Fun facts about Shelby – Played competitive basketball for 5 years and is a twin.
Qualifications:
- Cert 3 & 4 in fitness