04/25/2026
There are certain people who come into your life and your business at just the right time, and when you look back, you realize they were always meant to be part of the story. For me, Marquis Edwards is one of those people. I first met Marquis in 2012 when he was helping with the strength and conditioning program for JJVA while he was finishing his degree. Even then, there was something different about him. His presence, the way he connected, the way he cared. I knew early on that I wanted him to be part of what I was building. At the time, though, he had his own path to figure out. He stepped into the big box sector, exploring his options and considering whether physical therapy was the direction he wanted to take. And while I respected that, I also knew I wasn’t done crossing paths with him.
In 2017, everything came full circle, and it happened in a way that feels very “Momentum” when I think about it now. Marquis had dinner with Klodi, and that conversation was the turning point. Klodi came back to me afterward and let me know he thought Marquis was ready to join the team. I believe he was one of the factors that led Marquis to choose to come over and join our team. Within a week, things were in motion, and Marquis was transitioning into Momentum full-time. What I didn’t fully realize at the time was just how much of an impact that decision would have, not only on the business, but on our community and on my life personally.
Marquis is not just someone who works here. He is family. I have had the privilege of watching his life unfold in ways that go far beyond the walls of the gym. I watched him fall in love with Cortney in 2020. I was there when he proposed to her at the triathlon. And... this past February, I had the honor of officiating their wedding. Those are not just milestones. Those are moments that define relationships, and they speak to the depth of connection in this place.
When you hear Marquis talk about Momentum, you start to understand exactly why he has made the impact that he has. He describes it as his second home, the reason he is still in Jacksonville at all. There was a moment when he was ready to leave, ready to move back to Orlando with no clear plan, until the right conversation and the right people pulled him back into something bigger. He also talks about love, and I think that’s what sets him apart in a way that is hard to teach. He says, “I love all of the people I work with and the ones that walk through the doors each day ready to put their all into a workout and entrust both the things going on in their lives and their future health with me.” That word, love, shows up again when he talks about the relationships that are built here. Not surface-level interactions, but real care and compassion for the human being showing up day after day, trying to make their life better. That is exactly what we strive for, and Marquis lives it out consistently.
What has always stood out to me is the way this environment has allowed him to become more of himself. He openly shares that outside of the gym, he is not someone who naturally starts conversations or seeks out interaction with strangers. And yet inside these walls, he has grown into someone who not only greets people but truly wants to know them. He wants to go deeper, to make sure every person who walks through our doors feels seen and cared for. That doesn’t happen by accident. That is a reflection of both who he is and what we’ve built together as a community.
Over the years, it is not one single moment that defines his impact, but the consistency of the relationships he has built. He still hears from athletes he coached years ago who are now in college, texting him when they are back in town to train or just catch up. He has clients who have been with him for over a decade, relationships that have evolved into genuine friendships. That level of trust and longevity is rare, and it speaks volumes about the kind of coach and human he is.
From a coaching perspective, Marquis brings a level of confidence and competence that allows clients to feel safe pushing their limits. His background in anatomy and his experience working around injuries give people the ability to move, train, and explore what their bodies are capable of without fear. But what matters even more to him is how people feel along the way. He wants to be known as a coach who leads with compassion and empathy. He understands that while results matter, the journey is where real change happens. The willingness to do hard things, to build new behaviors, to move through discomfort, and to come out stronger on the other side is what he values most.
What has been especially meaningful for me to witness recently is his growth into leadership. He talks about how his role is evolving, how he is becoming a mentor not just to clients but also to the next generation of Momentum coaches.
That shift matters. It means his impact is no longer limited to the people he works with directly, but extends through the team and into every client experience we create. He is helping shape the future of this business in a way that aligns deeply with our values.
When I look at Marquis, I see someone who has grown with us, someone who has poured into this place as much as it has poured into him. I see loyalty, care, and a commitment to doing things the right way, even when it is not the easiest way. And I feel incredibly grateful that a chance meeting in 2012 turned into this. I am grateful that he found his way back in 2017. A dinner conversation helped change the course of his path. And that I have been able to stand alongside him not just as a colleague, but as someone who has become part of my extended family.
This is what Momentum is about. It is about people. It is about relationships. It is about showing up for each other inside and outside of the gym. And Marquis Edwards embodies that in every way.
-Marie
Marquis Edwards BS, CSCS, LMT, ART
