Coach Dale passed his CrossFit Level 3 exam. For anyone who trains at CrossFit Kreis 9, this is worth understanding, because it says something about Dale and something about the gym you have chosen.
What CrossFit Level 3 actually means
CrossFit certifications run from Level 1 to Level 4. Most coaches working in gyms today hold a Level 1 or Level 2 certificate. These are entry-level credentials that allow someone to teach CrossFit classes. They are a starting point, not an endpoint.
CrossFit Level 3, the Certified CrossFit Trainer (CCFT), is a different category entirely. Candidates must hold a Level 2 certificate and demonstrate significant coaching experience before they are eligible to sit the exam. The exam itself is a rigorous, standardised written test covering the full breadth of CrossFit’s study material and article library. That is not a narrow syllabus. CrossFit has been publishing research, methodology, and movement science for over two decades. Knowing it well enough to pass a standardised test on it requires serious preparation. Many coaches who attempt it do not pass on the first try. Many never attempt it at all.
It is the credential that separates coaches who can run a class from coaches who deeply understand what they are doing and why.
Dale earned it.
Who Dale Is
Dragutin Mrdak, known to everyone at CFK9 as Dale, began his coaching career in 2013. He came to CrossFit through an unlikely door: a birthday gift membership from his brother. What started as a gift became a profession and a philosophy.
Dale’s approach to coaching is built around one idea: move well, move often. He is known among CFK9 members for his sharp eye for movement quality and his ability to see what others miss. Before a problem becomes an injury, Dale tends to notice it. His understanding of how the body moves, adapts, and sometimes breaks down is unusually deep for a coach at any level.
His background spans professional football, bodybuilding coaching, and years of working with people at every point on the fitness spectrum, from complete beginners to competitive athletes. The CCFT credential reflects what CFK9 members already know from experience: Dale is serious about his craft.
What this tells you about CrossFit Kreis 9
Dale’s achievement is not an isolated event. It is part of a pattern.
CrossFit Kreis 9 now has five CrossFit Level 3 certified coaches; Saara, Erik, Lucas, Luke and Dale. This did not happen by accident. It reflects something the coaching team at CFK9 shares: a genuine belief that learning does not stop when you get hired. The pursuit of education is built into the culture here. Coaches at CrossFit Kreis 9 study, examine, test their assumptions, and hold themselves to a standard that goes well beyond what is required to open a gym and run classes.
For members, this matters in ways that are easy to underestimate. When a coach watches you move, the quality of what they see depends entirely on the depth of their knowledge. A coach with a Level 1 certificate sees a workout. A coach with years of study, accumulated experience, and a Level 3 credential sees a person, a pattern, and a possibility.
Why this matters if you train in Zurich
If you are looking for a CrossFit gym in Zurich, the question of coaching quality is the most important one you can ask. Equipment can be replaced. Space can be rented. Coaching expertise takes years to build and cannot be faked.
CrossFit Kreis 9 is located in Zurich Altstetten and has been building its coaching team with this standard in mind since opening. The gym serves a community of members who take their training seriously and expect to be coached by people who do the same.
Five Level 3 coaches. A team that keeps learning. A culture that treats education as ongoing rather than optional.
Dale’s certification is the latest evidence of that. It will not be the last.
Congratulations, Coach. CrossFit Kreis 9 is lucky to have you.