True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jay Melhado
Welcome to True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join your host Jay Melhado as he chats with some of the top Canadian Sport & Human Performance Practitioners.
This show's aim is to not only highlight the great work being done by our guests but also get to know them outside of their professional environment. We also hope to uncover the "through-lines" that connect us all, further build the sports performance community in Canada and share some lessons and laughs along the way.
Looking forward to having you join us!
Join me this episode as I catch up with Taylor Evernden who is one of the Co-Oweners and the Director of Performance at Orka Performance in Calgary, Alberta.
We dig into Taylor’s journey into the performance field and get to know him through the “rapid fire” portion of the show. We discuss how coaches can develop a system to efficiently and effectively return athletes and clients to performance and sport from injury. We also chat about how the utilization of sports technologies fit into the Orka’s framework of rehab and performance to create exit criterias for their return to play stages and how performance coaches can work together with the athletes health care team as they navigate the many ups and downs of returning from injuries. Orka has a tremendous learning opportunity for those working in performance through their “Plinth to Podium” which is an immersive weekend which takes you through their entire rehab and performance system.
This was a great conversation with Taylor for all those working to support their athletes and clients through the injury process. Make sure to check out Taylor on Instagram at and Orka at and head to orkaperformance.com for more info on their live educational events.
Don't forget to subscribe to the show to make sure you don't miss when new episodes are released.
Welcome to Episode 26 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast
Join me this episode as I catch up with Sam Eyles-Frayne who is the Coordinator High Performance, Strength & Conditioning at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.
We dig into Sam's journey into the Strength & Conditioning field and get to know her through the “rapid fire” portion of the show. We discuss how coaches looking to get into University/College environments can set clear expectations for coaches and administrators during the process of growing a department. We also chat about her new initiative and podcast “IntHERsections” which aims to “empower & foster a supportive community of young female students and professionals in the world of sport and science.”
This was a great conversation as Sam prepares for the return of the student-atheltes in the fall. Make sure to check out Sam on Instagram @coach_sam.ef and IntHERsections @intersections
Welcome to Episode 25 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Brayden Miller who is the Sports Science/Strength & Conditioning Coordinator of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League.
We dig into Brayden's journey into the Strength & Conditioning field and his role with the Blue Bombers. We discuss the training schedule and challenges that come in the CFL, how he separates the roster into different training groups and how important it is to communicate with your athletes, especially when you are new to a role or sport.
This was a great conversation as Brayden prepares for another successful CFL season. Make sure to check out Brayden on Instagram @brayden_miller1 as he shares some great insights in his training process with the Blue Bombers
Welcome to Episode 24 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Jennifer, Love who is the Head Athletic Therapist of the Sarnia Sting Hockey Club in the Ontario Hockey League.
We dig into Jennifer's journey into the Athletic Therapy field and her role with the Sting. We discuss some of the performance gaps that she has seen in her 3 years with the Sting as young players enter the Ontario Hockey League and how performance coaches can help them prepare for the physical and emotional side of playing in the OHL. We chat about some of the performance testing they do, as well as how she works with the Strength and Conditioning Coach during the return to play process when injuries occur. We also have fun with some of the things she didn't expect to be part of the role, like assisting with equipment, laundry and even being a part of player's pre-game rituals!
This is such a great discussion for those working with hockey players with aspirations of playing in the OHL/CHL as well as practitioners who are working towards a career in high-level hockey. Make sure to check out Jennifer on Instagram @lovefitnesstrainingat as she shares a ton of insights into her role with the Sting.
Welcome to Episode 23 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Tanner Care, who is the Director of Performance: Head of Strength & Conditioning of the Vancouver Bandits as well as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia.
We dig into Tanner's journey in the sports performance field from athlete, to the private sector, to his current role out west with the Vancouver Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. We chat about how professional sport and the athletes in the CEBL differ from the student-athletes in the collegiate setting, how he created 3 classifications to their In-Season lifts to deliver a clarity of expectations for the players, how the logistics of professional sport really challenged and helped to grow his ability and understanding of periodization, as well what he's excited about for year 2!
This is such a great discussion with a ton of takeaways for those working in the team setting. Make sure to check out Tanner on Instagram @coach.care as he shares a ton of insights into his coaching.
Welcome to Episode 22 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Sheldon Persad, who is a Strength & Conditioning Coach and Co-Owner of Personal Best Health & Performance which provides comprehensive health, wellness and high performance services to corporations and individual clients. Sheldon is also the Senior Advisor, Business Performance at the Canadian Sports Centre - Ontario where he leads the strategic planning of the organization and oversees strategic partnerships with external clientele. Sheldon is based out of Toronto, Ontario.
We dig into Sheldon's journey into the strength and conditioning and coaching field which has spanned close to 40 years! Sheldon and I chat about his role in the creation of two national organizations the Certified Professional Trainers Network and most recently the Canadian Strength and Conditioning Association where he served as the Inaugural President. We also touch on advice for young coaches, surrounding yourself with a diverse group of mentors as well as the changes he has seen in the industry since co-founding Personal Best in 1991.
It was such a pleasure to have Sheldon on the show as his passion for helping his clients and the field as a whole really shone through. You can connect with Sheldon by visiting personalbest.ca
Welcome to Episode 21 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Danielle Rancourt, who is the CEO/Lead Dietitian at Pivot Nutrition Coaching. Danielle is originally from Sudbury, Ontario but now calls Grand Forks, North Dakota (USA) home.
We dig into Danielle's journey into the nutrition coaching field, how her personal experiences as a former NCAA Division I hockey player showed her the impact proper fueling can have on sport performance. We also chat about her "pivot" into starting her own nutrition coaching business, the Four-Phase Approach to Sustainable Results of Pivot Nutrition Coaching, how working from home may lead to changes in peoples nutritional habits, things to consider if you are looking to add nutritional services to your gym or training business.
This was a great discussion with some practical takeaways as we are a couple of months removed from New Years resolutions.
You can connect with Danielle via Instagram @dani_the_rd or her website www.pivotnutritioncoaching.com. She also has a great podcast called "But First, Pivot" where she shares her "all foods fit approach and real life client success stories to inspire you to pivot away from all the fad diet nonsense and confusion!"
Welcome to Episode 20 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Carmen Bott, who is the Founder/Sports Performance Coach at Coach Bott Consulting Services, as well as a Full-Time Lecturer of Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University. Coach Bott is based out of beautiful Coquitlam, British Columbia.
We dig into Carmen's journey in the the performance coaching field, her extensive background working with a variety of athletes and sports, how to get clear on the demands of the sport when it comes to developing Repeat Sprint Ability, as well as the changes she has seen in the field over her 25 year career.
This was a great discussion as Carmen continues to stay curious and is so open to sharing her wealth of knowledge through her various webinars, e-books, and speaking engagements.
You can connect with Carmen via Instagram @coachbott or her website www.coachbott.com
Thanks to our sponsor Teambuildr check them out at teambuildr.com and start your 30-day FREE trial when signing up with the code "TNS"
Episode 19 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Scott Willgress who is the Physiology/Strength and Conditioning Lead at the Canadian Sports Institute (CSI) Atlantic based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
We dig into Scott's journey in the performance coaching field, what lead him to his position at CSI-Atlantic, what athletes and programs he works with, some of the things that went into the planning and preparation for the Women's Olympic Softball team in the four (five with the Covid-19 Global Pandemic) years leading into the Tokyo Olympics and their historic Bronze medal as well as what the role of a Strength and Conditioning Coach encompasses during the Olympics or major games.
This was a great discussion as Scott gives us some great take-aways on how community outreach can help create relationships with athletes and coaches that may open doors in the future.
You can connect with Scott via Instagram @sdubstrength
Thanks to our sponsor Teambuildr check them out at teambuildr.com and start your 30-day FREE trial when signing up with the code "TNS"
Episode 18 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Callen McGibbon who is an Entrepreneur, CEO and Strength and Conditioning Coach. He is the Founder and Performance Director of Healthy Living Dynamic Fitness Centre as well as the Founder of REPerformance which is a Physical Education Platform/App for Physical & Health Education Teachers. Coach Callen is based in Sudbury, Ontario.
We dig into Callen's journey in the performance coaching field, what lead him to creating REPerformance, his passion around helping students and PHE Teachers build successful pathways in their health and fitness journey. As always we also get to know Callen through outside the weight room through the rapid fire segment.
This was a great discussion and really exciting to see the impact his is making on students and Physical Education and Health departments.
You can connect with Callen via email at callen@reperformanceapp.com to learn more about REPerformance head over to reperformanceapp.com or follow them on Instagram @_reperformance. You can also get in touch with Callen and the team at Healthy Living on Instagram @hlnorth_
Thanks to our sponsor Teambuildr check them out at teambuildr.com and start your 30-day FREE trial when signing up with the code "TNS"
Episode 17 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Katie Mitchell who is a Physiotherapist, Athletic Therapist, Educator and PhD Candidate. Katie is the Founder of Thrive Neurosport Rehabilitation and Performance in Elmira, Ontario.
We dig into Katies's journey in the rehabilitation and performance coaching field, what Neurosport training is and who it is for (spoiler alert...it is not just for concussion rehab), how sport performance coaches, trainers, therapists and sport coaches can integrate Neurosport training into their sessions with and without the use of technology. We wrap up with what she feels is coming next in this exciting and emerging field.
This was a great discussion with a a ton of practical takeaways for both enhancing performance and returning to sport from injury.
You can connect with Kate and Thrive Neurosport via Instagram @thriveneurosport Check out www.thriveneurosport for all of their services as well as to get on the waitlist for her "The Athlete Brain Rehabilitation Course" which combines the foundations of neuroscience and sports medicine to re-frame our perspectives of rehabilitation and performance.
Episode 16 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Richard Sylvester who is the Owner of Essential Performance & Fitness, LTD Advisor with Sport For Life as well as a Newcomer Youth Leadership Coach in Winnipeg, Manitoba. We dig into Richard's journey in the performance coaching field, his PhD research titled "Sprint Characteristics in Youth Female Athletes Across Maturation", setting up an optimal overall training environment - Mental aspect, Emotional aspect, Social aspect, Learning aspect, as well as his work with the Newcomers Youth Leadership Program. We also touch on his thoughts around Long Term Development and Over-Specialization vs Early-Specialization. This was great discussion and I am excited to see what Richard's research will discovery when it comes to training youth female athletes. You can connect with Richard who does many speaking engagements for sport organizations at rsylvester34@hotmail.com via Instagram @richsylvester
Episode 15 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast.
Join me this episode as I catch up with Adrian Wellman who is the Founder, CEO and Head Lifestyle Coach at Priority Me who's purpose "is to support you in creating and sustaining healthy habits, create structure in your life for a sense of ease, and excel in reaching your goals."
We dig into Adrian's journey in the performance and lifestyle coaching field, from co-owning a performance training facility as a Strength Coach/Athletic Therapist to his struggle to thrive vs merely survive which ultimately lead him to create Priority Me with the mission to "help busy individuals take time form themselves and start each day with energy, confidence, and focus". Adrian and I chat about how to create sustainable habits using the Prompt-Pull-Perform-Prize Habit Loop, strategies to overcome the "lack of time" challenge as well as some of his favorite "Habit and Health Hacks".
There are so many great practical takeaways from this episode to help anyone looking to elevate their habits.
You can connect with Adrian at adrian@priorityme.com and via Instagram @adrianwellman as well as the Priority Me Team via Instagram @priority.me and www.priorityme.com
Episode 14 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast.
Join me this episode as I catch up with Roman (RJ) Kaszczij who is the Head Athletic Therapist with the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League (AHL Affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks), located in Abbotsford, British Columbia.
We dig into RJ's journey in the athletic therapy field and path to the AHL, what a "day in the life" is like on the road and at home, how he collaborates with the other members of the performance and coaching staff to return players from injury, as well as what injury trends he is seeing through his experiences working in the Western Hockey League and now American Hockey League and what young players can do to hopefully mitigate some of those injuries.
There are so many great takeaways from this episode and insight into working in professional hockey.
You can connect with RJ via Instagram @romanjunior_k
Episode 13 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast.
Join me this episode as I catch up with Natasha McLaughlin-Chaisson who is a Sports and Performance Dietitian and the Owner of NMC Nutrition, located in Moncton, New Brunswick. Natasha provides education, training and hands-on support to recreational, competitive, Olympic and professional athletes and teams as well as RCMP, First Responders (Fire/Paramedics) and members of the military.
We dig into Natasha's journey in the performance nutrition field, how nutrition and hydration play a major role in recovery, especially within a compressed schedule, ideas around fueling for early morning training sessions (listen for the most Canadian "pre workout" out there, lol), nutritional considerations around travel as well as nutritional strategies for younger athletes.
There are so many great takeaways for athletes and coaches at all levels that are looking to understand the role nutrition plays individual or team performance.
You can connect with Natasha via her website www.nmcnutrition.com and @nmcnutrition via Instagram.
Episode 12 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast.
Join me this episode as I catch up with Sean Holmes who is the Owner and Head Strength Coach at The Dynamic Athlete, located in the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville, Ontario. Sean is also the Head Strength Coach for the Toronto Rock of the National Lacrosse League (NLL).
We dig into Sean's journey in the sports performance field, what the physical demands are in the sport of lacrosse and what has changed over the years in both professional and youth lacrosse strength and conditioning. We also chat about his role with The Toronto Rock and some of the challenges of a "decentralized" sport and how he supports The Rock players.
This was a really fun episode (as you will hear by the laughs) for me, as Sean and I started our careers in sports performance together and it was great to reconnect.
You can connect with Sean via his website www.lacrossesc.com and www.thedymanicathlete.ca and @seanholmeslsc & @dynamic_athlete via Instagram.
Episode 11 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast.
Join me this episode as I catch up with Naomi James who is a Mental Performance Consultant who runs her own Mental Performance Consulting company based in Toronto, Ontario. Her mission is to "help performers overcome the mental barriers that hold them back from achieving their personal level of success."
We dig into what led Naomi into mental performance consulting, her path from varsity basketball player at Bishop's University to her current role helping the clients and teams with the mental side of sport and competition. We chat about how the layoff from competitive sports may be effecting the confidence and nerves of athletes, how to create a pre-performance routine, tips to "unpack" poor performances and what can lead to sport burn out.
You can connect with Naomi via her website www.naomijamesconsulting.com and via Instagram @naomijames_mpc.
Please help grow the show by sharing, rating and subscribing and if there is anyone who you'd like me to have on let me know.
Welcome to Episode 10 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Becky Swan who is the Physical Health & Performance Team Supervisor within the Employee Wellness Unit at the Vancouver Police Department in Vancouver, British Columbia. Becky is also the Founder of Blueline Vitality, which provides various wellness information and resources specifically for law enforcement or those helping officers.
We dig into what led Becky into strength & conditioning and athletic therapy, her path to the Vancouver Police Department and the progression of her role, and the creation of Blueline Vitality. We chat about what factors to consider when working with the law enforcement population like shift schedule, load carriage, stress etc. How she is beginning to utilize technology and educate those she works with on understanding the data from personal fitness and health wearable technologies.
You can connect with Becky via her website www.beckyswan.ca and @bluelinevitality via Instagram. Please share, rate and subscribe to the show to ensure you don't miss when new episodes are released.
Welcome to Episode 9 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Josh Crouse who is the Head of Sports Performance at St. Francis Xavier in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
We dig into what led Josh into strength and conditioning, his path to St. FX, his area of study as he begins his Master’s Degree research as well as his time with Canada’s Women’s Softball Team as they prepared for their bronze medal run at the Tokyo Olympics this past summer.
You can connect with Josh at @jcrou_22 and the St. FX Sports Performance Department via Instagram at @stfx_strength. Please share, rate and subscribe to the show to ensure you don't miss when new episodes are released.
Welcome to Episode 8 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Alanna Coulson who is the Lead Coach - Fitness & Performance at the University of Toronto. We dig into what led Alanna into strength and conditioning and her path to U of T, how they create learning opportunities for their Under-Graduate and Master's students and some of the things they are digging into to continue to grow the S&C Department and support the student-athletes at U of T. You can connect with Alanna at @a.n.coulson and the U of T S&C Department via Instagram at @bluesstrength. Please share, rate and subscribe to the show to ensure you don't miss when new episodes are released.
Welcome to Episode 7 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I catch up with Vince Lucente who is the Owner/CEO and Sports Science Coordinator at Atlantic Sports Performance which has two facilities in Nova Scotia. Both the Dartmouth and Bridgewater facility's mission is "to motivate, educate, and inspire our members to be the best version of themselves every day through our transformational client-centered coaching programs." We dig into what led Vince to create ASP, how they utilize sports technology to gain actionable insights into their clients, as well as what to consider when bringing sports technology into your facility or methodology. There is also so much more than "x's & o's" in this conversation as we also chat about quality of life, sustainability and burn out in the coaching field. You can connect with Vince and Atlantic Sports Performance via Instagram @coachvince_asp , @asp.dartmouth and @asp.bridgewater and through the respective websites www.aspdartmouth.ca and www.aspbridgewater.ca Please share, rate and subscribe to the show to ensure you don't miss when new episodes are released.
Welcome to Episode 6 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast.
Join me this episode as I catch up with Lens-Harly Louis, who is the Founder of a Montreal based recover technology company called Recover Vibe. Their mission is to "help the world recover faster and live a pain free lifestyle through the percussion therapy, compression therapy and more"
We will dig into his path from a basketball student-athlete who struggled with multiple injuries, his search for ways to recover faster and stay healthy which lead to creating the Recover Vibe Pro percussion therapy tool as well as what areas of recovery are on the horizon. The timing of this episode couldn't be better as the amount of our training and activity volume may be increasing due to preparing for the fall seasons or summer weather. Whichever is the case, we want to make sure we are recovering so our bodies can come back ready for our next session/adventure.
You can connect with Lens and the Recover Vibe team through their website www.recovervibe.com , social media @recovervibe or via email at llouis@recovervibe.com
Please share, rate and subscribe to the show to ensure you don't miss when new episodes are released.
Welcome to Episode 5 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast.
Join me this episode as I catch up with Tommy Gingras, who is a Sports Performance Coach as well as a Track and Field Sprints Coach. I have known Tommy for many years, first working with him when he was a high school student-athlete and now as close colleagues, so it was great to have some fun with him during the rapid fire portion.
We will dig into his path into coaching, his experiences working with athletes in and outside the sport of track as well as how to take some of the common drills we see on the track into the team sport athlete environment. This is such a great discussion as our athletes start to return to training and sprinting.
Tommy is also the co-host of a podcast called The Speed Strength Show @speedstrengthshow and is doing a fantastic job providing resources for coaches and athletes via his Instagram account @speedstrengthperformance
Please share, rate and subscribe to the show to ensure you don't miss when new episodes are released.
Welcome to Episode 4 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast.
Join me this episode as I catch up with Alena Luciani, who is Founder & Head Coach of Training 2XL which is a performance coaching service based in Toronto, Ontario. "Training 2XL believes that education, integrity, and impact are paramount in the pursuit of a meaningful life, and it's our vision to become a trusted resource in the performance coaching community. Whether you are an athlete of sport, or an athlete of life, we will help you excel."
We will dig into her path which led to the creation and evolution of Training 2XL, the growth of her Cueing & Programming Clinics, some takeaways around communication as well as get to know her outside of the weight room. I can't thank Alena enough for coming on as she has been such an great friend, encouraging presence and mentor for me over the last few years.
Alena is consistently putting out great content via her social media, website and newsletters. You can connect with Alena on Facebook and Instagram @training2xl and through her website www.training2xl.com
Please share, rate and subscribe to the show to ensure you don't miss when new episodes are released.
Welcome to Episode 3 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast.
Join me this episode as I catch up with Cole Hergott, who is currently the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia. Cole also serves as a member of the Advisory Team within the Canadian Strength and Conditioning Association.
We will dig into his path from former TWU Varsity Men's Hockey Student-Athlete to leading the Strength and Conditioning Program, as well as get to know him through the "rapid fire" questions. We also chat about the unique challenges of growing a successful strength and conditioning department as a "one person band" who is responsible for 13 teams! There are so many great takeaways from our discussion, as many of us start our careers in an environment like Cole's. Needing to wear many hats and working with various sports, coaches and student-athletes.
You can connect with Cole and the Trinity Western S&C Program via social media at @twustrength and cole.hergott@twu.ca
Please share, rate and subscribe to the show to ensure you don't miss when new episodes are released.
Welcome to Episode 2 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast.
Join me this episode as I catch up with one of my closest friends in and out of the performance world, Larry Hunter. Larry is currently the Strength Coach for the Men's Basketball team at McGill University, a Strength and Skill Coach at Heritage Regional High School and Personal Trainer at Club Sportif MAA in Montreal, Quebec.
We will dig into his very unique path into sport performance and personal training and get to know him through the "rapid fire" questions. We also chat about what his process is to filter all the training information/concepts that are out there through the different lens he utilizes within his various environments. This is a great discussion as we enter the "continue education/conference season" and are picking up so many new ideas but want to make sure we don't "throw the baby out with the bath water".
You can connect with Larry via social media at @hunterathletic2
Please share, rate and subscribe to the show to ensure you don't miss when new episodes are released.
Welcome to Episode 1 of True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join me this episode as I lay out the format of the show, chat about my path in the Sports Performance industry, why I started this show and answer some of the fun "Rapid Fire" questions I will be taking my guests through.
Please share, rate and subscribe to the show to ensure you don't miss when new episodes are released.
Welcome to the Launch Trailer for True North Strong: A Sports Performance Podcast. Join your host, Performance Coach Jay Melhado as he chats with some of the top Canadian Sports Performance Practitioners. This shows aim is to not only highlight the great work being done by our guests but also get to know them outside of their professional environment. We hope to uncover the "through-lines" that connect us all, further the growth of the sports performance community in Canada and share some lessons and laughs along the way. Looking forward to having you join us!