telling their stories: Recent Episodes
Katie Uttley
TACKLE it Health & Wellness Society bring to you “Telling their stories” podcast and monthly TACKLE TALK series. Here you’ll find conversations with coaches, players, and physical and mental health professionals who have faced adversity, poor wellbeing, or have walked alongside someone who has.
Opinions of our guests are their own. We wish to bring perspectives from all sides and walks of life as you can always learn something from someone else’s experience.
Topics may include sensitive issues that deal with mental health, substance abuse, suicide, sexual assault, and more. These may trigger an emotional response from you and you might want to watch and/or listen with a trusted friend or adult.
If at any time you are in crisis, please call KIDS HELP PHONE at 1-800-SUICIDE (784.2433) or visit crississervicescanada.ca. If you are in BC, dial 2-1-1 to connect to programs and services in your community. And if you need immediate help, dial 9-1-1.
If you would like to tell your story, please email us at info@tackleit.org.
“Telling their stories” is hosted by Katie Uttley, founder of TACKLE it.
Stevie Baggs Jr. is veteran CFL and NFL professional football player, actor, motivational speaker, and author.
Baggs played college football at Bethune-Cookman University, where he was a three-time All-American and Mel Blount SBN Defensive Player of the Year not to mention the winner of the Ernie Davis award.
He was signed by the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He was a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad in 2005. In 2006, Baggs signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and then signed and played for the Edmonton Eskimos during the 2007 season. Baggs went on to sign with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as a free agent in September 2008. Additionally, Baggs had stints with the Arizona Cardinals, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Baltimore Ravens, and the Calgary Stampeders.
In addition to his athletic career, Baggs was featured in Season 2 of the reality/dating television series Match Made in Heaven. He has also appeared in television shows such as Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta, Necessary Roughness, and Star.
Currently, Baggs has starring roles in Tyler Perry's drama/thriller Ruthless on BET+ and the Netflix series Cobra Kai and the two books he as written are titled "Greater Than The Game" and "Woke".
(Wikipedia)
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Originally from Regina, Saskatchewan, Amanda Ruller, is an accomplished athlete, coach, and inspiration to all.
Ruller has a Bachelor of Kinesiology, Sport and Fitness Administration and Management degree from the University of Regina, was one of the top USports 60 meter sprinters in Canada, and was on the Canadian Olympic Bobsleigh and Skeleton development team.
She played with the LA Temptation and the Atlanta Steam in the United States as well as was named to the Women’s Worlds Canadian Football team. Playing for Team Canada in the World Football Championship game in 2017, the team captured a Silver Medal.
Ruller is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Certified Exercise Physiologist (CEP), as well as Certified Coaching Certificate Level 3. She has a background in Olympic lifting and was on the Saskatchewan Olympic Lifting team.
She was the University of Regina Rams Football team’s Speed coach for the 2019 season and currently is an assistant football coach for the running backs, Special teams, and strength and conditioning with the McMaster Men’s Varsity football program.
In addition to her sporting and athletic achievements, Ruller has an avid interest in sports broadcasting and media. She was the Saskatchewan CFL Roughriders Game Day Host for their inaugural season in Mosaic Stadium. She has also worked as the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League broadcasting host for their game of the month on MaxTV Local Stream. Currently, she is the Game Day Host for the Saskatchewan Rush Lacrosse Club.
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Our tackle talk speaker for this month is KEON RAYMOND, a former professional CFL defensive back, who is now the new head coach and director of football operations for the Prince George Kodiaks of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL).
The Kodiaks were formed in 2020, and is a community-owned training program with several teams for the age groups ranging from U-10 to U-23. He will oversee the development of youth training camps, player development and training, as well as the creation of a non-contact league and to expand the program from Prince George to other northern B.C. communities.
Raymond played his college football at Middle Tennessee State where then signed with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2006, but did not make the playing roster and was cut during training camp.
He went on to play for the Nashville Kats and New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League in 2007 and 2008. Unfortunately, the arena league folded and it looked as though his football days were over. However, he got a call from the CALGARY STAMPEDERS in the CFL and signed with them in 2008 where he went on to play for 8 years with the club. He proceeded to win 2 Grey Cup championships, in 2008 and 2014.
After his 8 years with the Stamps, Keon signed with the Toronto Argonauts in 2016, but only played in 8 games before getting released on August 24, 2016. He went on to sign with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in October later that year and played in the last 2 regular season games and the team's East Semi Final loss to the Edmonton Eskimos.
Raymond is a devout Christian and attended Royal Oak Victory Church in Calgary, Alberta, where he previously resided with his wife, Bianca, and their four children, Keon Jr., Dashaun, Ramael, and Gabrielle.
Photo credit 1: Calgary Stampeders
Photo credit 2: STEVE RUSSELL / TORONTO STAR
Photo credit 3: stampeders.com
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Bryn Roy is a CFL veteran linebacker who was drafted 34th overall by the Montreal Alouettes in the 2012 CFL Draft.
Born in Dalemead, Alberta, Roy's path to the pros is one that is full of determination, passion, and roadblocks that he consistently overcame to pursue the dream of playing professional football and later professional steer wrestling.
Listen now as he shares the lessons that adversity taught him as well as the triumph of perseverance.
Roy currently runs the Bryn Roy Football Combines in Alberta, Canada for high school aged football players. Check it out here - https://www.brynroy.com
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In October's TACKLE TALK, Academy Program Manager at the Canadian Football League Players Association (CFLPA), Jason Langvee, talks about how the CFLPA is assisting in player's mental health and wellness through their Academy.
Langvee has a Master of Science (MS, Kinesiology and Exercise Science) through McMaster University where he defended his Master's with his thesis investigating the effects of mental fatigue on the perceptions of exertion during exercise. He also holds aBachelor of Science, Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour with honours from McMaster.
You can learn more about the CFLPA Academy here - https://cflpa.com/academy/
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In episode 35 of telling their stories, Brad McGhie, former teacher with the Thames Valley Regional School Board at Medway high school in Ontario, gets real with his audience. He specializes in helping "at risk" teens to discover their strengths and to set goals for the week, month and for their career; especially those with a learning disability and/or mental health disorder.
He is the founder of Upstream Synchronized Solutions for Youth Inc., a community-focused, youth-involved, evidence-driven non-profit to promote positive mental health and to prevent problematic substance use in the youth (15-25) population.
McGhie is a retired teacher and coach at Medway for 30 years. He is a graduate of Medway and Western University where he earned a BEd. in Kinesiology and Exercise Science. While at university, he coached for Medway for 4 years.
Over his 30+ years of coaching, he has given thousands of hours of his personal time to the student athletes at Medway, coaching over 80 teams. He has also volunteered his time outside of coaching seasons to work with students to improve their fitness levels through personal training.
President of the Ilderton and District Lions Club, in 2005, he, along with three other teachers, began a campaign to upgrade the athletic facilities at Medway. When a Medway family offered to donate a substantial amount of money to the campaign, the momentum took a quick turn.
With the tremendous support of three of his fellow Lions, discussions between the Thames Valley District School Board, Medway High School and the Ilderton Lions commenced. Their expertise and determination were pivotal to getting the project to where it is today. It took a lot of meetings and compromises on the part of all parties and this committee representing the Lions Club ensured the positions of all parties were taken into account in the outcome.
In 2018, he was awarded the Spirit Award in recognition for his service to the community in the sports field. (https://ildertonlions.org/lion-brad-mcghie-receives-spirit-award/)
Currently, Brad currently serves at Hasket Funeral Homes and is a technician at Blue Jay Irrigation.
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In episode 34 of telling their stories, Human Potential and Success Coach, JT Tsui from the greater Toronto area speaks with us about the important lessons he learned from a hospital bed and how that time allowed him to take major inventory of his life and what he wanted out of it.
JT worked as a Physical Education and Student Success teacher in the Thames Valley District School Board from 2004-2019 before he transitioned from his teaching job and ventured out in his current capacity.
With a BA in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from Western University as well as a BEd. in Health and Physical Education/Fitness from the University of Ottawa, JT has a vast array of knowledge as well as experience in helping people achieve their greatest potential.
He has most recently published, "You Are Greatness: 13 Ideas to Effortlessly Bring Joy, Calm, and Peace Into Your Life" (Vol. 1). You can contact JT on all social media platforms @_JT_Tsui or via his website https://linktr.ee/_jt_tsui.
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September's TACKLE TALK brings to you 3-time CFL All Star and 5x West All Star Linebacker, Alondra Johnson.
Johnson was born in Gardena, California and played his college ball at West Texas State. He made his CFL debut in 1989 with the BC Lions, where he was nominated for the Lion’s most outstanding defensive player. He made his impressive debut with 115 defensive tackles. Known as “the heart of the stampeder defence”, he signed with the Stamps in 1991 and played the next 13 seasons with them.
From his linebacker spot, Johnson finished with 1,095 tackles (second all-time in CFL history) and 83 special teams tackles for a grand total of 1,178 in 248 games. He also had 45 quarterback sacks for 333 yards, 43 tackles for a total loss of 113 yards, 16 fumble recoveries with 3 for touchdowns, 8 forced fumbles, 17 interceptions (one for a TD), and 10 pass knockdowns.
In 19 post-season games, Johnson registered 83 tackles and seven special team tackles for a total of 90, two QB sacks for 22 yards, seven tackles for a loss of eight yards, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one pass knockdown.
In six Grey Cups, Johnson had 27 total tackles, a Grey Cup record, with one quarterback sack for 13 yards in the 2001 game and two tackles for loss in the 1991 final. In the 1998 Grey Cup victory, 26-24 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, he set the CFL record for the most defensive tackles in a Grey Cup game with eight. That 1998 season a total of 87 tackles spurred him to the Norm Freidgate Trophy as the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in the West Division, as well as being named a West Division and CFL All-Star.
As previously mentioned, He was a CFL All-Star in 1995, 1998 and 2000, a West Division All-Star also in 1991, 1992, 1997, 1998 and 2000, and a North All-Star in 1995. Johnson was also the first CFL player to score on a two-point conversion in 1989.
He finished his CFL career in 2004 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
In 2001 and 2002, he received the Stampeder President's Ring Award, voted by his teammates for his inspiration on and off the field.
In 2005, Johnson was inducted into the WTSU Hall of Champions.
In 2009, Johnson was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
In 2010, Johnson was inducted to the Calgary Stampeders Wall of Fame.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alondra_Johnson
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In episode 33 of telling their stories, David Minor, Director for the Canadian Centre for Men and Families in Vancouver, shares with us valuable insight that he has gained working specifically with men through his private practice as well as the CCMF.
David is a registered social worker, councillor and coach.
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In episode 32 of season 2 of telling their stories, founder, Katie Uttley, reflects back on how the pandemic allowed her to create more healthy rhythms of life by cutting her work from full time to part time.
She also gives an update on what season two is going to look like, and the conversational bits that will be explored. Near the end of the podcast, she will share with you what centers her overall life and who is responsible for keeping her here on this earth.
You can listen to Katie's full story in season 1, episode 2. This will help give more context to what she shares.
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In episode 31 of telling their stories, Team Performance and Defensive Line Coach for the Guelph Gryphons football team, Adam Kania, expresses his thoughts on the mental health conversation.
Kania joined the Guelph Gryphon coaching staff in June 2019. He is a former St. FX X-Man (BA. Canadian History) and Waterloo Warrior (Masters of Arts, History). He also spent a year in the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2008.
Listen as he shares his football journey and why the "Serenity Prayer", written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, holds special meaning for him.
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Jim Mullin, Vancouver-based broadcaster, producer and promoter, was elected as President of Football Canada in June of 2019.
He is the producer and host of Krown Gridiron Nation on The Sports Network. He also hosted and produced Krown Countdown U Radio on the TSN Radio Network. He was also the play-by-play voice for SHAW TV/Global TV for 10 years from 2007-2016.
In addition to multiple other broadcasting positions, Mullin is one of the two patrons of the Jon Cornish Trophy, presented annually to the top Canadian in NCAA Football and was one of the project partners behind the proposed Northern 8 football series, which would have scheduled the eight top Canadian university football teams (U Sports) in a series of games for national television.
Mulling shares with us a very personal story of how mental health has affected him directly and how from that, everything that he has done and now does is a direct representation of his upbringing.
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In episode 30 of telling their stories, Executive Director at Life Choice Dynamics, Jack Fulton, gives a message of hope and how he is working to change the loss of hope, depression, addiction and worse, that many professional football players face once their playing days are over.
Statistics show a very high number of professional football players are not equipped to enter into life after football which can lead to a string of personal failures in the workforce, family, and life in general.
Life Choice Dynamics is an advisory board made of past CFL Hall of Fame players and current CFL stars has been formed with the goal of assisting CFL players prepare for the transition from a career in professional football to a successful career after the cheering stops.
LCD is committed to the purpose of "Initiating Change" in the lives of young CFL players who could otherwise be facing a devastating future after football.
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In episode 29 of telling their stories, head coach for the Queen's Women's football club and receiver's coach and community outreach coordinator for the Queen's men's football program, Kwame Osei, reveals some hard lessons that he learned growing up in Rexdale, Ontario. He also gets real about his football journey and how he turned his life around by changing his own narrative.
Osei started playing football in his Grade 9 year before finding his way to StFX University in the AUS conference of U SPORTS. According to the release, Osei signed as a free agent with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL before returning to the Education program at StFX for his final year.
Osei then spent seven years inspiring the next generation of players as a dynamic public speaker, physical education and sports performance teacher and coach at Holy Trinity High School in Fort McMurray, Alberta and a member of the coaching staff for the Team Alberta U16 provincial football team.
Amazing Race Canada Finalist.
CEO of Triumph Elite.
Co- Founder of Northern Elite Football
Author of "If Not Me Then Who"
Author of “Turtle In The Shell”
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Andrew Peirson, Offensive Lineman for the BC Lions from Kingston, Ontario, recently signed a one-year contract extension with the Lions. He dressed for one game in 2019 (vs Saskatchewan) while spending the majority of the season on the club’s practice roster. However, his work ethic earned him a team nomination for the annual Tom Pate Award.
In 2018, he was an undrafted free agent and earned a spot on the Lions’ practice roster and started at centre during the last five games of the regular season for the Lions and earned the start for the East Division Semi-Final against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
In addition, he holds a double major in Finance and Entrepreneurship from Gannon University where he played in 29 games over your four-year career. He also earned multiple Division II academic awards and a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference scholar athlete award in 2015.
Peirson gets real about playing at the pro level and how he believes that using his platform to encourage others with their mental health journey is important to him.
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In episode 28 of telling their stories, quarterback for the University of Alberta Golden Bears, Luke Hornung, gets real about his football journey and the mental health challenges he's faced and how he is using his platform to bring more attention to this issue. He also shares with us a poem that he wrote after a close friend passed by suicide.
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In episode 27 of telling their stories, Nate Taylor, Special Teams and Recruiting Coordinator, Receivers and defensive backs coach for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees gives us some down-to-earth wisdom as well as personal testimony on his own personal football journey.
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In episode 26 of telling their stories, Hall of Fame broadcaster, Rod Pedersen, founded Pedersen Recovery Inc. where he serves as a Sober Coach for athletes and entertainers battling Addictions & Mental Illness, and is an outspoken Recovery Advocate serving as a keynote speaker.
Previously, he spent 20 seasons as Voice of the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders on CKRM Radio.
Among his accomplishments are calling four Grey Cups on national radio and the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships on the Sportsnet Radio Network.
Rod’s career includes 17 years as a play-by-play broadcaster in the Western Hockey League (1993-95 Prince Albert Raiders, 1995-2010 Regina Pats), making him the longest tenured play-by-play man in Regina Pats history. He has also called games for the Great Falls Americans of the AFHL.
Rod has had stints on network television with Rogers Sportsnet and The Score as a regional correspondent.
He’s also a best-selling author and his website RodPedersen.com has twice been voted Canada’s Sports Blog of the Year, with over 25-million all-time hits.
In 2003, he was inducted into Saskatchewan’s Rural Sports Hall of Fame.
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Offensive coordinator with the Calgary Dinos, Pat Sheahan, shares years of valuable insight for April's TACKLE TALK.
Coach Sheahan played college ball for the Concordia Stingers in Montreal, Quebec. He began his collegiate coaching career as the assistant head coach for the McGill Redmen in 1984 until 1988, winning a Vanier Cup championship in 1987.
He was hired as head coach for the Concordia Stingers in 1989 and led the program to their first Vanier Cup appearance in 1998. He then became head coach for the Queen's Golden Gaels in 2000 and won his first Vanier Cup as a head coach in 2009. He was with the Gaels until 2018 when he then made the move to the Calgary Dinos - his current position. He won his third Vanier Cup in 2019 as the offensive coordinator with the Dinos.
Coach Sheahan was named CIS (USports) coach of the year in 2008.
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In episode 25 of telling their stories, Postdoctoral Researcher in Sport for Development and lecturer at HEC Montreal, William Falcao, educates us on various sport development research, the importance of relationships between coach and athlete, and moving from a performance coach to life coach.
Falcao breaks down coaching into 3 types of coaches and how to improve on each aspect of them to become better at coaching and developing young athletes.
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In episode 24 of telling their stories, defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Queen's Gaels, Ryan Bechmanis, talks about recruiting and how the whole family is involved in the process.
Coach Bechmanis talks about his own football journey from playing at Queen's to his stops in his football career to his current position, and how that journey continues to evolve.
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In episode 23 of telling their stories, Coach Jerome Erdman discusses how more education should be made available if it means saving one person's life who is facing mental health challenges or illness.
As the defensive coordinator at Simon Fraser University, Erdman brings a wealth of experience from playing and coaching at the professional level, as well as coaching at the university level.
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In episode 22 of telling their stories, Coach Sonny Wolfe gives us insights from over 50 years of coaching and playing football. Starting as an assistant coach to becoming a head coach with two USports programs, Wolfe discusses how their is no other sport like football and the unique challenges it faces.
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In episode 21 of telling their stories, Brooklyn native (NY), Dr. Frank Lodato, who earned a PhD in Psychology from St. John’s University shares with us years of working in sport psych with some amazing athletes and organizations.
He has worked with quite a few athletes in his day such as; Allen Pitts, Alondra Johnson, Danny Barrett, Travis Lulay, and the list goes on and on.
He counselled the New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and some members of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only team to go through a season undefeated.
He was also associated with the National Hockey League’s Los Angeles Kings for 13 years and also worked with the Boston Bruins during their Stanley Cup-winning season in 2011.
Dr. Frank started with the CFL in 1983 when he worked with the Montreal Concords, whose coaching staff included Wally Buono.
When Buono became the Stampeders’ head coach in 1990, he was brought in as the team’s sports psychologist.
John Huffnagel was on Buono’s staff at the time and later brought Dr. Frank back to work with them when he became head coach and general manager of the Arena Football League’s New Jersey Red Dogs in 1997 and in 2008 when he returned to the Stamps as head coach and GM.
Dr. Frank recently retired from your long career as a sports psychologist.
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March's TACKLE TALK is pleased to have Hall of Famer, Wally Buono, share with us his vast experience as a player and then as a coach and GM in the pros.
As the CFLs all-time winningest coach, Buono drops golden nuggets for all coaches and players to take in. Listen as he discusses his coaching philosophies, his interactions with players, and the values that he built his teams on and the culture that followed.
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In episode 20 of telling their stories, offensive coordinator for the Salisbury Sabres in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Mike Taylor, shares with us his unique sporting background of playing AAA hockey, football being his passion, and had to play rugby instead of football.
Taylor speaks about the pressures of coaching, not only young men, but his own teenage sons who are now entering USports. He brings to us an honest picture of tragedy that he has faced with mental illness in those he has known and how we can prepare our young people to face similar circumstances.
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In episode 19 of telling their stories, we head over to Ontario and speak with head coach of the Korah Colts in Sault Ste. Marie, Tom Annett.
Annett has built a solid program from the ground up and is now reaping the rewards of establishing a strong culture of character and personal relationships.
Through his own football playing past that was riddled with some severe injuries to teaching and coaching at the high school, he shares some valuable points for any program to learn from.
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In episode 18 of telling their stories, Natalie Turpin gives professional insight and direction as to the mental health of our young people in schools today, what to look for, how to interact with teens and pre-teens, and advice on ways to connect both individually and within society.
Turpin has a background in social work and is a registered social worker. She is also a registered clinical counsellor.
She holds a Masters in Counseling Psychology and has been in the field for approximately 15 years, working predominantly with youth as well as an abuse counselor.
Turpin works in the interior of British Columbia.
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In episode 17 of telling their stories, award-winning linebacker in the Canadian Football League and university coach, Jerry Friesen shares with us his football journey from a player to coach.
A graduate of University of Saskatchewan, Friesen was 3 time all-star with the Huskies. In 1994 he was inducted into the Huskie Wall of Fame.
He was drafted by the Montreal Alouettes, playing 48 regular season games with them. He then joined his hometown Saskatchewan Roughriders for 5 years, winning the prestigious Tom Pate Memorial Award for outstanding community service in 1985.
Friesen took up coaching after his playing days. He started with alma mater as an assistant coach for the Saskatchewan Huskies for 10 seasons, winning the Vanier Cup in 1990.
After a year as linebacker coach with the Green Riders, he was defensive coordinator with the Calgary Dinos.
He next spent 10 years as head coach of the Alberta Golden Bears, being named CIS coach of the year in 2004, before he resigned to return to the Riders.
In 2008 he was enshrined in the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame.
Friesen holds a Masters of Arts Leadership from Trinity Western University and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan.
(Wikipedia)
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February's TACKLE TALK welcomes native of Harbor City, California, Jeff Cummins. Cummins enters his 20th season as head coach of the Axemen.
Cummins was named the 2017 AUS and U SPORTS Coach of the Year after posting a 6-2 record.
It was Cummins’ second time being named the National Coach of the Year.
In the summer of 2018, he was the Defensive coordinator with the U19 Team Canada program that won gold in the IFAF U19 World Championship in Mexico City.
Cummins has also been named the AUS Coach of the Year in 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012 and 2017 along with being honored as the National U SPORTS (CIS) Coach of the Year in 2011.
Cummins captured his first of five AUS Football Championship in 2005
and has represented Canada on the World stage previously working with the 2009 Junior National team, the Senior team in 2011 and the 2015 Senior Men’s National team.
A graduate from the University of Oregon Ducks in 1993, he went on to play as a defensive end and tackle in the CFL on various teams including: Las Vegas, Toronto, Ottawa and finishing with Hamilton Tiger Cats, where he captured a Grey Cup in 1999.
From 2001-2003, Cummins played in the Arena Football League with the Toronto Phantoms, Arizona Rattlers, and the Georgia Force.
Cummins makes Wolfville his home with wife Karen, son Joshua and daughter Sydney.
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In episode 16 of telling their stories, Coach Farhan Lalji shares with us his unique perspective on his 31 years as a high school coach as well as from his professional career in sport media.
From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farhan_Lalji)
Lalji was the head coach for the New Westminster Hyacks leading the team to the Subway Bowl in 2017 and came away as the AAA provincial champions. He also served as President of the British Columbia Secondary Schools Football Association. He stepped away after the 2018 season for a break.
Lalji joined TSN in 1997 as an anchor of TSN's flagship sports news program, SportsCentre (then SportsDesk). He currently covers the Canucks, Lions, and Whitecaps FC, as well as other sports stories from around the Vancouver area as SportsCentre's Vancouver Bureau Reporter. He has reported from many of the biggest sporting events in North America, including the Stanley Cup Final, NBA Finals, Grey Cup, MLB and NBA All-Star Games, golf's U.S. Open and PGA Championship, and the 2004, 2006, and 2010 Olympic Games.
Lalji is also a regular contributor on TSN 1040 radio and a fill-in sports anchor at CTV Vancouver. Farhan is a five-time winner of the Best Sports TV Reporter in Vancouver for 2012-15 and 2017 at the Paul Carson Broadcast & Media Awards.[2] In 2016, he was honoured at the awards with a win for Leadership in Philanthropy, due to his high school football coaching and his community service as head coach of the New Westminster Hyacks.
In 2012, Lalji was named New Westminster's Citizen of the Year for his dedication to the community, and in 2010 he was named Provincial Scholastic Coach of the Year at the BC Lions Orange Helmet Awards. In 2004 and 2012 he was runner-up for NFL Canada National Coach of the Year.
Prior to joining TSN, Lalji worked as a sports and weekend news anchor for the CBC from 1995–1997, and a producer and reporter on the ‘Sports Machine’ at CKWX Radio in Vancouver.
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In episode 15 of telling their stories, Coach Jay Prepchuk shares with us his message of positivity and how finding one thing a day that's positive goes a long way to being mentally healthy.
As a graduate from from Handsworth Secondary in British Columbia, Prepchuk starts his story off with relaying his Regina roots and then moving to BC in 7th grade. He earned a football scholarship at SFU where he played Quarterback and set 16 school passing records.
He earned a tryout with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, but never made it and went on to play with the played Vancouver Meralomas. From there, he coached high school football at RC Palmer, Vancouver College, Windsor secondary, and Handsworth Secondary. He won 4 high school championships in his time as well as coached many Team BC teams and other all-star teams.
He was the head coach at UBC from 1999-'00, as well as the QB coach at UBC from 2016-'18. He currently is the QB coach at SFU as he is retired from teaching as a counsellor.
You can't help but smile through this conversation. Thank you, coach, for being so positive and being a role model for the athletes you work with.
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In episode 14 of telling their stories, founder of 'Be the VOICE', Colleen Pirie, shares with us her history with gender based violence, mental health for athletes, and other health and wellness topics that are relevant to today's football athletes.
VOICE is an acronym for ‘Valuable Opportunities to Inspire Change through Empowerment’ and was born from a consultative process with the athletes and community members it serves. You can check it out at bethevoice.ca for more information.
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In episode 13 of telling their stories, head coach and teacher at New Westminster Secondary, Clint Uttley, shares with us his football journey and coaching career thereafter.
Previously, he was the head coach of the McGill Redbird football team (previously known as the Redmen). He also held roles as associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and linebacker coach. He has also been a guest coach at training camps with several teams in the Canadian Football League, notably the Toronto Argonauts (2003, 2005 and 2008) and Calgary Stampeders (2011).
Prior to joining McGill, he was the special teams coordinator and handled defensive backs at the University of British Columbia for two seasons after six campaigns at Acadia University, where he was initially responsible for receivers (2001), then linebackers (2002-03) before serving his final two years with the Axemen as assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2004-05).
Uttley began his coaching career as an assistant with the Huronia Stallions of the Ontario Varsity Football League in Orillia each summer from 1998 to 2002.
A product of Park Street Collegiate Institute in Orillia, he went on to play junior for the Burlington Braves, then played at Champlain Regional College in Lennoxville, Que., where he was part of their 1995 Bol d’Or junior college championship.
Uttley then played five seasons at middle linebacker for Acadia (1996 to 2000) where he was a four-year starter and team captain in his final two seasons. He graduated with a bachelor of arts in 2000, followed by an education degree (2004) and a master’s degree in education (2011).
Thank you, coach, for the great insight from both the player perspective and coach perspective on how to help your athletes take care of their own mental health.
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Our January TACKLE TALK is by Angus Reid, a former CFL player with a successful 13 year career. You can check out Reid's official website here - www.angusreid64.com.
"From a physical and talent perspective, Angus Reid had no business playing professional football for 13 seasons, earning multiple all-stars and winning two Grey Cup Championships. It was through his relentless determination and the extensive guidance of others that his dream became a reality.
Today, Angus travels North America speaking with companies, schools, and teams about what it really takes to make it and win. His successful TEDx talks, “Why We Need High School Football” and “Mastering the Skill of Trust” have garnered him both praise and respect.
Angus has recently released his first book – Thank You, Coach, which has already become an Amazon bestseller, expands on his never-ending gratitude for the good fortune he has been granted by those who have helped shape his success.
He lives in Metro Vancouver with his wife and young family."
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In episode 12 of telling their stories, York University commit, Mackenzie Dunford, shares with us his recent decision to come out and how his mental health journey was affected throughout.
Dunford is a 6'4" 255lbs lineman who had committed to Vanier, but with the pandemic and cancelled season, he was unable to play. Prior to that, he played with Kingston Jr. Gaels and Sydenham High School.
He is now advocating for LGBTQ athletes and has stated a website, LGBTQ in Sports: Bringing the stories of LGBTQ athletes to life.
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In episode 11 of telling their stories, Saskatoon Minor Football's Commissioner Brian Guebert shares his journey on the gridiron and how football was the vehicle that enabled him to get three degrees.
After a brief stint in the CFL, Guebert now focuses on building the sport of football in the Saskatoon area. We discuss what resources are available to minor football players and how playing this past fall during the pandemic was instrumental in many of the young players lives as told by their parents. Sport is essential to many players and sometimes it can be what saves a player's life.
Thanks, Brian, for the great conversation and all you do with SMF and the football community you live in.
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In episode 10 of telling their stories, head coach Michael Faulds at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario shares with us the path his playing career took and how it led him to where he is now coaching.
At the age of 29 years old, Coach Faulds has had success not just as a player but as a head coach. He took a 1-7 team in 2013 to two straight Yates Cups appearances in 2016 and 2017, winning the cup in 2016. That year, he was awarded the OUA and U Sports 'Coach of the Year'.
Aside from his football chops, Faulds has a heart for his players and young recruits. Mental health is an issue that he wants to a part of the solution to helping increase the resources and access to players, not just in his program, but across Canada. He shares some great insight that is useful for all coaches at all levels.
Thank you Coach Faulds for bringing your insight and passion to Tackle it. We appreciate your heart and commitment to your athletes.
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In episode 9 of telling their stories, former McGill football athlete and Masters student, Charles-Antoine Sinotte from Trois-Rivieres in Quebec, shares the challenges and frustrations he had at McGill and how those experiences benefited him now in the sport media realm that he now works in.
He also gives gives some practical tips and tools from his Sport Psychology Masters on how to train your body both physically and mentally to handle adversity and stress.
Thank you, CA, for your candid responses and very good advice for other athletes out there and for coaches who are working to help those athletes through the COVID pandemic.
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Our December TACKLE TALK features Kelly Butler, a 4 year NFL vet and Purdue University Alum. Butler finished his playing career in Winnipeg, Manitoba with the Winnipeg Bluebombers.
As founder of the charity "Playing 4 a Purpose", Butler is giving back to the Winnipeg community through his mentorship program 'DREAM Chasers', athletic performance program 'Recruit Ready', and his work in the community as a foster parent.
Butler speaks about his tumultuous upbringing, along with the murder of his Mother, and deaths of his Father and nephew. He also speaks about how he dealt with being 'cut' from the NFL and the struggle it's been dealing with his own mental health and coming to peace with his past and the people that did not see eye to eye with him.
There are many gold nuggets in this TACKLE TALK that many people can relate to. Thank you, Kelly, for your candidness, honesty, and strength in calling things as you see them.
You can follow Kelly on twitter at @thepushwithkb. He has a weekly podcast where he dives into more detail about his life and journey as a former professional athlete, and now advocates for mental health and the wellbeing of all those he works for and with.
(anchor.fm/thepushwithkb)
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For September, Adam Bighill shares with us his journey from the NCAA to the NFL to his very successful career in the CFL.
Khari Jones understands the highs and lows of being a professional athlete.
A former Most Outstanding Player in the Canadian Football League (CFL), Jones earned the love and respect of CFL fans nationwide during his nine-year career, which included a memorable five-year run with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
His ascent to the top wasn’t easy however. The early stages of Jones’ pro journey involved being a backup pivot, where he felt the pressure to perform or risk being cut. This took a toll on him mentally, but he kept his guard up, worried that if he showed weakness he might be perceived as “vulnerable or weak.”
Jones is just as active as a mental health ambassador off the field. For 14 years, he’s been connected with LivingWorks, a Calgary-based provider of suicide prevention training solutions. The organization hits close to home, as Jones has had people in his life that have dealt with depression and thoughts of suicide.
Leading by example, he’s made a habit of ensuring his players know it’s okay to be vulnerable, especially when it comes to mental health. This is applicable not only at the pro level, but also the amateur sports level, where Jones preaches communication from both player and coach.
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For our October TACKLE TALK Adrian Davis shares firsthand the consequences of poor decision-making.
A former standout at defensive tackle for Montreal’s Vanier College, Davis’ lifetime goal was to play football in the NCAA. In 2002, his dream became a reality when he was recruited to play for Marshall University, an NCAA Division 1 FBS team in Huntington, West Virginia.
As Davis’ career progressed, so did his chances of making it to the NFL. He’d already been drafted by his hometown team, the Montreal Alouettes, in the 2006 CFL draft and was on the rise as his senior year neared closer.
Unfortunately, poor choices led to Davis’ downfall. As an athlete in a small town, he was a “known commodity.” People understood that he played for the football team and due to this, he got caught in “some bad circumstances with some negative people.” The idea of upholding an image and “being some kind of an act” took over his brain much more than football did.
Things came to a head in his junior year, where Davis was arrested at school with drugs, money and scales in his trunk. In the blink of an eye, his shot at the NFL was gone.
Davis will share his story as part of our monthly Tackle Talks series, aimed to inspire and motivate you, as well as show you that other players and coaches have been in your shoes.
In episode 8 of telling their stories, Coach and teacher Gord Randall out of Surrey, British Columbia, shares with us the ups and downs of starting his own high school football program at Sulivan Heights Secondary in BC. He draws on his experience as a former offensive lineman, both with Queen's University and UBC.
We also talk about how social media has added additional stressors to athletes who are already doing more and have more expected of them than their peer group who aren't football players specifically.
Thank you Gord for giving us some great insight as to the energy and passion needed to bring alive a football program from scratch. We appreciate your dedication to the kids and your love of football.
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In episode 7 of 'telling their stories', coach and teacher, Jean Sorphia Guillaume out of Ottawa, Ontario, speaks about his journey immigrating from Haiti to Montreal and his football evolution from Sun Youth to Vanier to the University of Montreal. He goes on to emphasize the importance of education and being a contributing member of the community that you live in.
On a deeper level, Coach Jean speaks about the value of treating your athletes with value and dignity, no matter what they are experiencing. The relationship you have with your players all depends on being authentic and treating the information that they choose to share with you with care.
Thank you, Coach Jean, for all your great insight, both from a social worker and teacher perspective and from the coach and mentor perspective. We appreciate all you do for your athletes.
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In episode 6 of 'telling their stories', coach and teacher, Kevin Garbuio out of Fort McMurray, Alberta, speaks about the mental impact on his athletes from the forest fires, the floods, COVID, and the downturn of the economy - specifically the oil prices.
Coach Garbuio shares with us how he and his coaching staff are working to get better at being able to help their young football athletes work through these circumstances by being pro-active and reaching out to mental health professionals to get training for them as a staff, but also to get help for the athletes and parents.
Listen to the amazing work Coach is doing and some of the great initiatives and awards they have been able to get in order to fund these projects.
Thank you, Kevin, for seeing a need to get better, for bringing in much needed resources for your staff and players, and for loving your program and the community you live in.
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In episode 5 of 'telling their stories', Jamie Corkal, a physiotherapist in London ontario who has been involved in athletics as an athlete and/or coach throughout his life. Previously, he coached football at both the junior and varsity levels most recently with the Kelowna Owls in British Columbia from 2016-2018.
Jamie shares with us his experience with his own mental health and the resources he used in order to help with his struggles. As a coach, Jamie expresses his thoughts on what a coach nowadays needs to do with his athletes and how their mental health and relationship with the coach look much different today than they did even five years ago.
Thank you, Jamie, for sharing your story with us and giving us some tremendous insight to your philosophy of coaching and mentoring.
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On episode 4, I am joined by Jeff Milroy and Chris Cartwright as we discuss mental health from a coaches perspective and also from a preventative strategy and resource perspective.
Jeff Milroy, from University of North Carolina Greensboro, is an assistant professor in the Department of Public Health Education, as well as Associate Director with the Institute to Promote Athlete Health and Wellness.
Chris Cartwright, from Kelowna Secondary in British Columbia, is the Head Football coach and Behaviour Teacher/Attendance Administrator at KSS.
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On episode 3 of telling their stories is Brad Black from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Brad is the founder of the elite football training program, Recruit Ready, which he started in 2013.
Brad shares with us his own personal story as well as his experience with mental health from working at risk youth in Correctional Services, as well as how, as a coach, he puts a premium on the relationships with his athletes to be able to have difficult and meaningful conversations with them.
We also talk about resources that are available for people to get basic level training in mental health as well as what the role of coaches is, or should be, in that.
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As founder of TACKLE it Health & Wellness Society, I decided to share my own personal story. I, too, have struggled with mental health to a point where I decided that it wasn't worth living. Listen to why I am so passionate about mental health and suicide prevention and how my own journey twists and turns down this crazy path that has led me here...with you.
I am comfortable sharing this because I know that my experiences could help others. It also shows that I can 100% related to others who are starring down this same path. I am dedicated to this incredibly important health issue and want to bring these resources to our football community in Canada - or around the world. Mental health is important globally. Let's work together to share our stories, get stronger because of it and end the stigma that still sits on football athletes and athletes in general.
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This past January (2020), 15-year-old rising star Dayton Varga passed away unexpectedly due to suicide. On the field, Dayton — an offensive playmaker — made Saskatchewan's U16 team as a 14-year-old. His talent was recognized on both sides of the border.
His mother, Jenn Varga, speaks of the impact Dayton made in the Saskatchewan football community. We also discuss how the Varga family has dealt with the grieving process, the resources - or lack thereof - that they have accessed or would like to be able to access, and what the future holds.
We appreciate this valuable insight to this important issue and hope that others may learn and get the help they need if they are in a similar situation.
Thank you to Jenn for your bravery and vulnerability. We will continue to honour Dayton's memory.
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INTRO - TACKLE it Health & Wellness Society bring to you “telling their stories” - an interview-based podcast with survivors of suicide, as well as families/friends of Canadian high school and university aged football players who have passed by suicide or who are dealing with mental health challenges. Guest speakers will also include mental health professionals, sport psychologists, and other notable football personalities.
These conversations are a reminder that we are not alone. We hope that these discussions will help honour the memories of those no longer with us, as well as give a voice to those who are still struggling. We also aim to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness among football players.
If you would like to tell your story, please email us at tellyourstory@tackleit.org.
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