Heroes in our Midst: Recent Episodes
Toogood Consulting
We find, celebrate and learn from the heroes that walk in our midst every day. We are honoured to hear the true stories our guests reveal so openly and authentically with us. It is a privilege to capture each hero’s journey and to share their experience and wisdom with our listeners.
“I knew that every single day I had to earn my way there anddo everything possible to become the best version of myself every single day to get to where I am now.”
From the 2nd Grade, Kristen Campbell had a dreamto play in goal for the Canadian Women’s hockey team at the Olympic Games. She has realized the dream of going to the Olympics as part of Team Canada and even more including now being the starting goal tender for Toronto in theProfessional Women’s Hockey League, but she has more to do.
What a time this has been for her and for all of women’shockey and what a chance for us to chat with her and find out what it looks like from the inside.
This is a first for us in that we recorded this podcast LIVEin front an audience of 40 young goaltenders attending her KC Elite Goaltending Camp in Winnipeg on July 8th… listen and be inspired by an incredible story that is still being written.
“My life has just become my new norm – it’s just going totake a lot more effort.”
Lisa Franks was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. An athletic kid with dreams of playing basketball in the Olympic Games. Never did she think that it would be in a wheelchair. But incredibly, after becoming paralyzed from the neck down at the age of 14… Lisa DID make it - to not 1, not 2 but THREE Paralympic Games!! The first 2 as a wheelchair track athlete and the last as part of Team Canada’s Wheelchair Basketball team. She is a world record holder in multiple distances and a Paralympic gold medallist 6 times over and the list goes on.
Never mind that she now lives in a camper van, surfs,mountain bikes and has a passion for making the world, including the outdoors, accessible for all.
But for as many mountaintops as Lisa has reached, she alsolived in some pretty deep, dark valleys and she joins us today as a “hero in our midst” because she was willing to share it all with us. We couldn’t be more grateful for that.
Listen and be inspired.
“I don’t think any of us are in the business of removingchallenge. I think we’re in the business of increasing challenge to the most we can tolerate as a human being. But then, if that human being is being asked to tolerate all of this challenge – how can we build up the human being, how canwe give them the resources they need, the space they need, the rest they need, the understanding of the “why” behind what they’re doing, and the decision-making power.”
– Katrina Monton
In this episode, Katrina Monton is our very special guest.Katrina played Water Polo at the National team level for many years. She was already a carded athlete at the age of 15! She’s an NCAA Division 1 silver medallist, played in 4 or 5 World championships and 2 Pan Am Games. These days,she is passionate about taking all that she has learned along the way and pouring it into her research and her work as an Organizational Psychologist. What a great conversation we had. So, listen and learn how important culture, team dynamics, psychological safety, well-being and belonging are in high performance environments. Enjoy.
“I know what it’s like to not have food in the fridge”
One of the things that Asun Ducharme carries with him fromhis childhood. It wasn’t an easy one but somehow, somewhere, he finds positives in all of it and he is finding his way to greatness. The passion and the drive in this young man will blow you away.
Prepare to be inspired when you listen to Asun and hisstory. He is a linebacker, was the captain of his high school football team and at only 17 years old, what he’s already seen and learned in his short life is more than most of us can imagine. He plays linebacker and he is one of the most passionate individuals I have ever met. He is set on greatness and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get there.
Listen to Asun’s story and don’t forget his name… somedayyou’ll be wanting to say “you knew him when”.
When you open Ray Zahab’s website you will find these threewords.
CHALLENGE. DISTANCE. DISCOVERY.
Exactly what he takes on, on a very regular basis. He takeson new challenges that usually include running long distances and discovering not only the cultures and geography of the places he goes but also, what it takes to truly conquer the challenge in any given location for any distance, in any amount of time. And we’re talking 17,000 km’s PLUS in some of the world’s hottest and driest deserts to some of the coldest places on earth.
How does he accomplish this? He never underestimates hisability to complete the task.
Anything’s possible is an understatement for Ray and hethinks anyone can do anything as long as they put their minds to it and truly find a passion for it.
Listen as Ray shares his “why”, his story and his outlook onlife … in the NOW.
“My life changed when I stopped defining success by acertain limited framework.”
That’s what Juno award winning singer/songwriter Steve Bellsaid, when he decided, along with his manager/producer/sound design partner Dave Zeglinski, that they would leave Nashville and come back home to Manitoba to do locally what they did best… make music on their own terms and share it with others. And it’s worked for them… big time. Steve has shared his music with over half a million people in 15 countries worldwide. He’s played over 30 sold out Symphony concerts across Canada and into the U.S. He’s been awarded 3 JUNOS with another 3 nominations, he’s won 4 Western Canadian Music awards, numerous Gospel MusicAwards and Prairie Music awards too. He was the recipient of the 2012 Queen Elizabeth 2nd’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, was appointed to the Order of Manitoba in 2021 and the Order of Canada in 2022. All of this has led to Steve being one of the best-known Christian musicians in Canada and if you haven’t heard his music, you will want to once you hear his story and our conversationwith him.
You see, his story is NOT what you think… and to say he’smade an impact on the world around him is an understatement…so listen and find out who Steve Bell and what truly makes him a “Hero in our Midst”.
If you were ever wanting to hear the story of someone whohas worked for absolutely everything she’s ever gotten in life, then, you’ve found the right story. Our guest today is Claire Hanna. Most recently, you may have seen Claire on the sidelines of the 2023 Grey Cup championship game as part of the TSN broadcast. Or, you may know her name from the volleyball world, in which, she is a 3-time National champion with the UBC Thunderbirds, she wenton to play pro AND was a member of the Senior National women’s volleyball team for 4 years too. She is a 2-time Canada West libero of the year and even nabbed the CIS Libero of the Year title in 2010.
Claire’s dreams didn’t stop when volleyball ended though.Her dream of becoming a TV broadcaster for TSN was also on her list… and much like she pursued her volleyball dreams, she went after the TV dream too. The best part is she feels the best stories in her life are yet to come… but stop for a bit and listen to this one. But be careful, you may be inspired to put in a whole lot of work after you do.
Enjoy!
“A 30-year reunion… do your ex-teammates want to come sit at a table with you because you scored a bunch of goals or was it because you were a good person and a good teammate? That’s always kind of stuck with me.”
That’s just one of the things recently retired NHL hockeyplayer, Mark Borowiecki said when we chatted about his life story. You see, he was drafted by the Ottawa Senators and played there for a decade before beingtraded to Nashville, where, only recently, his playing career came to an end.
But Mark doesn’t only have a hockey story… he’s been on a mental health journey of his own as well. When he played he was a fighter. A tough guy. But on the inside there were some dark times. He talks about that,his motivation to carry on and how he now wants to use every experience he’s had to help others and with his current job in Professional Player Developmentfor the Nashville Predators, he is poised to do just that!
Take a listen and hear the story for yourself!
“I think the biggest thing is just finding the motivation within yourself. If this is something you want to do and if this is your passion, I think you’ll have no problem having that motivation to succeed.”
Well, 19-year-old hockey player Danny Zhilkin is certainly motivated, and he has been since he was a 9-year-old boy in Russia, when his entire family moved to Canada so that he could pursue his dream of not only making it into the NHL but winning the Stanley Cup. He’s not there yet but with his focus and confidence, truly the sky’s the limit.
Never mind he’s already started “Zhilkin’s Vision”, a foundation committed to creating safe spaces for athletes to speak out and find resources to help with their mental health journeys too.
He is currently playing for the Manitoba Moose in the Winnipeg Jets organization and if you ask him what he needs to do to make it all the way, he’ll tell you this: “Just stay focussed. I know what my goals are and what I need to work on. Putting in the work every single day. Dreaming beyond your beliefs. Dreaming of that Stanley Cup every single day. Keep being motivated and passionate about what I do. Just – keep -- going.”
Listen to Danny’s story and you’ll be cheering him on to do just that.
Enjoy!
“It’s not just about, ‘How can I get a million people to buy my stuff?’ it’s ‘How can I get one person to be affected by the stuff that we are saying and that we are sharing’ – and that for me is this.”
“Heroes in our Midst” host Michelle Sawatzky-Koop said that in conversation with creator Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, when asked about what “Heroes in our Midst” means to her. That’s it. Being the vehicle for some incredible humans to share their stories and then, for us to learn from it all. Sport is an incredible vehicle for stories of challenge, 100% commitment, dedication, hard work, perseverance, pure joy and devastation… potentially all in the same season. We live life in seasons too, so why should we not learn from each other.
In this episode, Michelle and Adrienne look back at their most recent season of guests and find that as they unpack some of the things they’ve heard, the lessons just keep coming.
“It’s more about getting to know yourself deeply and understanding how you work, so that you can show up authentically as yourself and you know how to manage it, so you can get consistency out of your performance when it matters the most.”
Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood
Take a listen and be inspired to listen even more!
“Hard work pays off and we all fall down at some point, theimportant thing is to get back up.”
Those are the words Sara Orlesky ended our conversationwith, in this episode of “Heroes in our Midst”, and the stories she has to tellalong the way lead us to that.
Sara is now the Senior Host and Producer of the Jets contentteam and it’s been a lifetime of stories that has gotten her there. Sara hasbeen “all in” since the day she decided on her chosen career and when you hearher share her life story, you will be amazed at her work ethic and herwillingness to do whatever it took to reach her dreams.
“Winning Amazing Race Canada has made my platform much bigger and I’m able to reach out more to people and be a bigger advocate for brain cancer and every kind of cancer and people with disabilities and people who don’t think they can do something – I’ve proven them WRONG!”
She most certainly has.
Catherine has danced with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, she’s performed on Broadway and yes, won “Amazing Race Canada” all while living with a cancer diagnosis that will, as she will tell you, end her life. But she has NO plans on stopping anytime soon. She is a best friend, a wife, a mother of 2, a champion and an inspiration and advocate for so many!
So, really… who is this incredible human? Listen to find out.
“The harder I work, the luckier I get.”
Dayna Spiring might attribute that quote to her husband, but she certainly lives it.
Every single day she wakes up with purpose and the realization that to be your very best, you can’t escape the work. Dayna is currently the President and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg which includes YES! Winnipeg and Tourism Winnipeg. As the former chief strategy officer and general counsel of the Canadian Wheat Board she did incredible things… she’s a lawyer, a passionate Winnipegger, a tireless volunteer, a Queens’ Platinum Jubilee medal recipient, the first woman to ever have her name engraved on the Grey Cup and so much more!
So, who is she and what’s the story behind all she’s done? You’ll know when you listen to this episode of “Heroes in our Midst” brought to you by Elite Sports Injury in Winnipeg.
Take a listen and be inspired.
“That was my goal since daycare that I was going to play in the Olympics.”
Who sets goals like that in daycare? Venla Hovi, that’s who.
Venla is one of the best female hockey players to ever come out of Finland – she is a 2-time Olympic medalist, a multiple World championship medal winner, a Canadian University National Champion with the Manitoba Bisons, and now, is coaching female professional hockey in the United States. She has an incredible story of big dreams, hard work, and great personal loss but through it all a clear vision of where she wanted to be and what it would take to get there.
Venla always believed in training and hard work. She knew that having the drive to do both would push her onto great things. She was right! But that’s just me trying to tell you what she’s already said – so, if you really want to learn from Venla about reaching excellence, listen to her story and you’ll hear it all.
“My plan to go to Germany was to get a PHD in sport science, to get the highest coaching license in the world and I wanted to play pro soccer in Germany. Those were my three goals and many people told me I was crazy.” – Dr. Vanessa Martinez Lagunas
Some pretty big dreams and she realized them all. Every Single One!
In this episode, you will get to know Dr. Vanessa Martinez Lagunas. Vanessa has been the head coach of the University of Manitoba Bison women’s soccer program since 2013. She holds a PhD in sports science and her playing résumé includes representing her native Mexico from 1999 to 2004 and playing with the Bundesliga Giants Bayern in Munich in the 2007-08 season.
From a young age – she was intrigued with coaching and early on KNEW that that’s what she wanted to be. She combined her pursuit of her coaching levels with her studies, her sport, her passion, her grit, and her belief that anything is possible and today she will tell you how she did it.
Enjoy!
“NOW, go do something with it!”
If there’s anyone who believes that everyone has huge potential and it just takes hard work to realize your dreams, it’s Adam Bighill. He grew up in the States where “Friday Night Lights” was actually a “thing” and he went on to play on the biggest stage in his world of football. He’s been named the CFL’s Most Outstanding defensive player three times, won multiple Grey Cup championships and is proud to call himself a Winnipeg Blue Bomber… still.
No question, hard work is his mantra, but he doesn’t just say it – he backs it up in a big way and his performance on the field proves that every single day. He’d love nothing more than to have us ALL live that way – so, listen and be inspired. According to “Biggie” – anything’s possible.
Thanks SO much to Elite Sports Injury for getting this episode to so many!! Elite Sports Injury, with 5 locations in Winnipeg they are here when we need physiotherapy or massage therapy. Your body's worth it. Make the time for yourself.
“I think this idea, the open hand, sharing what you’ve been given openly… that’s very important to me.” – Dr. Neil Craton
Well, good thing we asked him to join us to share his story! Dr. Neil Craton doesn’t only have his own life’s story to tell. He has countless experiences and examples of what he’s learned along the way from hearing other people’s stories. He is one of the longest standing sports medicine doctors in Manitoba. He has worked with the Bombers and the Jets for years, multiple Olympic and Paralympic athletes, he’s an author, he volunteers at a homeless shelter and he is grounded in a faith that drives him forward in his service to others.
Just one of these things might make him a hero. Combine them all and it leaves no doubt, Neil Craton is most certainly a “Hero in Our Midst”.
Listen and be inspired!
“I want her to know that she can chase her dreams”. That’s what Jill Officer said about her daughter, Camry, because that’s exactly what she has always done – chased her dreams. All her life, Jill wasn’t afraid to put in the work, survive the ups and downs and deal with the pressure to be her very best. And in her case – “her very best” was the best in the world!
Jill curled with Jennifer Jones for many years, winning both the Olympics, and multiple World, National and Provincial championships. She balanced being a mom, working as an RBC Olympian and being a professional athlete and excelled at them all. But it wasn’t always easy. Even winning as much as they did was done in every way imaginable.
In this episode, Jill takes us to some of her most special moments and also some of the most controversial ones too and gives us a front row seat to what it’s like to be the best in the world. Take a listen and enjoy getting to know yet another 'Hero in our Midst'.
“Cindy Klassen, Clara Hughes, Shannon Rempel, Brittany Schussler: I just want to be the next 'one of them'.” – Alexa Scott.
But who IS 21-year-old, long track speed skater Alexa Scott in her own right?
She’s a Canadian Junior champion, a 3-time Canada Winter Games gold medalist, she’s won junior world medals, a world cup medal and she’s already an Olympian having competed in the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing where she finished 12th. But wait, that’s just where she’s been and what she’s done – it’s not who she is! Once you spend some time with her, you will quickly hear that Alexa is a young woman who knows what challenge means… and I’m talking about challenges that went far beyond the track… and she shares them all with us in this episode.
Thanks to Elite Sport Injury for helping us share another story of yet another “Hero in our Midst”. If you want to be inspired by a story of a young lady with fire, passion, courage, resilience, strength and big, big goals – take the time and listen to Alexa Scott tell her story.
No doubt, when you hear the name Cindy Klassen, speed skating and Olympic medals comes to mind. SIX to be exact. The whole world was talking about Cindy Klassen in 2006 when she won FIVE of them in one Winter Games!! But who knew who she really was? YOU will, when you listen to her story. Which includes when Cindy was in Grade 5 and how she entered a bike race with one of her best friends… and her dad looked at her and told her to “Go out as hard as you can and don’t look back.” It seems she took that advice for the rest of her life and never did look back.
Cindy Klassen is a “Hero in our Midst” for more than just her speed on the ice… and she is more than happy to blend in with the rest of us. But much to her chagrin, there are so many reasons she stands out – sit back and listen as Cindy even lets us inside of her head on her way to an Olympic gold medal performance!! Just be prepared to be inspired and impressed with one of the best people we know.
It is exciting for me to introduce our special guest today – Martha McCabe. I’m excited to highlight Martha for a few reasons. First, she’s a 2-time Olympian in swimming and won a bronze medal at the World Championships. Second, she has started “Head to Head”, an incredible program which offers high level athletes a way to transition out of sport and at the same time, make a difference in other people’s lives! Third, she’s just an incredible human being who cares about the person behind every performance.
Through her athletic journey, she learned to deal with disappointment and then, to focus on and celebrate all the little improvements along the way… and she approaches life now in exactly the same way.
Listen to Martha McCabe’s story. Be inspired. Enjoy.
So, this is it. We have reached Episode #60 here at “Heroes in our Midst”. It’s our final guest of Season 2 and we truly believe we’ve saved one of the best for last. This series we’ve focused on incredible people who are “Unapologetically Human”. Dr. Peter Jensen is one of those people. He is one of the most successful performance coaches in the world, working beyond sport into the corporate world as well.
He founded the company “The Third Factor” and if you’d like to know what that is and how it can help you become the best you can be, then, listen. In fact, leaders of all kinds seek him out for help in finding the best ways to communicate with their teams and bring them to greatness… and you don’t have to look any further – we’ve got Peter right here for you to listen to… enjoy.
Today’s episode is all about professional football player DJ Lalama and it is also, all about a partnership that “Heroes in our Midst” is enjoying with ProPrep Academy. DJ is one of the founders of ProPrep and this podcast series is about more than just being an athlete. No question, the journey DJ’s been on in football has been a challenging one, but the human behind every step has never wavered. His motivation to be his very best, to contribute and to get the most out of life has never changed.
When our conversation took place back in March of 2021, DJ was signed to go back to the Montreal Alouettes, but since that was “on pause” he wanted to use his time to give back – and he’s doing that in a big way!! Today, you’ll hear a story filled with change, filled with challenge, filled with falling down but always getting back up again… and his story is definitely “to be continued”… take a listen and you will be inspired by an incredible human who doesn’t know how to ever give up. DJ Lalama is a hero in our midst. Enjoy.
Welcome to the very first “Part 2” of an episode on “Heroes in our Midst”. Last week I had the pleasure of introducing you to Dr. Curt Tribble. If you missed it, he’s at the University of Virginia School of Medicine as Professor of Surgery and the Associate Program Director of the Thoracic Surgery Residency.
A highlight from Part 1 of Curt’s and my chat was how, before surgery, whether a heart transplant or a lung transplant, he’d ask his patient what he or she wants to do when they get well. Talk about instilling hope and trust in your patient, that you are expecting a good outcome and doing your very best to ensure one.
He’s inspiring, he’s passionate, he truly cares and you might be surprised to see who he would say impacted his life in a big way.
Listen to find out. Listen to be inspired. Listen to Dr. Curt Tribble.
This is a first for “Heroes in our Midst”!! We are sharing today’s episode in 2 parts. Dr. Curt Tribble had so much to say and so many great stories to tell that we couldn’t fit it all into one episode. So, we decided to split it into two… this week and next.
Honestly, this guy has done so much in terms of all that he’s studied, all that he’s done, all the lives he’s saved and changed forever and all that he’s researched. He has countless awards to his name and has conducted research around the world.
Presently, he’s at the University of Virginia School of Medicine as Professor of Surgery and the Associate Program Director of the Thoracic Surgery Residency. So, you could say he’s been in some of the highest pressure situations there are… and while he has literally saved lives, and taught others to do the same, he knows that things won’t always end the way he hopes.
His story is inspiring. His work is literally life and death and far from finished. His humanness through it all? Unapologetic!
Listen and get to know Dr. Curt Tribble.
If there was a coach you should look forward to hearing from, it’s Tim Frick. Not just because he’s the winningest team coach in the history of the sport of wheelchair basketball and not just because he’s the only Paralympic coach inducted into the Canadian Sport Hall of Fame but because he’s a people’s coach… he loves his players… the people that they are. People like Terry Fox and Rick Hansen too.
Yeah, he coached them and was a big part of their journeys. Now, he’s more than happy to take all of the winning and the wisdom he has gained and share it with us. So, we’re the lucky ones aren’t we? That is, if you listen. Go ahead and enjoy.
Welcome to another episode of “Heroes in our Midst” and also, another in our partnership with ProPrep Academy. This episode is all about hockey. Actually, it’s all about a pretty incredible human whose goal was to play hockey at the highest level. No question – he was relentless and time and time again, he was in a position where the coaches said, “We have our ‘pen’ guys, you’re in ‘pencil’. We can easily erase you.”
His ability and resolve to take every situation and do the best he could in it, is incredible. In his words, “At the end of the day, you just gotta keep reminding yourself, like, what am I doing to get better today.”
So, how much better did he get? And what happened in the end? Listen to Matt Bailey’s story to find out.
“We are Canada and we better win,”
If you think there isn’t pressure on our Canadian curlers to perform, think again. We are good at that game and someone like Reid Carruthers knows that as well as anyone. In today’s episode, we’re going to get to know Reid and I can hardly wait to share his story with you. Reid is a world champion, is pursuing his dream of representing Canada at the Olympics AND his passion for passing the love of the game of curling on to as many young curlers as he can translates into the running of an unbelievable junior curling camp every summer!
The conversation I had with Reid took place back in January 2021 and after naming his good friend Mike McEwan as the skip of the team HE created, they are poised to take on the rest of the “best in the country” at the Olympic trials in November - an event they just recently qualified for!
Reid’s is a story of determination and dedication to his sport, an unrelenting passion to be the very best he can be and to do whatever it takes to make it so… listen and enjoy.
Today we are getting to know mental performance coach Craig Brown. Craig seems to be one of those guys who never wants to stop learning so that he can keep figuring out how to help others be better. He grew up in Jamaica, loves all sports, and has an even greater passion for the athletes who play them. He completed a Masters in Kinesiology and Recreation Management at the University of Manitoba, with a focus in Sport Psychology and to add to what he’s learned in the classroom, he has volunteered as a student sport psychology consultant with the Bison Women’s soccer team and with Valour FC.
Craig has a deep desire to give voice to the experiences of newcomer athletes and to make a difference in the lives of others. Listen as he shares his personal experience with moving to a brand-new country and finding his place in a field he gave up everything else to pursue.
When I think about the story we’re going to hear today, “love of the game” stands out for me. Paul Dyck grew up in Steinbach, Manitoba and started playing hockey when he was 9 and he begged his parents to sign him up and obviously, it was a good idea! Paul went beyond the borders of his small town to pursue the highest level in his sport that he could and has now, found his way back home and gives back every day to a community that he would tell you has given him so much!
He was drafted back in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft, spent a decade in the International Hockey League and it seems that everywhere he went a championship would follow and that’s both as a player and as a coach. He’s travelled the world to play and ultimately found his way home to give back, coach and lead.
How did he help turn an entire junior hockey program around? How does his story affect how he coaches now? What does he tell his players after all he has experienced? And what happens when you take every single opportunity you’ve been given and pour your whole self into them? You find success and joy in all that you do. Paul Dyck loves hockey and has a passion for passing that on to the young men that he spends every day with… and you will not only hear that, you’ll FEEL that when you listen.
“You own the key to the kingdom”.
That’s what Glenn Bruce tells his athletes all the time. It’s theirs to use and ProPrep Academy provides the team they need to reach excellence. Glenn is part of that team and he’s worked with the best of the best. We’re talking NFL, NHL, CFL, MLS, U-Sport and a whole lot more. Welcome to Episode #5 in our ProPrep series. Today we are in for a treat. Glenn Bruce is known as the “speed guru” and he has given so many athletes the opportunity to compete at the highest levels.
So, how did he become who he is today? How does he do what he does? How did he become SO good at not just being fast, but teaching others to be fast as well? Listen… and learn.
Well, here we go again, another great story to tell. Today’s episode is a really special one for me as I get to share the story of someone I work with every day in the Morning radio business. Someone who grew up in the same small town as I did… graduated from the same high school, the same year and lives here still… Steinbach, Manitoba. Now, for more than 20 years, Corny has performed as Elvis across Canada, the United States and Mexico. He’s competed as Elvis too and was named the Elvis Gospel champion at the 2015 Collingwood Elvis Festival in Ontario, came in 1st place as Grand Champion of the 2017 Penticton Elvis Festival in BC, and then, competed with the top 20 Elvis tribute artists in the world at the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition at none other than Graceland in Memphis!!
Corny is talented, he’s accomplished many things, he’s funny and he truly cares for the people around him.
So, life’s pretty good for Corny Rempel isn’t it? Everyone loves him… but… it wasn’t always like that for Corny Rempel. In fact, for a long time, Corny didn’t even like himself.
Listen to his journey to self-acceptance and true joy in what he does – finding the heroes in HIS community.
Today’s episode, takes us back to the front lines. Gord MacInnes has worked for the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service since 2006 and he’s a Senior Firefighter with the Winnipeg Fire Department. He’s seen things and arrived on scenes that most of us can’t even imagine. He also, like all fire fighters, runs INTO the burning buildings when the rest of us run away.
Away from the fire hall, Gord is married, has 4 children and 2 dogs. On top of all of that, he’s also a strength and conditioning coach on the side as well as a rugby development officer with Rugby Manitoba. Now, sports did play a role in his life, quite a large one actually as he played football at the University of Manitoba in the past and has also travelled the world playing rugby… so, the sports he played and the profession he chose are pretty challenging.
So challenging in fact, that Gord wants to share his story of struggle. He wants to share what it’s really like to put yourself on the line every day for the well-being and safety of others and how, sometimes, it just gets to be too much. And what do you do then? How did Gord find his way back from PTSD, to the work that he loves? How does he carry on and keep himself mentally well?
It’s all in his story.
“For us, not being prepared or not being ready for that moment could mean someone gets hurt or even dies.”
Jeff Schirr said that. Constable Jeff Schirr. A member of the RCMP Emergency Response Team here in Manitoba and truly a hero. With every call that he answers, he puts his life on the line for us all. When situations are at their worst, Jeff and his team step in and do their best to resolve it.
Jeff started out as one of the youngest members in his RCMP troop and after years of preparation and a demanding selection process, his dream came true and he is now a full time part of the Emergency Response Team and he considers what he does an opportunity.
Jeff shares what the training was like, what his “day to day” looks like and HOW he continues to work at such a high level of stress for the good of others.
Once you hear Jeff’s story and his outlook on life, I have no doubt you will leave with optimism, encouragement and motivation to choose happiness and make life what you want it to be no matter what path you are on. Thank you, Jeff, for being a real-life hero and for joining us in this episode.
Today’s guest is one of our Canadian National Softball team’s pitchers, Morgan Rackel. No question, Morgan is an Olympic level athlete but as you will hear from Morgan herself, she is NOT an Olympian. Out of 15 players named to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic team roster, she was #16. Now, being named as the first alternate, Morgan even travelled to Japan with her team, until the day the team took their bus to the Athlete’s Village and her bus took her to the airport to come home. Not how the dream was supposed to end.
So, how does she move forward from here? If you listen, you’ll find out how she’s still working on doing that and we can ALL learn from the honest story she tells. Strong, resilient and a “hero in our midst” and excited to tell it like it is. Enjoy.
When you first meet Matt Johnston, today’s guest of course, I think you’ll be taken by his easy going nature, the humility surrounding everything he’s done and has yet to do and his laugh. The way he talks about his golf, you’d think he wasn’t really that good, but he was! And his travels and journey through his sport and all of the challenges and successes that went along with that, have shaped who he is today and the wellness component he is exploring as we speak. There is a comfort level that you will feel invited to. I did.
So, presently, Matt works in the family business, Johnston Group. They provide insurance coverage to small businesses. He is working on a wellness startup within the company and truly works to keep people well. We’re going to learn about Matt’s athletic background and follow his sport story which, of course, leads far beyond sport. He is one of the most humble people I have come to know and he never ever wants to stop learning. In our chat, he mentions one of his favorite lines, “There is no THERE.” So, I hope you can take a listen and a lesson from Matt Johnston, no question one of the “heroes in our midst”. Enjoy.
It is a distinct pleasure to introduce you to today’s guest. Kathryn Dzikowicz is a small business owner in the fitness industry right here in Manitoba and she has quite a story to tell. Kathryn has been involved in the fitness industry for the past 30 years. Kathryn began her career in Workplace Health and Wellness with Canadian National Railway, she has served on the Board of Directors for the Manitoba Runner’s Association, she’s a founding member of the Winnipeg Workplace Wellness Alliance and she currently donates to the Joy Smith Foundation annually through an International Women’s Day event. She has competed in the Manitoba Bodybuilding Championships in the past, completed 3 full marathons, managed the Urban Wellness Centre in Cityplace for years and was awarded Fitness Leader of the Year with the Manitoba Fitness Council as well. In January of 2017, Kathryn’s dream of opening her own fitness studio became a reality. Blue Sky Fitness and Health Coaching Studio opened it’s doors in January of 2017. Of course, in March of 2020 everything changed and during Covid, she has worked SO hard to continually adapt and adjust by moving online and continuing to create community.
I visited with Kathryn over Zoom in March of 2021, and when you listen – you’ll hear that her life’s journey goes far beyond sport. Kathryn Dzikowicz, is more than a physical trainer to her clients, she is a friend, a colleague, and someone who truly cares about the wellness of all those around her. That truly makes her a “hero in our midst”. What a story of perseverance, strength and putting the care of others first – in every area of her life. We hope you enjoy her story.
“There’s only one true success and that’s to live life in your own way.”
Ace Burpee’s sister said that, and he sure did take it to heart. Ace is as unapologetic and human as anyone I have ever met. He lives in Winnipeg, he’s the Morning Show GUY on Hot 103 Virgin Radio and is happy about it. I would consider Ace a return guest because he’s been here before. He helped us wrap up Season 1 by asking Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood and I about all of our past guests. But that wasn’t about him… today… it is.
Today, we asked Ace to come back as our very special guest because he himself has a great life story to tell. In fact, at this time, when so many people are talking about mental health, there couldn’t be a better time for Ace to share. Not because he has it all figured out but because he too has been on a mental health journey among other things. We just love him. Ace Burpee truly is a difference maker and a “Hero in our Midst”. Enjoy.
Rick Henkewich has spent almost 60 years immersed in the sport of football. Whether as a player or coach, he’s been involved at every single level of the game, with a dedication to never stop learning.
He was the first commissioner of the Winnipeg High School Football League that wasn’t an educator and throughout his time, he’s continued to grow the game and mentor the next generation.
In every episode of “Heroes in our Midst” I just know there’s something for each of us to take away, to learn from and to be inspired by. Many of our guests have been Olympians. Fitting since the 2021 Olympic Games is set to begin in just a few days.
Our guest’s dream was to be an Olympian and he almost met his goal.
Kevin Geyson was a world class diver. In fact, he spent 11 years on the Canadian senior national diving team mainly specializing on 10 meter platform. He had lots of success but not without lots of challenge. He’s a National champion, Pan Am Games and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, and he was ranked top 8 in the world in 10 meter synchro as well.
So, what happened along the way and how is Kevin Geyson doing after all of that – as a human?
You have to hear his story about the coach/athlete relationship, the incredible come back from what should have been a career ending accident just months before trying to qualify, to know the difference between Kevin the robot and Kevin the person and then also to understand what was all part of his journey, the good and the bad.
Now, Kevin’s story doesn’t end with diving even though, diving did, indeed, come to an end without an Olympic trip. He continued into the world of cheerleading where he helped Team Canada win a world championship!
Kevin is now living in Montreal. He’s an athletic therapist and personal trainer and he is still journeying through his experience because as he puts it so well, “Being an athlete is only part of your life, you are a person for the rest of your life.”
Listen to this amazing person tell his story and be inspired.
Every week, I feel like I’m sharing the best episode yet. Well, here we go again. Dr. Cristina Fink is an Olympian AND now a performance psychologist that works with Olympic and professional athletes. Her involvement in sport from so many perspectives has given her a wisdom on performance and on the humans behind it that is beyond most of us. So, that’s why we invited her to share her story. She competed in 2 Olympic Games for her home country of Mexico in the sport of high jump and after that found her way into the world of performance psychology. Cristina’s approach as a psychologist is simple really and yet, unique in it’s simplicity. She really, truly listens and creates a safe space for her athletes to be heard. Perhaps the greatest gift she gives to the athletes she works with is the empowerment that comes from BEING heard… even in hearing yourself.
Seems to me, Dr. Cristina Fink embodies exactly what we are trying to get across with this podcast project… for us all to be unapologetically human, to be OK with our own uniqueness and to own it… whatever it is.
Enjoy your time listening to Dr. Cristina Fink but be prepared to be inspired and to hear things in a way you may not have heard them before. She said it herself, “You never know who you’re gonna impact, and you never know what you’re leaving behind”. I believe her impact is SO far reaching and when you listen – it will impact you as well.
At “Heroes in our Midst” our focus is to find the human behind every story we get to share. We recognize how essential it is to be OK with what IS on the inside. Today’s guest is Lorne Korol. Lorne is a man of faith first. He works as a chaplain with a Christ centered organization called “Athletes in Action” and I am excited for you to get to listen to him share, from the heart, the love and compassion he has for the athletes he spends time with. Not always the Christianity you have the pleasure to hear about. It’s not about religion – it’s about relationship and as chaplain for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the Winnipeg Jets and the Manitoba Moose at the moment, he speaks to and listens to the hearts of some of the top athletes in our province, our country and even in the world of professional sport. He has spent years building relationship and sharing faith.
But faith alone has not exempted Lorne from his own struggles with mental health. They are real and recent. And yet, he continues to be thankful to God for the position he believes that God has put him in to help the young men he works with become complete athletes and more importantly men of character.
Listen as Lorne shares what it’s like to be a chaplain in the professional sport world, what it’s like to rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in sport and how, in the intense world of sport, he helps his athletes find peace, hope and a faith of their own. Through the best times and the worst, it’s truly what’s in your heart, above all else, that matters.
Today’s episode highlights a guy they call “The Coach Doc”. Dr. Wade Gilbert. He is an internationally renowned coaching consultant and award-winning professor in the Department of Kinesiology at California State University – Fresno. He has taught and studied coaching and talent development at the University of Ottawa, UCLA, and Fresno State and is the author of the highly acclaimed book “Coaching Better Every Season.” He is a long-time advisor to the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee Coach Education Department and has counselled coaches and sport organizations around the world in every sport imaginable at the very highest levels. Currently, Wade is also serving as the mental performance coach for the Canadian Women’s Softball team that will be competing in Tokyo this summer!! And after hearing all of that – just think, YOU have the opportunity to listen and learn what he has shared with many coaches, teams and organizations already – right here -- and even more as he shares his personal story too.
Dr. Wade Gilbert certainly leads by example and is relentless in sharing what he has learned along the way with others. If you are a coach of any kind, you WANT to hear this conversation. Enjoy!!
We couldn’t be happier to introduce our guest for today’s episode, broadcasting great, Ron Maclean! Yep – Canadian sportscaster extraordinaire and yet, the guy we all feel like we know. Ron interviews, Ron collects stories, and Ron digs into the background of extraordinary humans himself but now, it’s OUR turn to find out all about HIM!
Ron also sat next to Don Cherry on “Coach’s Corner” for over 3 decades, he’s known for hosting CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, he’s hosted at 12 Olympic Games – and he shares the “behind the scenes” of all of that with me and when we sat down, via Zoom, to chat – he was in his home office and I felt like he had literally invited me right into his home.
Now, Ron’s broadcasting career has not been without challenge or controversy and yet his willingness to be unapologetically human and admit that he is fallible has endeared him to us all and keeps us listening to all that he has to say. He’s still incredibly prepared for each day… he does his research and he cares so deeply to get it right – for his guests and for those of us who continue to watch and listen.
I truly feel that through our conversation, we found the human behind the performance – and you’re going to like what you find underneath it all. Ron Maclean is one of us for sure – and no question, that makes him a “Hero in our Midst”. So, enjoy listening to his incredible repertoire of stories – you will be glad you did!
When Tyler Hodgson first enrolled at Grant Park in middle school, football wasn’t the first thing on his mind. Instead, he went there for the performing arts program.
Hodgson had no previous experience with the sport until grade nine when his buddies convinced him to try it out. The rest is history.
Originally a defensive back in grades nine and ten, a then 5’11” Hodgson shifted to playing both sides of the ball after hitting a massive growth spirt in grade 11.
It was impossible not to notice Hodgson during his senior year of high school in 2016. Now standing at 6’5″ he averaged a ridiculous 25 yards per catch, which drew the eyes of the Winnipeg Rifles who brought him into the fold after he graduated.
Through consistent work and a selfless attitude, he worked his way into a leadership role with the Rifles and is now set to play university football with UBC. This is his story.
Sometimes you know you need to talk about something as soon as possible and mental health seems to be top of mind right now. So, as we have shared the stories of some of our mainstream, frontline healthcare workers in the last 2 weeks, we thought it would be fitting to address mental health too.
A former volleyball teammate and very special personal friend of Michelle’s, Lorriann Ludwig works at the Manitoba Crisis Response Centre under the direction of Dr. James Bolton. Lorriann has become a good friend and follower of “Heroes in our Midst” and suggested that if we wanted to talk about mental health with anyone – it should be Dr. James Bolton, and no wonder. He is the Ruth Hurd Professor in Psychiatry at the University of Manitoba. He is cross appointed as a Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Community Health Sciences at the U of M and is a Scientist at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. As if that wasn’t enough, Dr. Bolton has spent the last 7 years as the Medical Director of the Shared Health Manitoba Crisis Response Centre in Winnipeg.
He has poured himself into the research of mental health, specifically, suicide prevention and he continues to, as part of the National Research Advisory Committee on Suicide and its Prevention.
So, enjoy your chance to learn, by listening to him talk about the incredible challenges that Covid has placed on mental health and so much more.
Enjoy, Dr. James Bolton, another hero in our midst.
There was once a thought that by May of 2021 Covid would be a thing of the past. As we know, it is far from over and so it’s fitting that our focus in this episode is once again on our front-line medical workers in this challenging time. Now, the fact that Dr. Chau Pham is an Emergency Room Physician at the Health Sciences Centre during COVID alone, would make her a hero – add to that, she’s the Ultrasound Director, in the Department of Emergency Medicine, she’s an Assistant Professor, Max Rady College of Medicine and Rady Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba – put that all together and she secures her place in the hero department… but if you ask me – her LIFE story and the person she is because of it, far outweighs her accomplishments in terms of what makes her an incredible human. She does not apologize for being real… she’s not afraid to share the good times AND the bad… and I am sure that after spending this time with us – you’ll feel inspired. You don’t hear a story like Dr. Chau Pham’s very often – I would venture to say maybe never and I am honored that she chose to share it with us from her beginnings as a small child in Vietnam, just 5 years old, put on a boat by her parents, alone, in hopes of reaching a land of more opportunity and a better life for their daughter. What a choice and what a journey to reconcile that choice – from both sides. Chau is now making the most of every single opportunity she has been given and has chosen a life of gratitude and what a difference she is making.
What a story and what a message for us all especially in this time, “We are all in this together”. Let’s continue to strive for that togetherness and not forget it, when we reach the other side of this pandemic and all that it’s brought to our lives.
Dr. Chau Pham – enjoy the journey with us.
Episode 3 of Season 2 of “Heroes in our Midst” takes us into the world of medicine. Today’s story is special, not only because of his extraordinary accomplishments but because of the incredible human that is behind it. We thought it would be especially fitting to share today’s story with you in that our Manitoba medical system is being stretched beyond its limits right now. Most of us have no idea what it looks like on the inside of all of that. We thank our front-line medical workers but we can’t really even imagine how hard it’s been. We hear stories but we also have no idea what or who to believe. So, instead of listening to others telling their stories, we thought we’d just talk to one of our incredible Manitoba doctors himself, Dr. Faisal Siddiqui. Faisal was part of Dr. Cal Botterill’s first High-Performance Physician curriculum and you will hear the impact of that as he shares his story.
Presently, Faisal is an Assistant Professor at the University of Manitoba in the Departments of Anesthesia and Medicine in the Section of Critical Care. He is also the Medical Director for the Surgical ICU at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre. So, if anyone has seen the effect COVID has had on our medical system it’s him. I couldn’t be more grateful that he was willing to sit down with me via Zoom and show us all, the human side of those who truly are our present-day heroes. Of course, the best way to get to know anyone is to hear their story and that’s where I started my conversation with him. Get a tissue.
Troy Scott’s story is SO relevant to the times we are living in. Troy has worked as a teacher and a Vice-Principal in Manitoba’s education system for 20 years and now, is the principal at Oak Park High School in Winnipeg. It’s his first year as principal at Oak Park and it is COVID. Troy is also very closely connected to one of our Season 1 heroes, he’s married to Canadian National Team Diving coach, Dallas Ludwick (Episode 28)… turns out she’s had quite the impact on him and he talks about that in our conversation.
I chatted with Troy in January of 2021, over Zoom of course, and fittingly, I caught up to him in his office… where it all happens. Now, even by the time we dropped this episode, restrictions had changed, and most likely they have already changed again, but you know, even in Pre-Covid times I would say that teaching is one of the noblest of professions. Troy is certainly a “hero in our midst” and represents a lot of people in a similar position who are in the education system in these incredibly tough times. And somehow, they are still finding a way to teach our children but even more importantly – to truly connect with them when they need it the most.
Learn what it’s really like for those in our schools every single day. Hear what it takes to lead a team of teachers through a year like we’ve never experienced before and be inspired by Troy Scott’s unending passion to make an impact on the young people in his care.
Midfielder Desiree Scott’s motto in life is “if you love what you’re doing and you’re willing to work, the sky is the limit.”
Known as “The Destroyer,” to many on the pitch, Scott’s work ethic has propelled her to stardom over the years. A Manitoba grown athlete, she chose to stay home for university, helping the newly-formed U of M soccer team to its best-ever record in 2007 while being named a conference all-star four times.
In 2010, Scott debuted for Team Canada’s senior national team. Just two years later, she helped the squad win a bronze medal at the Olympics, repeating the feat four years later.
Throughout the process, she stayed level, focusing on visualization and doing the little things right to succeed.
“I visualize myself making the first big tackle and connecting with my passes. Just the simple things. My game is very simple. If I do the little things well, the rest will come.”
Scott continues to show out for the middle province to this day. She’s helping develop the next generation of student athletes as the Director of Soccer Operations for Pro Prep Academy, a role she has immense pride in.
“To lay my hand on the soccer landscape is a no-brainer. To do it with like-minded people, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity.”
Winnipeg Blue Bomber Head Coach Mike O’Shea kicks off Season 2 of “Heroes in our Midst” but not only because he was a standout football player, as is proven by the fact that he played for 16 seasons and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2017. Yes, he was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian in 1999 and he knows what winning the Grey Cup is all about it. He’s done it as a player – 3 times, as a Special Teams Coordinator AND as a head coach! But to us, he is more of a hero because he is a TEAM guy through and through. He’s not afraid to make the tough decisions, he is a true leader and he’s human along with the incredible athletes he coaches. You will hear that in his story.
We hope you enjoy the story of Mike O’Shea from the inside out. A guy we all consider OUR coach and a hero in our midst.
Ryan Karhut has been involved in football, either as a player or coach, for over 30 years. An offensive lineman in his playing days, he was a three-year starter for the Manitoba Bisons, and a captain when they won their first Vanier Cup in close to 40 years in 2007.
When he was in high school, he started his coaching career at the peewee level, which taught him a tonne about the game. Currently the OL coach and special teams coordinator for the Bisons, Karhut has been a mentor at all levels, and in a variety of positions. He’s in constant communication with his athletes, and is one of the most “in the know” coaches when it comes to player wellbeing, which is particularly important during COVID.
Join Michelle and Adrienne as they re-cap Season 1 with Ace Burpee. The tables get turned and Ace Burpee helps them reflect on where they started, what they learned and what impacted them most from listening to these amazing heroes.
Riley Harrison was recruited to play receiver for the Manitoba Bisons beginning in 2014. A self-described “humble and hard-working guy,” he played for his teammates and enjoyed every second of his journey. He had his breakout season in 2016, recording 535 yards – good for seventh in the conference – from the slotback position.
Entering the 2020 season, Harrison had 1,199 career receiving yards, placing him just outside the top ten in program history. Had there been a season, he would’ve had the chance to break the program record of 2,092 while also setting himself up in a better position to get drafted.
That didn’t happen. The COVID-19 pandemic derailed the season, and Harrison’s career was cut short right at its peak, as he was preparing for the CFL Draft.
“COVID shut everything down, and along with it my shot at the CFL,” said Harrison.
“After that, I went to work as a painter for a company. I started hating it and didn’t enjoy going to work. I realized I needed to make a change. I took a gamble and quit my job to start my own company. In doing so, I fell back in love with painting and found a new passion as an entrepreneur.”
Harrison started doing gigs last March, so he’s coming up on one year of successfully running a business (Prodigy Paint and Design). He is passionate about sharing his experiences as an entrepreneur with others, and how his time with the Bisons has helped him succeed.
In episode four, Michelle Sawatzky-Koop, host of the Heroes in our Midst podcast and 1996 Olympian, sits down with Sturgeon Heights teacher and coach Eric Vincent to discuss resources.
Eric has dedicated his life to being a servant leader. For the past 15 years, he’s coached anywhere between one to eight sports teams a year, lending his tutelage as a former Winnipeg Rifle and Manitoba Bisons football player. He preaches communication, reminding his players that it’s okay to ask for help.
Eric embraces being a life-long learner. As a teacher, he’s helped many student-athletes see their value beyond the field. His message is that we’re all human, and each one of us has something special to bring to the table.
In episode three, Michelle Sawatzky-Koop, host of the heroes in our midst podcast and 1996 Olympian, sits down the Bisons football players Des Catellier and AK Gassama to discuss resiliency.
The fifth-year Catellier has been the team’s starting quarterback since midway through his second season. One of the hardest-working players in program history, he endured a partially torn MCL and a few losing seasons early on, but continued to get better every day. His work ethic and attitude motivate those around him, and that hasn’t changed during COVID.
Both on and off the field, AK Gassama has dedicated his life to getting one percent better every day. He knows all about resiliency, as his family moved from warn torn Sierra Leone to Gambia, and eventually Canada as refugees. As an athlete, he’s a student of the game, and that didn’t change when he tore his ACL early into his university career. His consistency and dedication in training paid off when he returned to the field in 2019, and he has a bright future ahead.
In episode two, Michelle Sawatzky-Koop sits down with Jeffrey Bannon and Sean Oleksewycz, two pillars in the Manitoba football community.
Sean has coached and played at all levels of amateur football in the province. Currently the assistant defensive backs coach for the Manitoba Bisons, he’s known as a player’s coach and strives to help his players get a little bit better every day.
Currently the commissioner of the Winnipeg High School Football League, Jeffrey has been a coach, general manager and administrator of football in the province. While he didn’t grow up playing the game, he’s dedicated his life to learning the x’s and o’s and values the relationships, friendships and opportunities that the sport creates.
Both Jeffrey and Sean have been on the frontlines of sport during COVID-19. Their unwavering positivity, and emphasis on controlling what you can control has been a guiding light during difficult times.
Michelle is 5’6”, from Steinbach, a small city in rural Manitoba, and has a degree in Piano Performance from the University of Manitoba School of Music. Knowing only this one may assume that this musical “short girl” who was “not from Winnipeg” would never advance further than a volleyball provincial team (if she could even make the provincial team). Well, when you assume you make an ass out of u and me. When one is around Michelle, it is best not to make any assumptions.
A 1996 Olympian in the sport of volleyball, Michelle now refers to being short as a blessing noting that, "When you have disadvantages in sport and life, you want it so much more, and you have to fight like a dog to get it. You have to go anywhere. I would have gone anywhere [to play club volleyball].” And go anywhere she did. It was a four-hour drive each way to practice for the first club volleyball team she made.
Of the path we all walk, she notes this, "All of our journeys are valuable. When I think about finding heroes in our midst, it doesn’t even seem like a daunting task. I’m incredibly blessed to have the Olympics attached to my name, but I have met many mothers, fathers, kids, and athletes who will never go to the Olympics, but they are heroes because [real life can be much more difficult]. I have been to the Olympics, and then I’ve lived real life and what I‘ve done since and in those realms seem far more heroic to me than anything I did on a wooden court. It taught me how I want to approach everything I want to do in my life and to not expect to get attention for all the hard work in between. You have to get your reward from what you pour into your journey, even if no one sees it."
Tenacious, caring, willing to do the work, and a role model to all. We are proud to have Michelle on the Heroes team. She is, without doubt, a hero in our midst. Please enjoy Michelle's episode.
Like many, Shannon does not think of herself as a hero. In her words, “If I can be a hero to you, I am happy, but do I think I am a hero? No.”
Before Shannon walked through Steinbach Regional Secondary School's doors and changed the life of Michelle Sawatzky-Koop and many others, she was a volleyball player from Flin Flon, a small town in northern Manitoba. Following a successful high school career and acting on a friend's advice, she attended an open try out for the University of Manitoba women’s volleyball team was one of four rookies selected to play for the team. She played two years before transitioning to coaching, where she positively impacted the lives and athletic development of hundreds of athletes in junior varsity, varsity, and club volleyball settings.
As an athlete who came from both the north and a small town, she thought the gap between rural and city athletes was miles, but when she made the University of Manitoba team, she realized that the gap was not that big after all. Throughout her career, she not only taught all her athletes always to work as hard as they could, but she also demonstrated and proved that anyone from anywhere could make it as far they believe is possible.
Please enjoy our conversation with Shannon Kehler.
A two-time Grey Cup champ, Andrew is a man of integrity who’s battled through adversity his whole life. Despite growing up without a dad and having to switch schools in grade 12, he didn’t fold.
Andrew also took advantage of the opportunities presented to him. His grades weren’t up to par for university football, so he made a name for himself in junior instead. He won three national championships with the Vancouver Island Raiders, but more importantly, became a father.
The birth of his daughter Hazel enhanced his sense of purpose and increased his maturity. When he played for the BC Lions, he knew he was playing for more than just himself and his teammates.
“It was definitely an environment where I started to grow. I wasn't perfect by any means, but [having Hazel] made a big difference in my life. It gave me a little more sense of purpose and reasoning to work as hard as I was, and to provide and be part of something bigger than just being Andrew Harris. Now, it was Andrew Harris the father.”
Andrew has been through the highs of victory but has also endured scrutiny and experienced loss. A failed drug test in 2019 took a toll on his mental health, but with the help of Dr. Adrienne TooGood, he got back on his feet.
“I had to kind of be vulnerable and talk to talk to someone, so I sat down and talked with Dr. Toogood. And I literally felt like I just cried the whole time for an hour there. And she just listened and just lifted me back up. It took a couple weeks, but it all kind of lined up perfectly with when I got back, you know, into the playoffs. I could be that leader again. And once we got to the Grey Cup, there was so much anger, excitement, pride, I felt like myself again.”
A dedicated father and a role model for many, Andrew’s message is to appreciate everyone for who they are, to celebrate the positives and to show compassion during times of trouble.
“We are all humans. And I think sometimes, we look at people as if they are inhuman. And I think the biggest thing is that it's important to give everyone respect. When people are up or down, you know, just respect them and enjoy the good times and, you know, support in the bad times. That's the biggest thing for me.”
“Be proud of who you are, don’t feel like you have to assimilate into one way of being, just be yourself and learn as much as you can about your culture as you can.” Nadya is a 23-year-old Métis/Libyan sprint canoer who has been paddling for 18 years. She has eight World Cup and World Championships medals under her belt and 12 national titles. She started paddling at the age of six when her Mom took up the sport. Since Nadya was at the paddling club too, she paddled as well. She was 17 when she made her first national team, and she would train and compete at the highest levels for five years until she retired in 2019.
Now free from the rigors of international competition, Nadya is coaching. She has partnered with her brother and others to start a not-for-profit organization (waterwayscanada.com) that uses paddling as a tool to re-connect Indigenous youth to their culture through the water and the land in a way that is similar to the experiences of the generations who came before them. In addition to her work with youth, Nadya currently views paddling as a way of adding goodness to her life. It is a way to connect to nature and feel the water without trying to be the best in the world.
Growing up as part of the Métis and Muslim community, Nadya often felt like she sat on the fringes of several communities, but when she sat in her boat, she felt like that was the one place she truly belonged and where she felt connected to something beyond herself. Please tune in to our conversation with Nadya Crossman-Serb to learn about the power of authentically being who you are while simultaneously chasing your dreams.
There is a piece of Kylo’s soul that belongs to Canada’s North. He grew up in Goose Bay, then a fly-in/fly-out community in Labrador, and spent the early years of his sport career in Nunavut. He tells us that three types of people move North, those that go to save the world - they last about three months. Those who go for the paycheque - they last about a year, and finally, those who go for the adventure. The ones who head North for adventure are not there for a specific purpose, but they are the ones most apt to ask, “how can we help out; where can we pitch in?” These are the people who change the world. Kylo doesn’t openly seek to change the world, but he does aim to create the best environments for those around him. He is also not one to say no to adventure.
Being open to both possibilities and adventure has served Kylo well and shaped his life in ways he never thought possible. From his choice of university (in Ontario far from friends and family) to saying yes to the North when his life in Toronto was not panning out the way he expected, to moving communities in Nunavut by snowmachine (a 3-day adventure with strangers), to accepting a position in Manitoba where he knew no one. Kylo has made the most of life simply by being open to the opportunities presented to him.
While not one of the founders of the Grizzlies program in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Kylo was the first staff person with the organization and served as a volunteer coach with female soccer and boys lacrosse. The experiences Kylo had with the Grizzlies had a profound impact on him, and in the way he leads, in the way he coaches, and the way engages with everyone he interacts with. Passionate about his role as a sport professional and coach, Kylo also works quietly and tirelessly as a professional behind the scenes as a volunteer to create opportunities for athletes across several contexts, including indigenous teams, girls-only programming, development for smaller sports, and coach succession programs. He may not recognize that he’s changing the world, but he definitely enhances the world of everyone he engages with.
Please enjoy our conversation with Kylo Harris.
Leisha Strachan knows a lot about excellence. A talented athlete, she competed at the World Championships in Baton for the first time at age 13. She finished her competitive career with consecutive bronze medals at worlds in the pairs event. She holds a Ph.D. and is a professor in the faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management at the University of Manitoba. When asked to share a piece of advice, she quotes this excerpt from “The Four Agreements”: “Be impeccable with your word. Do not take things personally. Do not to make assumptions. Always do your best.” It is advice that she gives and that guides her life as well.
In our discussion we talk about being a first-generation Canadian (Leisha’s parents immigrated to Winnipeg, Canada from Grenada), what it is like to be the only black person (or one of a few) in the sport of baton, including how hard it is to find tights and shoes for dance in colors that match your skin tone (you don’t really find them, you have to purchase the readily available lighter colored ones and then dye them so they work for you). We talk about excellence, the power of faith, the importance of community and gratitude for the people who both came before you and who surround you on your journey.
Please join as we uncover another Hero in our Midst in our discussion with Leisha Strachan.
If we would simply list Jocelyne Larocque’s accomplishments, you’d probably agree that she’s a hero. But accomplishment alone is not what we’re looking for in our “heroes.” We want to know their story from the inside out, and Jocelyne’s got a great one. She grew up in a small town called Ste. Anne, Manitoba, and plain and simple, she just loved playing hockey and just knew that she wanted to play on the biggest stage possible. So, she dared to dream big, and it took her all the way to the Olympic Games and not just one – but two!
Most recently, Jocelyne was named the Manitoba Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Council’s Female Athlete of the Decade, an incredible honour and SO well deserved.
Jocelyne is proud of her Metis heritage and, no question is a “Hero in our Midst.”
We hope you enjoy the story of Canadian defenceman Jocelyne Larocque… as she takes us through the ups and downs of going after a dream and never, ever quitting.
Jayme Menzies is proud of her Metis heritage. She loves her family and enjoys speaking of her parents’ unconditional support throughout her entire life journey. She played 5 years of post-secondary volleyball at the University of Winnipeg; she is presently the head coach of the Canadian Mennonite University women’s volleyball team, has been the head coach of the 19U Female North American Indigenous Games provincial team since 2012, assistant coached Team ‘Toba to Canada Games gold in 2017, has coached numerous school and club teams, she’s the founder and a head coach for Agoojin Volleyball Club AND most recently, was named the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council’s Female Coach of the DECADE!
And we haven’t even begun to talk about her journey through education, her adventure of working for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirits OR the fact that she is “Mom” to a beautiful, 2-year-old boy, Kona Salix.
It’s a lot to take in, but after hearing Jayme share her story, you will find that it’s pretty simple for her. She is on a mission to bring equal opportunity to Indigenous people, celebrate her Metis heritage as an example for others to do the same, and bring her “whole self” to everything she does.
No question, Jayme Menzies is a “Hero in our Midst,” and we hope you enjoy our conversation with her.
Donna is a prairie girl who grew up in small towns in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. An RCMP kid, her family moved several times through elementary school and middle school. In addition to always feeling like the “new” kid, she was also one of the only students to blend a commitment to sport and music, a sometimes challenging combination that would prepare her for the balancing act that would become her life.
After university, her journey involved working and coaching at the national level in sport. A decision to walk away from a national team coaching pathway coupled with illness from stress due to a life load that was out of control led to graduate research that uncovered the role of culture, recovery, and connection play in sustaining performance. The research, while rooted in sport, has applications across many contexts. One of Donna's biggest takeaways from the research was the discovery that we usually see leaders (in the case of the research, this was coaches) as one dimensional. We don’t realize that there is a whole other dimension or dimensions to that person and a group of people who share that human, their human (partner, parent, friend, sibling, child) with the world, thus enabling them to lead or coach. When we learn to see people multidimensional, we have the opportunity to really see them, to understand them, and to connect with them. When this happens, we not only help them be at their best; we also uncover the heroes in our midst.
Dallas’ favorite quote is, “Be yourself. It's the only way to be excellent at anything and to be a value to anyone else.” Without question, Dallas knows who she is, and she leans into her values as she tackles tough decisions and creates a training environment where athletes can be empowered and challenged.
As a coach, there are two experiences with results you can have - elation and devastation. Some days you get one or the other, some days you get both on the same day, and sometimes you get elation on the way to devastation. She blends the two by honoring each person’s journey and teaching her athletes to be proud of their work, even in the face of grave disappointment.
Please enjoy our discussion with our friend and hero in our midst, Dallas Ludwick.
After over 15 years at the sport of cycling and ten years racing professionally, Leah is still very much in love with the sport saying, “I love that the freedom you get from riding a bicycle. I'm free to go explore anywhere in the world, anywhere there’s a road. I can go to the mountains. I can go find beautiful places. I can go fast and push myself. I really just love cycling for that.” For those of you not familiar with cycling training and racing, this is saying a lot. Success in the sport requires punishing training and a sometimes-unforgiving demand on the body.
An alternate on the 2012 Olympic team, Leah dug deep and committed to earning a spot on the 2016 team, focusing on closing the gaps in any weak areas. She narrowed in on nutrition, sport psychology, and physiology and took every opportunity to be on her time trial bike (this involves painful training efforts) and to work on climbing. Six-months out from the 2016 games, she took a risk. She moved to a new country and changed up her coach and her team to race against the best every day. The risk paid off; she made the team and had a great Olympic experience in 2016.
Leah’s favorite quote is from Viktor Frankl, “everything can be taken from a man but one thing, the last of the human freedoms to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances to choose one's own way.” To learn how Leah is the living embodiment of this quote, please join us for our conversation with Leah Kirchmann, trailblazer, Olympian, professional athlete, and hero.
Hector has been offered positions all over the world, Miami, Costa Rica, and Mexico to name a few. He remains in Winnipeg as his kids won’t even move to a bigger home in another part of Winnipeg, let alone leave home for another part of the world. Part of what makes Hector so successful is the way he blends his life as an international soccer official with his family and his career in sport administration.
Hector Vergara’s journey speaks to the dedication one must have and the challenges one must overcome in their quest for excellence. To learn more about Hector and his incredible story, please join us for this episode of Heroes in our Midst.
Every hero has a support crew behind them, an often-invisible team that enables them to be great. Dave Blatz is no exception. Dave is an athletic therapist. In 2018 he was working with Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes (Beach Volleyball) when they won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Australia. After winning they grabbed a cell phone and they called Dave’s family, saying, “Hi Bodie, hi, Campbell, hi Ellie Mae [Dave’s kids], this gold medal is for you. We want to say thank you for sharing your Dad with us. Hi also to Amy [Dave’s wife] thanks a lot [for sharing your husband.]” Part of the reason he can support some of the world’s best athletes is because his children and his wife are so willing to share him with Team Canada. Dave is the Director of Medical and Rehabilitation Services with Team Canada Men’s Soccer and the Head Therapist with Team Canada Baseball. He has also worked with the national teams for boxing and rowing and several other sports in multisport games settings (i.e., Pan Am Games and Commonwealth Games). In 2008 he attended his first Olympics with Baseball.
Dave’s journey to the pinnacle of sport involves working as a golf pro, opening his own clinic, navigating relationships with challenging coaches, taking risks, leaning into opportunity, and embracing the chances he had to learn from everyone around him. A proud rural Manitoban (Steinbach) Dave’s story speaks to the dividends of both aiming high and honoring your roots.
Please enjoy our conversation with Dave Blatz.
Derek Ingram never dreamed he would be a coach, but when he found himself coaching the people he was competing against he realized that perhaps coaching people in golf was best done when he was not also playing against them.
The Head Coach of Golf Canada’s Men’s Team, Derek believes that a trusting relationship between the player and the coach is key. Without that connection it is impossible to make the technical changes required to get better. He loves people and has a unique way of dealing with them, he spends time getting to know his players and the players know that he genuinely cares about them. When asked to share advice with us he noted, “less social media and more time with people”, a testament to his approach, he walks the walk and talks the talk when it comes to building relationships first.
Derek’s journey to a national team head coach position involves junior golf at Sandy Hook, Manitoba, a science degree in chemistry and walk on try outs at ten different schools in the US (spoiler alert he got five offers). We hope you enjoy our conversation with the intriguing and engaging Derek Ingram.
Alex Gardiner never planned to coach. His career started in a Winnipeg middle school hallway when a group of students approached him and said, “Mr. Gardiner, can you coach our track and field team?” Alex’s response was, “What do I need to do?” He was told that they (the athletes) had it under control and that he just needed to be present as the required adult supervisor. So, Alex attended practice and, because he was an English teacher, he sat on the floor and read a book. That is until he started watching what the athletes were doing. It was at this point that he became fascinated by the sport and made his foray into coaching, his life forever changed.
It has been 45 years since the simple meeting in the hallway and, in his words he’s “just getting started, he’s just learning things.” A lifelong learner, Alex’s career took him from humble beginnings in a middle school hallway to being the leadership behind Olympic gold medals. In addition to several leadership roles at Athletics Canada and work with the Canadian Olympic Committee, Alex was also the first General Manager of the Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba.
Always working from a position of caring and support, Alex’s collaborative leadership style was well ahead of his time. He believes that within organizations it is imperative that a culture exists where genuine and candid conversations can occur. He also trusts coaches and athletes implicitly, noting that no one knows better about the work to be done than the athlete and the coach. His advice to everyone is to see the good side of yourself and of other people. Be patient. Talk to people that need help having their voice heard. Take the extra step.
To learn more about Alex, his caring leadership style, and his extraordinary career in sport, please join us for his conversation with Heroes in Our Midst.
Adrienne knows that life is the one true sport that calls on all that we have and all that we are. When she works with someone, she sees it as her job to help them be whole and healthy and to love every step in their journey, both the good and the bad.
Adrienne’s journey from high school athlete to university starter to Olympic/Paralympic advisor was turbulent at times. The circumstances she found herself in often required her to figure out how to make things work on her own. She did not have a back up plan. If she did not make it work, no one was going to make it work for her. Along the way the community of sport (coaches, teammates, and parents of teammates) showed up to help her. Without sport, and specifically basketball, she would not have gone to university and without an injury at the end of her fourth year, she may not have pursued grad school. Through her journey she learned to see value in all people. She has watched those close to her struggle with mental illness and learned to never judge a person by just one part of who they are. She often reminds us that you never know what people have going on at home. You never know what a person’s story is until you ask them.
Now, a key advisor with many national team programs Adrienne brings her whole self to everything she does noting that, “If you want sustainable high performance, you have to create the space for people to be themselves and be able to bring their whole selves; to have the courage to invest their full selves.”
Please joins us for our inspiriting conversation with Heroes In Our Midst Co-founder, Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood.
Inspired by the 1984 Olympics, Rhiannon started swimming at a club in Saskatoon at age seven. Her career would go on to span 27 years and include two Olympic Games and several national team appearances. But it almost did not happen. There were two occasions when Rhiannon wanted to leave swimming, and both turned out to be huge turning points.
The first, when she was 12, she stepped away and tried different sports and did different things, but she realized she missed swimming. This was a turning point because it was then that she realized that she was not swimming because of any outside influences; she was swimming because she wanted to be there. Her performance improved from then on, she qualified for nationals and she went to the University of Miami on a swimming scholarship. The second was not about quitting, but retirement. In 1999 her NCAA career was ending. Her coach from Winnipeg suggested that she could make the 2000 Olympic team if she dedicated herself to the year of preparation. Prior to that she says she never really believed she was good enough to make the national team – her best national ranking was fourth and to make the Olympic team you had to be top two with a qualifying time (she was almost 2 seconds off). Of this discussion she says, “ I think it was one of those things where, inside of me, it was always where I wanted to end up but I never really had anybody that said, “I believe you can.” And it was that little nudge, and it wasn't a hard for him to nudge me because it was something I'd always really wanted. Really, in the end, it is just that belief that already the talent was there. I just needed someone to find it and fine tune it.”
Rhiannon’s success came through hours of hard work, a focus on the process, not the outcome and battles with vulnerability and emotional exhaustion. Now retired, she gives back by supporting current athletes as they navigate the emotional and physical loads that elite sport places on them. She recommends that whatever the options are in front of you to just go for it and give it a chance, but go all in – don’t do anything half assed.
Please enjoy our Heroes conversation with Rhiannon Leier Blacher.
Many of us are aware of what the term transgender means, but we really don’t understand it. Elliot Gray gets that, he notes, “I totally understand people who don't understand how being transgender could work or how your mind could think that way. But you’re never going to understand. Just like I will never understand the lived experience of a person of color. I will never live that life. But I accept it, I celebrate what it is. You have your own unique experience that makes you, you.” He goes on to tell us, “I'll never understand an extrovert. I don't get how you're energized by being at a party with 50 people. But I accept that you do, so you go and you, do you, I’m just going read on my couch. This is very simplified but being transgender is the exact same thing. I'm not going to shun that person for wanting to go to a party.”
Elliot Gray grew up playing sports and idolizing his big brother. As a young adult Elliot was known as Emma. Elliot competed on female teams and grew up as a girl, but something always felt off and not quite right. A talented rower, Elliot was a member of the national junior team and was the flag bearer for Team Manitoba at the Canada Summer Games in 2017. He went on to row for the University of Victoria and it was there that he started to confront the incongruence he always felt. Elliot recounted that experience telling us, “that's kind of the point where I was like, Whoa, this is not right. I just remember every night; I was just so upset and every time I was in a [women’s] boat I just felt like a shell of a human being. It was just not what I wanted it to be anymore because I still loved the sport [but it just wasn’t me].” After the school year ended Elliot stepped away from rowing and took time to understand who he was. He returned to school the following year ready to live as his authentic self.
The journey from Emma to Elliot has been a lifelong process. Elliot has learned to love the man that he is and to feel love for role Emma played in his life. When asked if he would change his journey Elliot had this to say, “As hard as it is sometimes, I wouldn't change it. Because people who go through whatever their unique hardship or challenges in their life constructively are some of the most amazing people . . . If I can be a positive influence in the lives of people close to me, the people I know who have experienced hardship and been a positive influence on my life that, to me, is the most beautiful thing. I don't think I would trade that for having a slightly easier, or a lot easier time emotionally because I wouldn't have the emotional depth that I do.”
To learn more about listening to yourself, fighting for your identity and accepting yourself fully, please listen to our open, honest, and brave conversation with Elliot Gray.
When asked what advice he would provide to the world, Chris says, “Be yourself and be genuine. If you're pretending to be someone, you're not, it’s going to impact you. And it's going to make things not as enjoyable. Also, then when people start to appreciate you for those things, it won't feel as authentic because it's not your real self. So, if you can, just be your genuine self and let things happen organically.”
Chris Voth is a talented athlete. Growing up he played lots of sports, but it was volleyball where he really excelled, and at every level. Chris has been a provincial champion in high school, a national medalist in university, a national team member and a professional player in the Champions League. The Champions League is a professional volleyball league where all the winners from the previous year go to play, for Chris it was the pinnacle of his career.
While playing volleyball professionally, Chris made the decision to come out as gay. He was the first professional male volleyball player to do so and he took this action because there were no athletes who were still playing and demonstrating that you could both come out and continue to play professionally. At the time, coming out was something people did once they retired, not something they did while they were still playing. Chris wanted to be a positive role model for others in the sport of volleyball. He told us that if he just helped one person, that would be enough. He also wanted to be able to let go of the fear of being outed and just show everyone who he was. The reaction to his story was humbling; it could not have gone better.
Chris’ advice comes from heartfelt, lived experience, “Be yourself and be genuine.” Coming out did have an impact on his playing career, but if given the chance to go back in time and not come out when he did, he says, “I would do it over 1000 times.”
Please join us for our engaging conversation with our courageous friend Chris Voth.
Emily Potter has always been very competitive, some might say ultra-competitive. Whether we are talking about basketball, sack racing (an event at summer family fun days growing up) or ringette net minding (in her early years), Emily loves to compete and hates to lose. She is so competitive that, growing up, no one could talk to her after a loss, her parents had to just leave her alone. Fast forward a few years and Emily’s drive to succeed would land her spots on Canada’s national basketball team (her first national team was at U17) and with a NCAA team (University of Utah).
Emily’s family is tall, her mom is six feet, she and her Dad are 6’5”. She’s been playing basketball since grade seven, now 24 Emily says, “I love how different and multifaceted the game can be. There's so many different ways to play basketball and different styles that I just haven't gotten bored of it yet. There's always more things and more skills to learn in the sport because there's so many elements to it - this keeps me interested and engaged and excited to keep playing.” Her dedication to the game has been tested - she has been sidelined twice by ACL injuries and she has had to learn how to train in a way that works for her and to trust that her way will bring her success.
She tells us that, “greatness is not what you have, it’s what you give.” An important quote to remember in trying times and in good times. She reminds us that the accomplishments and material things we have are not as important as the people in our lives and our willingness to give back to others.
Please enjoy our discussion with Emily Potter.
Everyday activities sometimes change our lives. Leanne Taylor had a day like that in 2018. She and her boyfriend went for a mountain bike ride at trails they rode all the time. During the ride Leanne fell off her bike, going over the handlebars. Her injury was instant. She experienced a spinal cord injury, dislocating T10 on T11 and immediately had no sensation or function in her legs. She would not walk again. An everyday activity had changed her life forever.
At first, disability felt like a dirty word, a word that did not apply to or describe her. Now, Leanne says her disability, like her brown hair, is just another thing about her. It does not define her or her happiness. Like her brown hair, having a disability is just one characteristic one could use to describe Leanne. The outcome of her accident was unfortunate and not great, but in her words, “we have such a short time that we get to be here on this earth and experiencing the things that we can. So, I think there's so many experiences that I can still have. And in some ways, I was sort of thrust into this world of parasport. And that wasn't an opportunity I had before. So even though I was definitely grieving a lot of opportunities that I had lost, I was saw this opportunity that I had and I was like, I just can't let this go by because these people that are reaching out to me and trying to connect with me and show me this, they aren't going to do that forever.” Leanne is now preparing for the 2024 Paralympics in the sport of Paratriathlon in the wheelchair class; her event is comprised of a 750m swim, a 20km bike (handcycle) and a 5km run (wheelchair race). Leanne entered her first race eight months after being injured and she is now ranked 13th in the world. Leanne’s story and her positive and tenacious approach to adversity, life and training will both inspire you and make you want to stand up and cheer.
To learn more about this Manitoba hero, please join us for Podcast #17 and our conversation with Leanne Taylor.
Chantal Givens is a Paralympian. She has one hand. Throughout her childhood Chantal’s parents treated her like a regular kid. She was encouraged to, and she liked to try all kinds of things as she was growing up. Her first competitive experiences came in the sport of diving, a sport she was part of for ten years, eventually competing at nationals against able bodied athletes (there was no para sport division). It was diving that would lead her to Triathlon, but not in the way you might think.
Chantal explains how she got into Triathlon, “There was a World Triathlon Championship in Edmonton, where I grew up and the organizers actually contacted our diving team to help volunteer at the event. I ended up handing water bottles out at the finish line to Simon Whitfield who had been the Olympic Champion. So, in the back of my mind, that was what I wanted to do next.” And do it she would, but the road was bumpy and full of challenges such as wrapping her training schedule around her job as a teacher and her role as a mom as well as modifying her bike so it was adapted for an athlete with one hand. She also experienced major injuries that almost cost her a spot on the Paralympic team in Rio, where Paratriathlon was making its Paralympic debut. In her words, “I did what I had to do,” including avoiding the occasional glass of wine because it may have delayed her recovery by an hour - and she needed every hour due to the proximity of an injury to the end of her qualification window. Chantal competed in Rio in 2016 and finished 8th. She did so by being adaptable and open to opportunities, an attitude she carries with her everyday as a mom, a spouse, a teacher, and an overall inspirational human.
Please join us for Podcast #16 to hear more of Chantal’s amazing journey to the Paralympics and beyond.
Inspired by the athletes competing in the wheelchair racing section of the Manitoba Marathon when he was six years old, Colin got hooked on wheelchair racing at a young age. Born with Spina Bifida, a wheelchair was Colin’s primary mode of transportation and, it turned out he could move pretty fast! A sprinter, Colin competes in the 100m, 200m and 400m, he says, because after about 50 seconds he just gets bored. He likes events that are done in about a minute.
In 2019 when Colin won nationals in the 100m, he was more than double the age of his competitors. You see, that is what happens when you are still at the top of your game after over 25 years of competing. Colin earned a bronze medal in 1996 in the 4 X 400m relay at his first Paralympics. After appearing in the Paralympics four more times, he decided in 2018 that he was not yet done competing and he returned to training in search of a spot for 2020. We will have to wait and see what the future holds for Colin as the 2020 year was paused before the competition season could begin. However, given Colin’s ability to both compete and face adversity, our money is on him! There are very few athletes whose competitive careers have spanned close to 30 years.
At age 40 Colin now blends training with work (he completed a social work degree after returning to Winnipeg in 2012) and married life (he and his wife wed in 2011). He feels his life is an amazing and diversified portfolio. We could not agree more.
To learn about the courage it takes to tackle the ups and downs of an athletic career that spans more than a quarter century, please join us for our inspiring conversation with Colin Mathieson.
You may be surprised to learn that most elite coaches never plan on coaching. They get pulled into the profession by accident, through a serendipitous event or by happenstance. Bill Johnson was pulled into coaching wheelchair basketball because he played the sport with his brother. His brother had a disability, Bill did not. Able bodied people can play wheelchair basketball with teammates who have disability. When his brother moved away to play in the NCAA, Bill was approached by a women’s wheelchair basketball team to just sit in the gym while they played - a person who could simply be present in the gym was required a part of the contract. As he sat there while the athletes played, he realized that the team needed help, so Bill offered to write out some drills for them and suddenly a year later he was at nationals coaching a women’s provincial wheelchair basketball team.
Bill would go on to coach at several Paralympic Games and World Championships with junior teams and both the men’s and women’s national teams. In 2014 he was the head coach of the team that won the Women’s World Championship. His success is due certainly to his understanding of the game and his willingness to never stop learning (early in his career he travelled all over Canada and the US to learn from the best coaches – all on his own time and only for the purpose of expanding his knowledge). Now retired from national team coaching, he is the Executive Director of Football Manitoba and volunteers extensively on volunteer boards, with his children’s sport programs and with animal fostering programs.
Bill’s story is as incredible as his quiet heroism. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Bill Johnson.
When asked about what it is like to work with national teams, professional athletes and emergency room physicians, Cal will tell you that, “the stuff is the same, but the people are all different.” Adrienne will tell you one thing she has always admired about Cal is that he does what is right for the human being that sits in front of him. Cal is there for the people he works with, he speaks from the heart and he will tell you the truth, even when it may not be what you want to hear.
Cal grew up on a farm with five brothers and sisters. He told us that the only way to survive in that setting was to have humility, a strong work ethic, and to care for the people around you. He mentioned that humility is not a lack of confidence, but a quiet version of it, and, that having gratitude for your life and those around you is key. His knack for caring for others transferred into all his work. When he spoke about his ability to have an impact on teams and groups he mentioned that ultimately what he did was make people feel needed and excited about what they could contribute to the process and then he helped them understand what they needed to do to get better. Of course, this is a very simple explanation of the work Cal has done and continues to do, but the message here is that caring for those around him is at the heart of his work.
Upon completing his PhD, Cal sought out the five best sport psychologists in the world to learn the applied side of the job. He spent time with each of them and what he learned from that process helped him create his own style. Throughout his career he had the opportunity to work with several experts including Terry Orlick and Geoff Gowan.
Now, in the sunset of his career, Cal reminds us that there are no ordinary moments. Every breath we get is a privilege, so enjoy the moment. He also suggests that recovery is the key to sustainable performance telling us that, "looking after yourself first may be the most unselfish thing you ever do." An inspiring leader, proud father, and grandfather, engaging storyteller, and undoubtedly a hero in our midst. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Cal Botterill.
When he was little and attending preschool and kindergarten Tim figured he was just like the other kids that he played with on his street; he’d even pick up books and pretend to read them figuring he couldn’t read them because he didn’t yet know how to read. He didn’t know he couldn’t read them because he was blind. His mom had to explain to him that he was not able to see.
While attending school at Ontario School for the Blind he was introduced to swimming and he took to it right away - he was better at it than kids in his class and in his school. Turns out he is one of the best swimming athletes in the world. Over his swimming career he dominated para swimming from 1976 through 1986 collecting 14 gold, four silver and five bronze medals at the Paralympics and five gold, four silver and one bronze at the World Games. In 2020 he was recognized as one of Manitoba’s greatest athletes of all-time. His formal swim training really began with the St James Seals in Winnipeg. He and his coach developed the technique were blind swimmers are tapped on the head as they approach the wall so they can complete their flip turn. Tim was the first person in the world to do it and he and his coaches introduced the technique to the world. The willingness of Tim to learn the flip turn and the openness of his coaches to innovate impacted not only Tim’s career, but the evolution of para swimming worldwide.
Tim advises us to take advantage of every opportunity to listen and learn from other people. We hope you enjoy learning from Tim in this episode of Heroes in Our Midst.
“Go hard or go home” was Joanne’s mantra when she competed. It is safe to say it worked. At 16 she won three medals at her first Paralympics (a gold, a silver, and a bronze). Four years later she upped her game and came home with five gold. The youngest of four children in her family she was naturally competitive and keen to keep up. She loved swimming and it was a good fit for her as she is a bilateral below the knee amputee so sports that involved running and jumping were a bit more challenging.
Joanne had the ability to compete both in para swimming and able-bodied events. She attended the University of Manitoba and swam with the U of M swim team, qualifying for and competing at nationals (now USport then CIAU). Her accomplishments were achieved by recognizing that success would not come overnight – she set goals and took small steps every day to get her closer and closer to the top of the podium.
Retired from swimming and a mom of three teenagers, Joanne’s favorite sounds alternate between the peace of nature in her backyard in the morning and the wildly noisy chaos of her children in the house. She reminds us to worry less about what people think of you and instead focus on what makes you happy, what you want out of life and what you can give to others.
We hope you enjoy our conversation with Joanne Vergara.
“It doesn't matter where you are or who you are, you can make anything happen. It doesn't matter what the limitations, whether it be you’re living in a rural area, or you have disability. They're all just barriers that you can just shatter.”
Jared’s words ring true. He is a person who makes things happen.
In his graduating year from high school Jared was one of the top ten volleyball players in Manitoba. A trip to 7-11 changed everything for him when he was in a car accident where he was injured – he broke his neck. In an instant he went from having a 40-inch vertical to a zero-inch vertical. He spent the next nine and a half months in the hospital learning how to do everything again from scratch. While he was recovering, he was introduced to wheelchair rugby and loved it – in his words he “saw the guys in chairs, they smashed into each other, I was like this is awesome! So, I got into a chair and I’ve been playing ever since.”
Jared has gone on to represent Canada at three Paralympic games where he won three Paralympic medals (2 silver and one bronze).
To hear more about Jared’s amazing journey, tune into Heroes in our Midst podcast #10.
Joey Johnson has played wheelchair basketball for Canada at the Paralympic Games five times and has 3 gold medals and 1 silver from those competitions. For 20 years he competed at the highest level and was in love with the sport. Initially though, basketball and Joey were not friends. He hated basketball. He did not like the game and did not want to play. A diagnosis of Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease before the age of 10 changed his life and ultimately his relationship with basketball. Joey’s parents enrolled him in a youth program offered by Manitoba Wheelchair Sport Association and this program exposed Joey to a wide range of sport activities in an adapted form. It was through this program he was exposed again to basketball and found that he loved it.
Joey would go on to play in the NCAA, to play professionally in Australia and Europe and, as noted above to win gold medals at the Paralympic Games. Now retired from playing, Joey is transferring his wealth of experience to the next generation of players in his role as a national team coach. His story speaks to the power of family, the knowledge that there is always an opportunity to win and an understanding of the hours of work it takes to achieve success at the highest level (i.e., the work one does when no one is watching).
Please enjoy our conversation with Joey Johnson.
Vlastimil (Vlastic) Cerny has represented two countries in international swimming. Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) and Canada. However, in grade three he was also identified as a talented hockey player through the extensive Czechoslovakia athlete search program, but he had already started swimming, so swimming was it. Now the head coach with Bison Swimming at the University of Manitoba, Vlastic’s road to international competition and coaching did not come without some bumps.
He made the Czechoslovakian Olympic team as an alternate in 1980, he defected in 1982 and was not able to compete in 1984. Of his decision to defect he notes “As soon as I started travel to the Western world, you know, you see different countries. I just knew that the system that we were in, this was not for me . . . for me it was an easy decision [at the time, but] not an easy decision to rationalize after and particularly as I got older, for sure.” He was finally able to compete at the 1988 Olympics for Canada. At the conclusion of his athletic career he transitioned into coaching and has since put athletes on national teams including the 2000 Canadian Olympic team. Currently he coaches Kelsey Wog, who shows great potential in qualifying for the next Olympic summer games.
To hear more about Vlastic’s journey, please listen to Heroes in our Midst, podcast #8.
“She who has a large enough why can bear any how” is Kelsey’s favorite quote. The “how” that carries Kelsey into the future will likely look quite different than what she expected a few months ago, but given her commitment to process and her unwillingness to give up, we have no doubt she will get it done.
Early in the month of March 2020 Kelsey Wog posted the fastest time in the world in the 200m breaststroke and was ready and excited for Swimming Canada’s Olympic trials. However, ten days before the trials were scheduled to begin, COVID-19 hit Canada and the world she knew was paused. After that, the 2020 Olympic games were postponed and following that her training facility was closed. Was this a roadblock? Yes. Has it stopped her? No. Although she is just 21, she is no stranger to overcoming challenges – be it the cold water she associates with her early swimming experiences, or hating the breast stroke at first, to confronting anxiety and emotions that threatened her performance internationally or courageously confronting her coach about what she needed from him. Kelsey has learned to lean into the journey, to trust the process and to keep moving forward.
To hear our conversation with Kelsey and to learn more about her story check out Heroes in Our Midst Podcast #7.
Master Jae Park is the third generation of his family to be involved with Taekwondo. His father is a Grandmaster, he achieved his black belt at age 6, he coaches his daughter Skylar who has qualified for the Olympic Games in Taekwondo. But would you believe that a fall in his last speedskating race (a 400m short track event) changed the course of his life? If he had won, he would have stuck with speedskating, but he fell and finished last. He left that sport and, over time, returned to the sport of Taekwondo.
Master Jae Park was born in Korea, he immigrated to Canada in 1977 when he was almost eight years old. His family settled in Winnipeg. He had planned on going to law school but on a whim, and after years of discussion, he opted out of mailing in his application in 1993 and instead, partnered with his Dad to open TRP Academy. What was supposed to be a six-month trial turned into a successful Academy. Named for Master Jae’s grandfather, Tae Ryong Park is a thriving gym and Taekwondo Academy that trains hundreds of students and has produced an Olympic athlete and an Olympic coach. The Olympians in question are Master Jae (coach) and his daughter Skylar (athlete).
Master Jae’s journey includes a black belt at age 6 in Korea, speedskating in Winnipeg in -30 and now blending his role of being a Dad and an Olympic coach to his daughter Skylar. Please join us to listen to his full story as we continue to uncover the Heroes in our Midst.
Skylar Park prefers to land hits to the head. A hit to the head gives you more points in a Taekwondo fight than a hit to other parts of the body. Funny thing though, she doesn’t see a hit to the head as violent. She explains, I'll be talking to my friends and if we're talking about, say UFC or sports like football or rugby, I'm like, Oh my god, I would never do that. It's so violent. And my friends are like Skylar, do you know what you do? And I'm like, right, but I guess it was, second nature to me. So I don't even think about it. But they're like watch a video of you fighting, people are trying to kick you in the head.”
Born into the sport of Taekwondo, Skylar entered the sport at age two and had her black belt and the first of 14 consecutive national championship titles at age 7. Her Dad is her coach, her brothers are her training partners. She spars with her cousins. In 2016 she won the World Junior Championships and earlier this year she qualified for the 2020 Olympics, but that event, as we all know, has been postponed. The strong family connection has its pros and cons. Skylar reports that she probably spends way more time with her Dad and her brothers than the average 21-year-old, but, she says of having her Dad as her coach, “I know he is in my chair and he will never give up on me when I am fighting.”
When she started down the path of Olympic qualification she felt that it was her and her Dad against the world, now she says, “It is me and my Dad and we are going take on the world.”
To hear the complete conversation with this remarkable young woman, please listen to Podcast #5, Skylar Park.
“I had a very tough practice in 2017 getting ready for the senior nationals and I remember running the sprints and doing the overload . . . and then laying on the mat in complete stillness, in my mind and in my body. It was then that it hit me, “This is why I do it.” I think a lot, I’m very cerebral and wrestling gave me stillness in a way that I didn't know how to get without it. It was [during] one of my favorite training moments when I was laying on the mat and realizing, oh, this is why I do it. Like not for performance, not for the Olympics. But this is why I play as hard as I play, so that I can sit in the stillness and enjoy just being no one else. Got it.”
Leah’s journey back to a place of stillness required the courage to stand up to a bully and a broken system, the strength to fight for her dream and the willingness to be brave and create a training environment that allowed her to heal, to flourish and to define success on her own terms.
A three-time CIS (USport) Champion, Olympic team member in 2012 and an Olympic alternate in 2016, Leah is now committed to giving all her knowledge and understanding of excellence to Indigenous athletes; a community she is passionate about and where she believes there is much resilience, talent, heart and opportunity.
Leah Ferguson is without question a Hero in Our Midst. We are so grateful she agreed to join us.
Justin Duff played volleyball for Canada, but he did not get there without being cut and spending time on the bench. He was cut from his JV volleyball team (he had never played before), he was cut from the Team Manitoba Canada Games Basketball team (when he was 6’6” with a 40 inch vertical) and he was not a starter in his first year of university volleyball with the University of Winnipeg. His volleyball development started when a coach at his school said to him, “Hey Justin, you could be good at this if you try. I am going to help you try.” When he was cut from the Canada Games basketball team, the staff at Volleyball Manitoba encouraged him to play volleyball telling him, “they would help him become the player he needed to be.” That player went on to represent Canada in volleyball at the 2016 Olympics in Rio as well as several other national team events.
Reflecting on his career, Justin is most proud of the shift he made from a talented, entitled kid to someone who was just willing to give his all and support the development squad. Recently retired, Justin is a now a Dad and MBA student. When asked for one piece of advice he would share he told us, “try to understand things that you have an issue with and don’t just dismiss them, you can learn something.”
We hope you enjoy our conversation with Justin Duff.
Janine planned on playing basketball at the University of Manitoba, but a chance meeting at a Karate class in the summer of 2000 changed all that when someone suggested she try rowing. After a rough few days that included a few bruises and some unplanned swimming when her boat flipped, Janine found her rhythm and made the 2001 Canada Games team for Manitoba on her way an 8th place finish at the Olympics in 2008 and an Olympic silver medal in 2012.
In her interview Janine tells us that she was never the strongest or the tallest or the post powerful, but that she could feel the boat and she was good at talking! Her strength was her positive attitude and her ability to make the boat go fast, regardless of who was in it. From others we hear that Janine was the heart of her teams, the voice that united them and the positive attitude that prevailed.
Now a full-time coach and mom of twin girls, Janine continues to impact the performance of athletes through her role as the provincial rowing coach for Manitoba. Please join us to hear Janine’s story as we uncover the Heroes in our Midst.
Chantal Van Landeghem was in the pool before she could walk. Her Dad would take her and her sister to the pool to play and just spend time in the water. That early introduction fostered Chantal’s love of the water and contributed to her feeling at ease and at peace there. She dreamed of making a national team and going to the Olympics as early as age 5 and at age 12 she attended her first international competition as a junior athlete on Team Canada.
Fast forward several years and Chantal would join 3 teammates on the podium for Canada’s first swimming medal in 40 years and the first for Canada at the 2016 Rio Olympics. A triumph for sure, but it was not without heartbreak. Chantal missed making the 2012 Olympic team by .01 of a second.
Now retired from swimming, Chantal is pursuing her PhD in Clinical Psychology and plans to work with athletes and others to support them on their journeys to being their best selves and accomplishing their goals. She loves that her career affords her the opportunity to give back.
We are excited to share the inaugural Heroes in our Midst podcast with Chantal Van Landeghem