Getting to know your new fitness coach

I’ve always been involved in sports; my dad was a soccer coach and he inspired me to play. My parents also realized that athletic activities were a great outlet for my hyper and overactive personality. I continued to play soccer for 18 years and found a desire to also excel in football, which I played through college and at the University of Ottawa while studying physical education.

My love for sports was unbound and I really enjoyed volleyball, basketball, and even swimming, but it was football that held my interest and I knew I was good enough to have a career as a professional player. I remember the day I was drafted for the CFL Red Blacks, it was a dream come true. My course was set and my training and hard work were finally going to pay off as a professional athlete, I felt like the sky was the limit.

No sooner was I drafted than I was injured and damaged my ACL, MCL, and both Meniscus within a week of the invitation. This unexpected life-changing event went far beyond disappointment, it was the beginning of a long and difficult struggle with depression and anxiety. Being told by doctors and therapists that I would no longer be able to play sports or participate in any athletic activities and to take my pain meds and therapy and try to have a normal life, was heart-wrenching, to say the least. After 2 surgeries there were 9 months of rehab and therapy of which every day was a challenge that ended in defeat. I felt hopeless. All my goals and dreams were tossed into the garbage and the man I used to be was now reduced to a shell of a broken spirit.  I realized I was on a downward spiral into depression. I knew I had to shake this off, I couldn’t just settle for a life

on the couch and watch my physical condition degrade further. I needed to prove to myself and the world I would not take this sitting down. I learned to use my greatest strength, willpower. It was willpower that pushed me through all my training in sports and it had never let me down. I knew in my heart I could get back on my feet and I knew if I did I could dedicate my life to helping others from falling into a trap of hopelessness and no future of ever reaching their full potential again.

This decision to flex my willpower again not only got me back on my feet, but it also replaced the anxiety and depression with a strong sense of purpose and accomplishment. Sure there are some limitations, and adapting to these has been another level of work but it’s doable, and knowing I can still lead an active healthy physical lifestyle has shown me that the human body can do amazing things if guided in the right way. I have dedicated my life to helping others find this willpower within them and I would like to invite you to take a chance on yourself, to challenge yourself and to not settle for a life you never wanted or deserved.

AFTER INJURY