CAO’s Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench article series – June 2024
“There are still challenging times, but I am more positive. Just really excited about the young generation understanding that the queer community is human, too.”
By David Grossman
Be who you are.
That has always been the mission for Candace Kourounis.
She’s been doing a little bit of everything, has received support from many, and has lived a sequence of events – from athlete to coach to advisor, and the list goes on.
Along the way, an astute Kourounis has learned quickly and, to be clear, commandeered a career that has helped more people than she will ever know.
We’ll get to that as you read on.
Now, at 32 years of age, the Toronto-born Kourounis has been an admirer of sports for most of her life. She also knows what teamwork, sportsmanship, honesty, life skills and coaching, have done for her.
In some cases, it has been a rollercoaster ride.
As a multi-sport athlete when she attended Markham District High School, participating in volleyball, track, basketball, and hockey, Kourounis was a member of a pair of York Region ice hockey championship teams.
The youngest of four in her family, she was superb at juggling academics with athletics, and while not sure of a permanent career, accepted a scholarship to play hockey and study at the University of Windsor. Graduation would come with a Bachelor of Arts degree with some of her favorite studies in psychology and history. She also took a fifth year to play university hockey.
One day at Windsor, a friend suggested that she consider a post-secondary program that was offered across the other end of the province. And so, Kourounis was on the move. She would sail through an eight-month program in Sports and Entertainment Sales and Marketing at Loyalist College in Belleville.
Truth be told, the final four months would see her participating in an internship.
She had applied to the Pittsburgh Penguins when the National Hockey League team went looking for someone to assist in their Youth and Amateur Hockey department. Specifically, it was in the area that focussed on elite and developmental programs. Coincidentally, that was the year the city went ecstatic when the Penguins went on to win a Stanley Cup.
Kourounis didn’t know much about coaching, but she learned quickly and at the age of 23 transitioned from competitive hockey player to rookie coach.
“I struggled, no doubt about it,” she recalled. “But I had to start somewhere, and this was a great opportunity. The experience was great, and I learned so much.”
Not one for letting good enough be enough, Kourounis would return to Toronto. She accepted a job as an account executive with the Toronto Argonauts. Yes, it was 2016 and Canada’s largest city was hosting the Grey Cup.
Working for two major professional sports organizations, she gained a wealth of experience and developed business contacts. But her heart was still in hockey. She returned to the arena, linking up with one of the largest athletics and programs provider in North America.
“Canlan Sports was building women’s hockey, and I took on the job as Coordinator of Youth Hockey tournaments and was promoted to Manager of Female Hockey,” said Kourounis who, now in her eighth year in the job, has witnessed a huge growth in the sport by women of all ages.
The fascination of working multiple jobs wasn’t a factor with her. Time management was a strength and so too was her ability to excel in all of them. So, Kourounis – having gone from Windsor to Belleville and then to Toronto would add another city.
This time, it was off to Northern Ontario and Sault Ste. Marie. Starting up a women’s hockey team, was Sault College. Driven by passion, creativity, accountability, and dedication, this job would benefit from her vast category of strengths, knowledge, experience, and leadership.
She became a head scout with the Sault Cougars – and was responsible for finding talented players from the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. She was busy, and it showed with huge results on the ice.
Sault ended its 2023 season undefeated in 31 games and won the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) championship. The Canadian school defeated Boston’s Northeastern University, 6-1, in the gold medal game.
Earlier this year, Kourounis would make it back-to-back celebrations adding another ACHA title to her resume, as Sault College became back-to-back champions, defeating Assiniboine College from Brandon, Man., 3-0.
The amazing part of her life journey is that Kourounis is now working five jobs.
There’s Canlan and Sault College, but she has added three more. Let’s start with off-ice officiating involving the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) and part time coaching jobs at York University as well as with the Brampton Canadettes in the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association.
“I thoroughly enjoy coaching, sharing and showcasing it to players eager to learn and grow with the sport,” she said, while also acknowledging her work, along with others, in the formation of the inaugural Female Coaches Summit at a coaching conference in June at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
“Mentorship is big with me. I never had it growing up. Now I can use my experience to help others, including those who are struggling, by showing them what women can do as coaches, administrators and leaders.”
There’s something else.
“It’s about overcoming a huge hurdle of shame,” said Kourounis. “There was a time when I was afraid. I had come out three years ago – about my sexual orientation and am part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ family.
“It’s been an interesting journey and every day I feel more and more embraced. I have more confidence and have coached players trying to sort out their sexuality, and I find myself in a support role. There are still challenging times, but I am more positive, not naïve. Just really excited about the young generation understanding that the queer community is human, too.”
June is Pride Month – and the last Sunday of the month will see Toronto host a celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+ – the diversity of the Two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community in what is believed to be the largest street festival in the world highlighting arts and cultural festivals.
In a powerful series of stories highlighting coaches across the province, the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO) is highlighting Pride Month shining the spotlight on Kourounis. It’s about her focus in the role of coaching (something she adores) and as a person who is helping others dealing with challenges that go beyond the world of sport.
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David Grossman is a veteran multi award-winning Journalist and Broadcaster with some of Canada’s major media, including the Toronto Star and SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN, and a Public Relations professional for 45+ years in Canadian sports and Government relations.
“Every day I feel more and more embraced. I have more confidence and have coached players, trying to sort out their sexuality and I find myself in a support role.”
CAO’s Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench article series – June 21, 2024
“I’m also an Anishinaabe coach and mentoring people to be not just coaches, but givers of learning.”
For Pamala Agawa, creating opportunities for success, and celebrating culture are huge priorities in her life.
There’s also the subject of coaching.
Talk with her about what it’s like to coach a team of young athletes and be prepared for a lengthy discussion that is both enlightening and rewarding.
For Agawa, there is so much more than the title – and just showing up for a practice or game.
It’s about keeping up with the times, ensuring personal goals and standards are sound, utilizing educational opportunities to strengthen skills, continuing to build confidence, improve on leadership, enhancing guidance, teaching, and discipline.
Got the thrust of what’s on her mind?
Agawa is from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., and was an Athlete of the Year at the former Mount St. Joseph College. Then, it was off to Lakehead University where she earned three degrees – a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education followed by a Master of Education.
As a youngster, she spent many days tagging along with her father to arenas to watch him coach. She was a good skater but didn’t play hockey. That is, until many years later when she celebrated her 27th birthday. She suited up, from 2002 to 2006, with the Aurora Panthers in what was known as the Senior A circuit.
Suffice to say, learning about hockey and watching the game, would one day lead to coaching. Keep in mind, teaching and education were also her lifeline.
Now living in Mount Albert, a village about 90 minutes northeast of Toronto, Agawa works as a Human Rights and Equity Advisor with the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board. While offices are based in Kenora and Dryden, Agawa works remotely and does a significant amount of commuting.
Before that Agawa, worked for the Ontario Ministry of Education, and was on the staff of the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) for 20 years as a curriculum coordinator, alternative education teacher and vice principal. The switch to the Keewatin-Patricia area was a move Agawa said she could not turn down.
One thing she didn’t change was her admiration for coaching.
“I was afforded an opportunity (in Keewatin-Patricia) that wasn’t available with the York Region District School Board,” she said. “I’m also an Anishinaabe coach and mentoring people to be not just coaches, but givers of learning – and to do what they can to bring those same hockey kids back and introduce them to coaching.”
Agawa is an Anishinaabe-ke from the Batchewana First Nation located just outside of Sault Ste. Marie. Being a strong advocate for youth, it didn’t take long for her to add coaching to her busy schedule – especially when several members of her family of seven also play hockey.
A coach, mentor, and educator, Agawa’s work with youngsters extends beyond just National Indigenous Peoples Day – being recognized this year on June 21. It’s a responsibility that does not have limited hours, days, or months.
Coaching sports teams is something she does very well.
“For me, coaching has been an extension of connecting with kids outside the (academic) classroom,” said Agawa, who is focused on additional coaching certification. “As many hockey parents know, it can get very expensive being a parent of young people playing rep hockey.”
For Agawa, the cost factor adds up to keep kids active. Playing Canada’s National winter sport plus finding funds were needed to improve her coaching education.
That’s where Hydro One and the Coaches Association of Ontario enter the scene.
Agawa applied for, and was awarded, one of the Indigenous Hockey Coaching grants. The Hydro One and CAO initiative was first launched in 2023 focussed on increasing Indigenous representation in sports leadership.
The grants make hockey more affordable, and accessible, to coaches from Indigenous communities participating in the Little Native Hockey League (LNHL).
“It allowed me to earn my qualifications to coach at the AA level with girls as well as have the appropriate qualifications to coach at the National Aboriginal Hockey championships for Team Ontario,” said Agawa, who was behind the bench for the Team Ontario National championship victory in Grand Prairie, Alta.
“I had been given approval to coach with my limited qualifications, but with this new certification, I can continue to grow in my coaching role.”
For Agawa, a recipient of a Women of Distinction award from the City of Markham and another honour from the YRDSB for outstanding service, the objective has always been about coaches and people doing great things.
“I like to lead,” added Agawa, who currently coaches the under-15 double A Markham Stouffville girl’s hockey team. “As for coaching, I do it because it is important to have a good place for young people to learn, develop and improve their life skills.”
The grant is part of Safe Sport 101, a partnership between Hydro One and the CAO established in 2020. It’s focus – to give coaches the tools they need to make sport safe, fun, and inclusive for everyone.
Safe Sport 101 is a virtual hub that offers coaches free safety resources including an eight-part eLearning series, community grants, downloadable resources, and the latest coaching research with the Ontario Coaching Report.
In 2024, more than 50 recipients – representing more than 30 Indigenous communities across Ontario – were awarded funding for out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, child care, and training.
“As for coaching, I do it because it is important to have a good place for young people to learn, develop and improve their life skills.”
CAO’s Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench article series – National Volunteer Week, 2024
“Coaching is deep in my heart, and I want players to become better people, gain confidence, and enjoy playing baseball – like it did for me.”
Like many youngsters, Michael Sheinfeld tinkered with the fantasy of one day becoming a professional athlete.
It was at age five, when he was introduced to the simplified form of fun, fitness, and the fundamentals of baseball, that Sheinfeld was hooked on the sport. As for role models, he had plenty of major league players to admire.
House league and rep teams would follow over the years and playing for various Thornhill-area teams. At Thornlea Secondary, he played on the school team, was chosen athlete of the year and appears on the school Wall of Fame. Then, while studying at York University, there was time for two seasons of baseball, too.
The admiration for the game would continue to surge – and so would the skills.
All this, Sheinfeld would attribute to the huge amount of volunteer time committed by his coaches – the learning, discipline, eagerness, and overall tutelage from individuals who were determined to make him better day after day.
There were good times and, well, days of challenge.
Victories and defeat had different meanings. Both created opportunities for improvement in teamwork, respect, leadership and just being a good person. His coaches, he remembers, were like family – always looking for ways to recognize his attributes and strengthen areas that needed some development.
There would also come a time when Sheinfeld knew getting to the big leagues just wasn’t going to happen for him. He needed a back-up plan and focus on a different career.
Breaking away from the competitive days as an athlete was tough. Reality would hit when he tore a cartilage in his right arm while playing in a pick-up game. Sheinfeld needed to find another way to connect with baseball. For him, the enthusiasm and interest were too strong to just give it up.
Now, 46 years old, a lot has happened since his first international trip, as a nine-year-old, to play in a tournament in Rochester, N.Y. He’s tried coaching, umpiring and added a variety of administrative duties with the Vaughan Vikings in the City of Vaughan Baseball and Softball Association.
But one day, he will never forget – August 27, 1989.
“It was just before my 12th birthday, around 7:00 in the morning, and we were on our way for the final day of a (baseball) tournament in Bolton,” said Sheinfeld, recalling the event as if it was yesterday.
“A motorcycle, that I was told had been travelling at an excessive speed, smashed into the car that my mother was driving. I was in the back seat with a friend. The motorcyclist, who was intoxicated, was dead on impact. My baseball buddy died on the way to hospital.”
Shock and dismay took over. Recalling what happened on that country road on a clear summer day, remains an emotional challenge for Sheinfeld. Every year, and on the same day, he shows his respect with a visit to the Thornhill cemetery.
“There were no other injuries unless you include the mental devastation we suffered. I have that image in my mind – and it will never go away. Baseball took my friend away, but it galvanized my desire to help others – and I have done that, over the years, through coaching and volunteering my time.”
In Canada, National Volunteer Week is set for April 14 to 20. The Coaches Association of Ontario joins with others, in recognizing almost 25 million people who volunteer their time in an assortment of ways throughout communities across the country. Sheinfeld is among that group.
Explaining “it’s in my DNA”, Sheinfeld had always wanted to give youngsters the same good fortune that he received. He had some experience in coaching, with his initiation to that responsibility, focusing on helping 12-year-olds.
As for Sheinfeld, who is a busy person with more than 20 years of experience in sales and business development, his duties include managing sales, business development, and growth strategies for a leading recruitment and staffing firm that specializes in software and information technology solutions. Formerly employed with TeamTek, he is now Director of Sales for High Cliff Partners.
When it comes to volunteering, he hasn’t backed away.
Married, and the father of two children, his busy life includes 26 years in voluntary work ranging from conducting baseball evaluation camps to coaching to the responsibilities as the Director of Baseball for the Vaughan Vikings.
“My objective in baseball has always been to create a place where young people can have fun, thrive in an easy environment and improve their skills by learning from people, like me, who know the game,” said Sheinfeld. “Coaching is deep in my heart, and I want players to become better people, gain confidence, and enjoy playing baseball – like it did for me.”
When talking with Sheinfeld about his biggest highlight as a coach, here’s his response.
“As a coach, I have been fortunate to have dealt with minor issues,” he said. “Maybe it’s because, as coaches, we have outlined our expectations to players and their parents. The number of kids to make it to the major leagues is miniscule while the number of players who have improved in life learning skills is far greater.”
As for his dedication to volunteer work, Sheinfeld is the recipient of a series of awards. They include the “Volunteer of the Year” award from the Vaughan Vikings along with similar salutations from the York Simcoe Baseball Association, Ontario Baseball Association, and the City of Vaughan.
“I had wanted to give back, to be part of the sport and while I was tending to the duties as an umpire, that wasn’t enough,” he said. “I realized that coaching, volunteering my time to teach others, was what I had to do.”
“I realized that coaching, volunteering my time to teach others, was what I had to do.”
CAO’s Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench article series – March 8, 2024
“I love everything there is about coaching and it gives me a great deal of joy seeing people achieve success”
When trying to epitomize Steph Sutton, there are words like inquisitive, confident, and elegant that all blend well and need to be included when describing and characterizing this woman.
Those who know her, and there are many, see Sutton as an individual with the power of belief and one who is an enabler of ensuring things end up being positive and justified.
Sutton has come a long way from those early toddler years of learning to figure skate, tackle swim lessons, stand up on snow skis, play hockey, ringette and softball as a kid.
If the surname registers a thought, yes, she’s the daughter of the late Dr. Gene Sutton, a guru in gymnastics, an educator, a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee and a genuine role model who had inspired women in sport.
“Little Gene”, as some call her, is following in her mother’s footsteps as one who elevates style and personal growth. The family genes are all there. She’s also trustworthy and distinguished as a coach – something she has been doing for the past 30 years.
It’s fitting on 2024 International Women’s Day, this year on March 8, that the powerful series of stories by Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO) continues to highlight impressive coaches. This time, shining the spotlight on the younger Sutton. Her focus is the role of coaching (something she adores) and as a person who is a facilitator and not, as she puts it, one associated with a dictatorship.
“While my mom had a bigger presence in the community than me, I have her determination, focus and drive to do what I can in bringing out the best in young people,” said Sutton, who has been coaching softball at McMaster University in Hamilton since 2009 – the year her mother passed away.
But that’s not where the story ends.
Involved in a variety of volunteer activities that include the Canadian Olympic Academy, KidSport Ontario, Big Brothers and Sisters, Sutton gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in holding a variety of responsibilities as an administrator, manager, technical specialist, and recreation director.
Yet, there is one distinct area that sparkles with success.
It’s defined as “when an individual works with a trained professional in a process of self-discovery and self-awareness”. Yes, coaching. The act of helping a person identify strengths and develop goals. It’s something Sutton, if there was an academic grade, would score honors.
Whether it was as a trained mountain bike community coach, or a university fast pitch coach or even the time when she coached herself playing field hockey back in high school when no one could be found, Sutton is a dream come true for young people eager to learn and strive for success.
For transparency, and just in case the thought was there, her coaching debut – as an 18-year-old – resulted in a 2-0 victory.
“I love everything there is about coaching and it gives me a great deal of joy seeing people achieve success,” said Sutton, who once coached a softball game in her bare feet to support Right to Play – a national campaign to raise awareness and funds for children who do not have a safe place to play.
“Back in high school, I was always thinking ahead – and everything led back to sport,” she said in our telephone conversation. “For me, it was picking something passionate that gave me lots of joy.”
Sutton has also had her share of success as an instructor. In addition to her National coaching certification, she has won medals with women’s fast pitch teams on three occasions during her tenure at McMaster. She still maintains contact with dozens of players, graduates of McMaster and now into fulltime careers.
“I care about my student athletes as if they are my own family,” said Sutton. “I have had wonderful experiences with coaches in my life through all the different sports I played. I felt this call to duty to give back to the community that once provided a great experience for me.”
Brittany Hicks, who played for Sutton while at McMaster and is now a physicians’ assistant at Hamilton General Hospital after earning a Kinesiology Degree, knows all about Sutton’s devotion.
“She’s a strong influencer and I remember, in my first year (at McMaster) playing softball, she was always very approachable, understanding and encouraged me to feel confident,” said Hicks, who was a shortstop on the 2009 team that won an Ontario Intercollegiate Women’s Fast Pitch Association (OIWFA) championship.
“Very few coaches invest in athletes like she does. I remember her being quiet, but it was her way of taking time to learn about us, analyse our skills and whatever areas needed work. She always cared about everyone on the team.”
Hicks went on to play for Team Canada as a member of the National squad from 2011 to 2013.
Sutton has also taken on a new challenge as the administration coordinator of the Mount Hamilton Youth Soccer Club – the largest club in the city – and still finds time to run a not-for-profit cycling club in the Steel City.
She is one of the founders of the Golden Horseshoe Cycling Hub, which is made up of 35 kids – between the ages of five and 17 – who each challenge the sport to improve their balance and coordination as human-powered vehicles.
Almost 10 years ago, Sutton signed up for a female coaching mentoring program offered by the CAO. Since then, stressing confidence and knowledge, she has guided coaches in a variety of sport at through various levels of competitions.
Her actions have also caught the attention of many parents whose children were coached by Sutton. John Haefele is one of them. He met Sutton at a clinic for the Rosedale Youth Softball League in Hamilton – and not long after, he found out Sutton was also the coach of his daughter, Diana, at McMaster.
“We were experiencing some problems as a league and (Sutton), was invited to put on some softball clinics for us,” said Haefele, who had been an executive member of the league. “Her policies, procedures, and advice helped us a great deal.
“As for my daughter, she became a better player and a better person, too, and it was because of (Sutton). I am a former coach and understand that it can be difficult to coach high-end sports and recreation programs. I have watched kids languish for missing an assignment, but (Sutton) just always had the best interest of all players, made things easier and, while stressing to play hard, also brought enjoyment.”
Born in Hamilton, raised in the small community of Copetown (a 15-minute drive west of the Steel City), and now living in Dundas, Sutton once thought about a career as – a train engineer. Most likely it was because she lived near train tracks.
For many, a large part of what people do is peer into the future. Where to go, what to do, the planning, discussions, and the range of defining ideas. There are goals to achieve and, as Sutton has shared on numerous occasions, respect – especially for coaches – is paramount.
But it was in grade 7 at Ancaster Senior Public School, after having played a variety of sports, that she joined her friends and got hooked on hockey, ringette, and softball. She played the outfield position and did so for a variety of community teams until she turned 45 years old. Passion for sport was a huge factor, but there was also enjoyment, exercise and being with people.
For Sutton, connections can often be invaluable.
While a student at Mohawk College and studying Recreation Leadership, she had an internship at a community centre in Brantford. After graduation, her first fulltime job was as a facility supervisor at a municipal location in that same city known for more than the name Gretzky.
As for her reflection on coaching, and its rewards, Sutton put it this way.
“I just never want to give (coaching) up,” said Sutton. “Sharing knowledge, wisdom, experience – it can only help others. Coaching young people keeps you forever young.”
“Sharing knowledge, wisdom, experience. Coaching young people keeps you forever young.”
CAO’s Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench article series – Black History Month 2024
“If you want something badly, and you keep working hard, things have a way of working out for the best.”
For Tristian Reid, a good chunk of his life has been fixated on willpower and determination.
Nothing has come easy for him including the arduous task of tackling frustration after frustration that involved repeated cases of him being the subject of rejection. Reid knows he’s not alone and, just like others, he has found ways to persevere.
While repudiation is something that can turn a person off, Reid has dug deep and moved on. After re-examining several turndowns, he has used each of them as a form of stimulation and a desire for achievement.
Articulate and well-spoken, Reid is aware that life can be full of challenges. Creative and focussed, the 33-year-old has embarked on a journey of accomplishing some incredible things.
Academically strong, stemming from those early years at Toronto’s Albert Campbell Collegiate, Reid has put together an educational resume that includes two degrees, a diploma, and a certificate.
First, it was a Bachelor’s degree in kinesiology at York University followed by a Masters in sports management and leadership at the University of Western Ontario. Tack on a diploma from Durham College in sport business management, and a certificate in project management from the University of Toronto.
His academic excellence far exceeds the educational accomplishments of the average Canadian.
As the second oldest of six siblings, Reid was raised in a family household. He remains inspired by the wishes of his mother to stay fixated on a career that utilizes his knowledge and experience while also contributing to society in a positive way.
“My mom always said to keep my name clean, avoid hanging with the wrong people and to work hard,” said Reid. “As a young person, I made some poor decisions – and I also learned quickly. I can remember there were times when my mom pushed me the right way – and I am grateful for that.”
For Reid, his values remain a priority.
As a youngster, he had dreams of working in sports medicine as an athletic therapist. They were replaced by a desire to further enhance his experience and leadership as a Director of Athletics at a Canadian post-secondary institution. Three times he didn’t get the job but remains steadfast and strong-willed that his time would come.
“Never give up,” said Reid, who is being featured by the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO) during Black History Month. “If you want something badly, and you keep working hard, things have a way of working out for the best.”
Sports is something he enjoys. While his journey as an athlete started by playing community volleyball at the Milliken Park Community Recreation Centre, he still has disappointing vibes after coaches made decisions about rosters – that didn’t include him – on high school and university teams.
That didn’t stop him from enjoying the sport, adapting, building strong social skills, and meeting people. He went on to play recreationally at York and, at the age of 26, took the advice of friends to consider trying something different – coaching.
“Coaching started for me in 2016 at the Premier Volleyball Club,” said Reid. “I learned a great deal, moved on and now I am with the Phoenix Volleyball Club as a head coach. The focus is striving for excellence. It’s about developing world class athletes, scholars, and citizens.”
Most young people dream for the top, tinker with aspirations of college athletic scholarships, and one day competing for Canada on the international scene. Reid continues to emphasize that achievements happen in many ways.
“Success can just be learning with teammates, something that occurs in a game, a practise and not always amount to a championship,” said Reid, who has coached teams to numerous Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) club medals. “For me, academics are a pillar of success, and the building moves on from there.”
Reid is also aware that sport has the power to change the world. For him, it’s also an opportunity to be an effective leader.
As a coach for some 10 years, Reid says there is no secret on what he can control as a team leader – and that includes emotions, negativity and commentary from parents, officials, players, and fans.
“I’ve seen coaches fly off the handle, parents who want more playing time for their children,” said Reid. “I see myself as a passionate and dynamic person and try to regulate my emotions. I’ve learned a lot about active listening. That words can impact people in many ways, and I remain mindful of how I communicate and how we treat people.”
Reid believes in goal-setting – for his players and himself.
“It’s important – and so is being accountable,” he said. “I want people to understand that I work hard and am empathetic. There was a time when I didn’t think I had the power to change things. Now, I have been empowered to open doors, vocalize opinion on actionable change, and be a person people go to for advice.”
Inquisitive and all about learning, Reid is always looking to improve his knowledge. He benefitted from coaching courses conducted through a legacy program available during the last Pan Am Games held in Toronto.
In the summer of 2022, Reid had an opportunity to work with the Team Ontario beach volleyball program. Reid also devoted time, while working at the University of Guelph, to practising with the Gryphons men’s volleyball team. During the summer, he would be at Toronto’s Woodbine Beach, competing in beach volleyball, to push his skill set to the next level.
As for free time for Reid, it’s rare for him.
In addition to coaching, he’s an account director for a Toronto-based company called Live Gauge, whose website claims is a “leading authority in real-world marketing data solutions”.
Ask Reid for a better definition and he says it’s about bridging the gap between the digital and physical world as well as helping organizations make better decisions through consumer and marketing data.
He’s also on the Board of Directors for Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network (ICSN) – an organization that believes in racial equity in sports and in empowering Black, Indigenous and people of color in sports across the country. Somehow, Reid also finds time and the energy to offer consulting services to a variety of sports organizations across Canada.
This story, part of a series launched by the CAO, highlights coaches from across the province, salutes their achievements and dedication while committed to educating and bringing out the best in athletes of all ages.
Called “Empowering Coaches from Behind the Bench”, coaches – like Reid – are highlighted for their ability, commitment and loyalty in sport, social skills and so much more.
“I’m not a person to give up,” said Reid. “As a coach, I keep pushing and always looking for ways to make others better. Loyalty is important and I work with people who are part of my values, and we are building things together.
“Winning is great, you’ll never find a coach who is not out to win, but for me – long term character development and being a team builder of world class athletes and citizens are also very important.”
“Winning is great, but for me – long term character development and being a team builder of world class athletes and citizens are also very important.”
“For me, coaching is a partnership with athletes … It’s not them and me. We work together on a common goal.”
When hearing her name, there are people who believe Faye Blackwood is just another average Canadian.
Those same people, when taking the time to explore through copious files and acknowledgements, will find Blackwood to be an extraordinary individual who fits the description of one of a kind.
Blackwood was impressive as an athlete, then as an awe-inspiring coach, and for years, has encouraged and motivated young people. Her motive was giving them hope and helping to achieve more than what were just dreams.
Simply put, she has used her talent, knowledge and so much more to bring out the best in others – and that includes people with physical and intellectual disabilities.
Born in Toronto, Blackwood competed for Canada on the world scene as a sprinter and hurdler. Many who have watched her ability to guide, say Blackwood is saluted as an admirable and elegant leader. Nothing short of a gift to many, she is the recipient of an explosion of praise.
Her pinnacle of success goes far beyond any personal athletic awards, citations, or medals – including a variety of Hall of Fame inductions as well as the 2018 spotlight of being added to the Toronto Sport Hall of Honour. That tribute, located at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, is more of an appreciation of a select group of people for their exceptional accomplishments through sport.
Blackwood’s generosity and contribution to society is far more than mediocre. She is not one of those individuals who likes to tick boxes of achievements or brag about success in life. Those actions, many believe, are just part of human nature. For Blackwood, that kind of boasting is not in her character.
There are individuals who just do what needs to be done on a day-to-day basis – and especially as it relates to the well-being of others. That’s more like Blackwood. She has helped many set goals and then glow with praise when they accomplish what was thought to be near impossible.
With Blackwood, there is no spectacle. No ego or celebrity notoriety. No boom of fame.
There is no mystery either. She has a comfortable streak that thrives on life’s joys and challenges.
For the past 30 years, Blackwood has been devoting time to what many know and understand to be far greater than personal accolades. Her attention has been, and continues to be, helping individuals with disabilities and developmental barriers try to achieve goals.
No, Blackwood is not just another Canadian. Try portraying her as someone who cares quite a bit more than others.
Back in those younger years when she was focussed on the Commonwealth Games and trained indoors at Variety Village (that’s the Toronto facility that “empowers children with disabilities to be seen, participate, and feel included”), Blackwood saw an opportunity to make an impact other than on the competitive track.
It was as a coach.
“There were physical education instructors coaching kids and I wanted to be one of them,” recalled Blackwood. “I have always said that sport is a way of life – for life. If I can help someone through sport, that’s great.
“And for a younger athlete, I explain to them that it’s never about winning – but achieving and trying to help others to be the best they can. I learned that pushing yourself through sport is transferable in so many other ways.”
As a youngster, Blackwood was spotted by a coach who was impressed at her talent. His name was Thian “Sy” Mah, a Canadian long-distance runner who was listed in the Guinness book of world records for competing in the most lifetime marathons. Mah also went on to teach at the University of Toledo. He passed away in 1988, at the age of 62, from leukemia.
It was Mah who convinced Blackwood to join an organization he had started – the North York Track Club. After graduation from Silverthorn Collegiate, where Blackwood was dominant on the high school track scene, it was off to the University of Waterloo. She earned a Bachelor of Science (Honors) degree in Kinesiology. And, yes, she found time to train, keep fit and compete.
Blackwood had also admired the American sprinter Wilma Rudolph, who overcame polio to win Olympic gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres as well as being a member of the 4×100 metres relay team at competitions in 1960 when Rome hosted the global event.
Outside the academic classroom, Blackwood had displayed her talent by winning six gold and eight silver medals in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) events. She was No. 1 in the 60 and 100-metres hurdles in the 1986 Canadian National championships.
Performing on the track was her destiny. Interest had also been rising while training at the Kitchener Waterloo Track and Field Club.
Like everyone who has ups and downs in their lives, Blackwood experienced a time she’ll never forget. It was 1984 in Winnipeg, at the Trials to select a Canadian team for the Summer Olympics. Blackwood didn’t make the cut. It was at the ninth hurdle of the race when she fell. What resulted was a broken left wrist, and personal devastation.
“It was horrible,” said Blackwood, feeling uncomfortable while recalling the episode. “You never expect something like this. It’s life, everything happens for a reason. For me, I had liked to run. It always gave me joy.”
After her university graduation, Blackwood again set her vision on competing at a major global event. This time, it was at the Commonwealth Games where she made the Canadian roster for the 1986 event in Edinburgh, Scotland.
What may have been her biggest accomplishment on the international circuit, came a year earlier with a silver medal as part of Canada’s 4 x 100-metres relay team at the Pacific Conference Games held in Berkley, Calif. Making up that foursome were Esmie Lawrence, Angela Phipps, and Carol Galloway.
You’ve likely heard the phrase “live long and prosper” from motion picture fame. That can be said about Blackwood and her role as a coach.
“For me, it was the natural thing to do,” said Blackwood. “There were youngsters, with all kinds of abilities, and I wanted to make them believe in themselves and build confidence. As a coach, I tell my athletes it’s all about patience, perseverance, believing in yourself and not giving up.”
For nine years, Blackwood was on the staff of Sport for the Disabled, now known as ParaSport Ontario. Then, it was off to Athletics Canada managing paralympic programs and for the past 20 years has been a Sport and Recreation Consultant with the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.
Blackwood was selected as a staff coach for several World Para as well as Paralympic Championship teams and was given the responsibility of working with sprinters and jumpers who had a variety of physical and intellectual disabilities.
The CAO’s series “Empowering Coaches from Behind the Bench” shines the spotlight on individuals, like Blackwood, who have exhibited strong coaching fundamentals. Blackwood’s approach to coaching, and that included trying new things, emphasized that a disability was not something that prevented people from trying to excel at the sport.
“For me, coaching is a partnership with athletes,” she said. “It’s not them and me. We work together on a common goal. I was fortunate to not only travel the world through sport, but it was me living my life, doing what I enjoy and being there to help others. Dreams are meant to be pursued.”
“I was fortunate to not only travel the world through sport, but it was me living my life, doing what I enjoy and being there to help others. Dreams are meant to be pursued.”
CAO’s Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench article series – December 2023
“I’m truly blessed to be able to help athletes faced with challenges.”
Happiness.
Just mentioning the word, and the simple pleasure of exceptional feelings that often follows and leads to a sense of purpose, can have a powerful effect on the life of a person.
Renée Stewart knows. Better yet, she has that marvelous gift of inspiration and confidence that includes making people feel wonderful.
She’s also never given up on hope.
In fact, every day Stewart reinforces her own personal behaviour therapy in dealing with the dynamics of life’s challenges. For her, it’s about changing the way people look at things and also providing positive energy to enrich their lives.
If you’ve never met Stewart, you’re missing out on a charismatic and energetic individual who has devoted a remarkable 50 years to the world of coaching. It may be in sports, but it encompasses so much more. Lots of volunteering with the intention of bringing pleasure to people with intellectual disabilities.
Born Renee Weiler in Toronto, her mother was a former Canadian gymnastics champion. Her uncle was the recipient of the Order of Canada. But for Stewart, now 65 years of age and living with her husband, Mike, in Arnprior, a picturesque community about one hour west of Ottawa, she’s not big on the spotlight of personal gratification.
Her award, for the past five decades, is using her vigorous experience and dedication to make others better – and, in some cases, it hasn’t been easy.
“I love sports, it has been part of my life,” said Stewart, who many would say is a multi-gold medal recipient when it relates to training, counselling, and developing skills that enhance performance and confidence.
“(Coaching) has been a life-long fascination for me and the pride and joy – and the greatest pleasure, is coaching Special Olympians. Mentoring and instructing are both memorable experiences for me – and so much more enjoyable when I see a person achieve something that many thought was not possible.”
The Coaching Association of Ontario series “Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench” shines the spotlight on individuals, like Stewart, with strong coaching fundamentals and dedicating their time to help people often reach what may have seemed to be unbelievable goals.
As a youngster, she moved with her family several times. That’s because her father was in the Canadian Armed Forces and stationed in Alliston, then off to Germany, back to Calgary and finally, Kingston.
Also referred as the “Limestone City” because it has many heritage buildings constructed using local limestone, Kingston is where she attended LaSalle High School and was a multi-sport participant and winner of the prestigious Athlete of the Year award. LaSalle is also where she began to enhance her coaching experience in different sports at the intramural level.
Rather than pursuing post-secondary education, she opted for a retail sales job in a local mall.
One thing remained crystal clear, her desire to help others.
Whether it was operating a daycare for 36 years, helping others in palliative care, or coaching individuals whose ability to learn at an expected level and function in daily life was hampered, Stewart has always made herself available. She’s also organized functions in memory of her daughter, Caitlin, who died in a car accident in 1998.
“I thoroughly love what I do – helping people,” said Stewart, a wife, mother of three and someone who tries to walk between eight and 12 kilometres each day with her dog, Stella. “I just can’t imagine not being busy.”
Stewart was a gymnast, participated in club competitions and had hopes of competing in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. She made a personal decision to pass on it after tiring of constant training.
She then made a major decision and transitioned from athlete to coach and began to coach many different sports at the intramural level at.
“I wanted to help and teaching someone to get better at what they were doing, and it brought smiles to them and me,” said Stewart, who has credentials gained through the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
Her lust for coaching started at the age of eight. It came while observing her parents, guiding others during countless gymnastics competitions. Coaching took off when she taught a six-year-old with special needs how to swim.
Focused, confident and determined to continue her magic, Stewart exhibits a contagious enthusiasm that skyrockets – especially after she shares one success story after another. Those great moments coaching Special Olympics includes numerous memorable times in the gym.
There were many including the time Scottie, one of her athletes, launched a basketball through the net. It weas something he had tried to accomplish for two years.
“What a moment that was,” she recalled. “How can you not give these individuals a chance – they are people. They need us, and I need them.”
With unlimited encouragement, Stewart has been with Special Olympics for an astounding 24 years and has many stories of athlete success.“Doug and Scott were competing for Arnprior at a track meet in Ottawa,” recalled Stewart. “During the 100-metre race, Scott had fallen. Doug stopped running to help him up so they could both go on to finish. I remember being so emotional and so proud of the two.”
Stewart has not escaped accolades.
In 2023, she was the recipient of a Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Award from the Coaches Association of Canada. As well, Stewart was honored with the Coach of the Year award from Special Olympics Ontario. The Township of Arnprior also presented her with the Volunteer of the Year award in 2017.
“I’m truly blessed to be able to help athletes faced with challenges,” she said. “There is so much mutual respect, watching the daily accomplishments. My biggest award is being there to help them achieve success.”
“(Coaching) has been a life-long fascination for me and the pride and joy – and the greatest pleasure, is coaching Special Olympians.”
CAO’s Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench article series – November 2023
“One of the most rewarding things in our lives is the opportunity to coach. Positively impacting a child, emphasizing the importance of self-behaviour, encouraging, and emphasizing that hard work does pay off in many ways” – Coach Mona
There is something to be said about a partnership. Some might call it a relationship between two individuals who work together on so many things.
For Mona Beera and Antonio Rodrigues, their daily lives involve employment at one of the world’s finest hospitals – Toronto’s Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Their responsibilities include communicating with people, who in many cases are challenged with a variety of health issues.
There are days when things become exhausting and times are arduous, but they persevere because of a genuine affection that involves helping people.
Beera and Rodrigues are not physicians or nurses, but professionals in data management in the areas of cancer research and clinical trials. It might not sound important, but they meet with patients and are tasked with compiling additional information to share with other members on the medical team.
All of what they do, at the Odette Cancer Centre, leads to an emphasis on treatment and prevention. Beera works in radiation oncology and Rodrigues is in medical oncology. The goal: to improve the standard of care and quality of life for patients.
They are special people.
At the end of an exhausting day, Beera and Rodrigues continue their objective – one of devotion to others. For them, it means switching from a hospital environment to supporting and encouraging in another way. This time, it’s coaching soccer.
Young and driven, gifted with an enthusiastic ambition of being there for others, you will find these two coaching youngsters between the ages of four and 16 at the Cherry Beach Soccer Club.
It’s a 12-month commitment that has them at the Cherry Beach Sports Fields during the warmer weather and switches, off-season, to the dome at Monarch Park Stadium. They’ve been doing it for years.
In almost everything they do and touch, their optimism is relentless. Thinking pessimistically makes it very difficult for the positives to shine. So, Beera and Rodrigues focus on the good things and doing what they can to make them even better.
When visionaries are creating new ways for young people to experience tomorrow, what becomes evident many times, is that something tends to be lacking. That’s usually people who know how to deliver. Not the case with Beera and Rodrigues. They excel and do what they can to avoid the limelight.
“We want to highlight kids and give them meaningful opportunities,” said Rodrigues. “It’s also about helping a soccer club that has made a massive impression on our lives. Coaching is an important way of giving back.”
As youngsters, Beera had hopes of a career in medicine as a doctor. Rodrigues was focussed on teaching. Beera studied Kinesiology at York University and Rodrigues was educated at George Brown College and Seneca College at York University in liberal arts and sciences.
The two have something else in common other than making eye contact a fair bit while they attended R.H. King Academy in Toronto, then working at the same hospital, and coaching soccer. They are husband and wife – and married in 2022.
Beera was born in India and came to Canada, with her family, at age 12. Rodrigues is a native of Toronto. Those high school days were important, they both claim, for providing not only a sound education, but the opportunity to grow their life skills and participate in a variety of sports. For the record, Beera was a two-time school Athlete of the Year while Rodrigues only became serious about sports in his graduating year.
Learning to be happy, healthy, and kind are words Rodrigues holds dearly – and that goes for coaching, too.
“Giving children confidence is critical in their development as young people,” said Rodrigues, who continues to play competitive soccer when it doesn’t interfere with his time coaching. “Our responsibility, as coaches, is to show, teach and provide a positive mindset. We’re helping youngsters find a love for the sport, adapt it to their lives, meet new people, and take what they can and get better.”
Beera started working at Sunnybrook at the age of 19 while Rodrigues started at age 21 – and never left.
“I was the kind of individual who needed to be occupied, kept busy and working at Sunnybrook was a great start,” said Beera, who was at Sunnybrook while attending university classes. “I was a porter moving patients from appointments throughout the hospital or from the operating room and emergency. What I was doing, I found to be very rewarding – helping others.
“I enjoyed the interaction with patients – who may have been going through a lot. I wanted to lend an ear, even if it was just for a few moments. If I could make their day just a little better, make them smile, that meant the world to me. That’s what I loved about it and why I wanted to find a way to come back to Sunnybrook.”
In 2018, Beera returned to Sunnybrook, accepting a position as an administrative clerk that involved also helping people who required cancer treatment or a variety of medical tests and examinations. Prior to that, she had worked for a marketing company that was involved with World Vision, the March of Dimes, and the Hospital for Sick Children.
As for coaching soccer, Beera and Rodrigues have been at it for 13 years. Their inauguration came with an all-girls club at Scarborough United. Then, the North York Cosmos, FC Barcelona Academy and now Cherry Beach.
“One of the most rewarding things in our lives is the opportunity to coach,” said Beera. “Positively impacting a child, emphasizing the importance of self-behaviour, encouraging, and emphasizing that hard work does pay off in many ways.”
Youngsters always need an extra push to know how to work through adversity and failure – and how to overcome it.
Beera and Rodrigues have benefitted from the Canada Soccer C andNational Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) training, also know a fair bit when it relates to dealing with stress and anxiety.
“It’s in our everyday lives, but coaching has helped,” said Rodrigues. “There was a time when I didn’t think that I had the capability to coach. Now, I am a better person. We learn from each other, but (Beera) is much better coaching and has so much more confidence.”
“My first exposure to soccer was at elementary school and I had no clue about the rules,” said Rodrigues. “There was, and still is, lots to learn. My first time as a coach – it was (Beera) who had motivated me to step forward and I got hooked. I saw that I could make a positive difference.”
While there are some who will debate that awards, trophies, recognition, and financial gain are important at the amateur sports level, others see success as simple as being available, helpful, and useful to others.
For Beera and Rodrigues, it has never been about winning or losing.
For them, priorities have always been about instructing kids to use what they learn in a soccer environment, as a reference to everyday life. It’s about working to achieve a common goal of respect, even when a score may not be flattering.
There are times when failure is the greatest opportunity to improve. Earning something through hard work will come with its own rewards.
“We learn from each other, but (Beera) is much better coaching and has so much more confidence.”
CAO’s Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench: Truth & Reconciliation Edition
“Having a sense of your (Indigenous) culture, helps me identify with my past, and also have the freedom today, to be who I am, be recognized for what I do, and be proud and able to contribute.”
There is a saying that the mark of a champion is having the ability to combine superior performance, under demanding circumstances, with a quality of personality that captivates an individual.
Meet one of those champions – Amy Wilson.
Start with a gleaming personality and an abundance of charm, Wilson is a brave individual who is far from apprehensive and more like a lightning bolt of enthusiasm and dedication.
Born in the small lumbering town of Fort Frances, in northwestern Ontario, Wilson remembers always being one who wanted to be around to help others. There were several in her family, who chose to work in the medical field. Wilson would follow the same professional route and graduate with a Nursing diploma from Northern College.
Sports were always in her life. At Fort Frances High School, she was active in almost every activity, from soccer to volleyball, and the list goes on. In her case, she did it all with grades that portrayed academic honors. Wilson was offered a full scholarship to study and play soccer at a major university – but turned it down for personal reasons.
Volleyball would become her sport of choice. These days she is an assistant coach at the University of Waterloo as well as developing volleyball camps for youngsters in remote First Nations communities. From being an athlete, and she excelled at that, to taking time to shine as a superb coach, was an interesting move.
At the age of 25, and while working as a nurse at a home for the aged, she took a telephone call from her father. She remembers it well. It was a September afternoon in 2006, when her dad had called to say that a local Catholic elementary school needed a coach – or the team would not be allowed to continue.
Minutes later, and with no previous coaching experience, she accepted the challenge. But Wilson also wondered why her father would call his daughter – the oldest of three siblings? She would soon find out. Asked about that launch of her coaching career, Wilson didn’t hesitate with a reply.
“My father (Terry Wilson) had seen my passion and the gift of wanting to help people whenever I can,” said Wilson, who is an Anishinaabekwe and from Rainy River First Nations. “He saw an opportunity that he thought would fit for me.
“That coaching experience turned out to be one of the best decisions that I had ever made. The start of something real big for me – and it has led to wonderful opportunities and so much more in my life.”
In Canada, September 30th marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It’s a time that honours Indigenous children, their families, and communities. Wilson is one of them. Her father was a survivor of Ontario’s residential schools.
A day devoted to Canada’s Indigenous community is also a time to reflect on culture, self-esteem, and freedom. Wilson knows that, too.
“Having a sense of your (Indigenous) culture, helps me identify with my past and also have the freedom today to be who I am, be recognized for what I do, and be proud and able to contribute,” said Wilson, who is a mother of five. “In sport, winning is exciting and important. Beyond sport, having a day to reflect on our Indigenous past is crucial, and understanding that there is so much more to be done.”
Wilson remains in close contact with her family after moving to the Greater Toronto Area in 2017. It was several years later, on a return home for the festive season, that things didn’t go well. About one hour outside of Fort Frances, the vehicle she was riding in as a passenger, was hit head-on by an impaired driver – who was later charged by police.
Her persistence and fortitude were too strong for setbacks – and especially having that lust and eagerness to comfort, support, and guide people. Wilson, like everyone, also has her values and dreams.
High up on the list is one day becoming the first Indigenous coach of a Canadian National women’s volleyball team that moves on to compete in international competition. She has had a taste of it. Wilson has coached Ontario teams at the 2017 and 2020 North American Indigenous Games (NAIG).
“Young people need to realize there are opportunities to learn, stay disciplined, stop making excuses and respond in a positive way,” added Wilson, who has her Level 3 accreditation in the National Coaches Certification Program. “There are so many young people in Indigenous communities who never get seen and we need to encourage them to continue to get active and have fun.”
Wilson has many stories of her days as an athlete, which include the moments of success and frustration as a coach, but there is so much more about her than winning medals, awards, and championships.
When it gets down to coaching, her battle plan is simple, sincere, and straightforward. It’s based on 17 years of experience, honesty, and integrity. To those she coaches, she repeats a game strategy lesson of past.
“I believe in you – and I know you can do this,” Wilson has said time and time again. “We are not going to look ahead. We are going to stay calm and leave everything that we have out there”.
Personal gratification is not big with her, but she has received special honors as a recipient of the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Coaches award at the 2017 Canada Games held in nearby Winnipeg. In 2021, the Ontario Volleyball Association selected Wilson “Coach of the Year” for her work with the 18-and-under girls’ team at the Pakmen Volleyball Club of Mississauga. Now, another time to shine as a recipient of the 2023 Coaching Excellence award from the Coaches Association of Ontario.
There would have been more opportunities, but the pandemic shut down a trip to train and coach with the Youth National team in France. Also closed was a summer to train and coach with the Team Canada Next Generation (Senior ‘B’ team) women’s volleyball team.
With challenges galore, and not having a female Indigenous coach to look up to as a mentor, Wilson recalls a social media message that she had received in 2021. It came from an individual she had coached many years back and had a huge impact on that person.
Wilson gets emotional thinking about it.
“She wrote to me and said she had been having a tough time and that, while coaching her, I had changed her perspectives on life,” Wilson said of the note from that athlete. “She said that I had given her love, was always there for her, saved her life and that she was here today because of me.”
Wilson’s story, and what she has done for athletes as a coach, is another example of the need to remind all levels of government in Canada to provide extensive public education that share the history and national story of Aboriginal athletes. Wilson’s story highlights the importance of having a Truth and Reconciliation Day. In support, the CAO strives to share the stories of Indigenous coaches and sport leaders.
Look for her in August of 2025 at the Canada Games in St. John’s, Nfld. Wilson has been appointed an assistant volleyball coach for Team Ontario’s women’s squad.
“There are so many young people in Indigenous communities who never get seen and we need to encourage them to continue to get active and have fun.”
“(Coaching) was very rewarding – especially knowing that I was teaching kids about life-long skills outside of the normal classroom.”
It was not one of those charming times in his life that Jarod Milko recalls being discouraged and baffled.
That was when, as an exuberant 11-year-old competing in sport, things just weren’t working out the way most youngsters would have predicted.
For Milko, he was losing – one judo match after another.
His parents, very supportive in getting their sons active in physical activity, had introduced him to the sport because they knew he needed something stimulating in the down time outside of school.
Milko liked baseball, soccer, and volleyball, but judo would turn out to be the perfect fit providing a combination of mental and physical challenges.
“I started judo at eight years of age and lost all of my matches for the next three years,” recalled Milko. “I wanted to quit. I’ll never forget the time when my parents and judo coaches encouraged me to just keep working hard and good times would come.”
They were right – and he would see it.
That frustration would change when after three years of Milko struggling to find the winners podium, Milko started winning over and over. The confidence and success became infectious. His first win came on a vinyl-covered foam mat at the popular J & M Judo Club in Kenora. It may have just been an eye-opener to what would become a remarkable personal journey through life.
“There was a period of not doing very well in judo to working hard and becoming extremely successful,” said Milko. “I owe a great deal to my parents, and coaches, for their huge contribution in giving me the tenacity and assurance to work hard and never give up.”
Making a difference can be huge.
Milko was born, raised and resides in Kenora – a city of some 15,000 people in the stunning beauty of the Lake of the Woods area of northwestern Ontario. It’s about 200 kilometres east of Winnipeg.
He is of Métis ancestry. Métis are people of mixed European and Indigenous genealogy, and one of the three recognized Aboriginal peoples in Canada.
Some people know Milko by the nickname – “Milkman”. It’s a moniker given during his rewarding professional and amateur career in mixed martial arts. Others know him for 11 years in the school classrooms as a teacher, coach, and advocate for the development of physical literacy for all young people.
He’s also a role model proving that education – including 11 years of post-secondary studies – amounted to more than just knowledge and prosperity. For him, it was that anything is possible with a strong and focussed work ethic.
After his student elementary and secondary school days, Milko earned bachelor’s and master’s Degrees at the University of Lethbridge and the University of Winnipeg, respectively. Tack on the Doctorate from the University of Western Ontario in London. His teaching certification was at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay.
Yes, you can call him by his formal title – Dr. Jarod Milko.
A multi-sport high school athlete in his younger years, his focus on judo came outside of school time. As for career time, he would go on to teach, for eight years, at Beaver Brae Senior Elementary – the school he once attended.
“Tenacity applies to everything in my life,” said Milko. “The ability to persevere in all challenges goes back to those early days in judo. You can be exhausted, but you can also dig deep, don’t ever give up. In life, the rewards come in many ways.”
These days, Milko pivoted from the formal classroom to tackle a variety of personal interests and challenges. He has his own company and works in software, enjoys landscaping, still finds time to teach, coach his two daughters as well as research and write in the field of developing physical literacy in young people.
For relaxation, you’ll likely locate him golfing, hunting and scuba diving.
“I’m a busy guy, but always available to help,” said Milko, now 36 years old and eight years into retirement as a competitive athlete, where he twice finished in the top three in Canada and had an overall mixed martial arts record of 18-6. Breaking it down, 9-3 as an amateur and the same record as a professional.
He has his prized possessions – the medals, trophies, and championship belts. But for him, coaching was special. That first job as a mentor started in his rookie year of teaching.
“(Coaching) was very rewarding – especially knowing that I was teaching kids about life-long skills outside of the normal classroom,” he said. “I had wanted to coach because I saw what it did for me. Coaches were extremely influential in my life.
“They were very important to my development, and I know that sport is a great way to get through to young people. When I taught physical education and coached school sports, I saw it firsthand. Every kid is different. The growth in their self-confidence and leadership both inside and outside of the classroom is what stands out most.”
Milko is a huge advocate for grassroots programming in schools.
“The 11-13-year-olds age range is really important to focus on when it comes to providing opportunities in sport and encouraging kids to participate,” said Milko, quoting data from ParticipACTION. “This is when we see the greatest dropout rate of kids quitting sport. By 16 years of age, one of every three girls have dropped out of sport compared to just one in 10 boys.”
Milko said it was “amazing to see our programs flourishing with enthusiastic middle school students and all it really took was providing opportunities along with great coaching”.
“Getting young people involved early is critical,” he said. “There are kids not sure of sports – but they need to be involved. It’s important for them to build confidence early and realize that they, too, can be successful.”
September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
“Talking about youth sport is really appropriate for this day as both Indigenous and non-Indigenous coaches can provide a platform for coaching young people to play, compete, learn and grow through sport together,” added Milko. “We can all be part of the solution and supporting young people in sport. This is certainly a key component highlighted in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.”
It’s also learning about the rich and diverse cultures, voices, experiences and histories of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. It’s a day for all Canadians to commemorate the history and legacy of the residential school system. A time to honor the resilience, dignity and strength of survivors and remember the children who never came home.
“For parents, one more nudge for their child. You never know what that will lead to. Winning in sport is the small picture, the bigger one is we’re building character development, skills and doing it through sports.”
The Coaches Association of Ontario strives to share the stories of Indigenous coaches and sport leaders – and encourages all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, sports halls of fame, and other relevant organizations, to provide public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history.
“Winning in sport is the small picture, the bigger one is we’re building character development, skills and doing it through sports.”
Kicking off National #CoachesWeek, coaches were celebrated at the Rogers Centre in Toronto on September 16, 2023 to a Blue Jays VIP experience!
Thank you to Hydro One and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport for their unwavering support of Ontario’s greatest asset, OUR COACHES!
Winning coaches are also awarded a $500 prize reimbursement to be used on purchases they make for their team, club or organization, from local businesses, proudly provided by Hydro One Inc.
Jozo Weider Race Club, Blue Mountain
Tillsonburg Ringette Association, Tillsonburg
Robert Land Academy, Wellandport
Archery 2 You Archery Centre, Oshawa
University of Waterloo, Indigenous Team Ontario, Milton
MJKO Boxing, Toronto
Badminton Warriors of Mnidoo Mnising, Manitoulin Island
Rising Star Cricket, Brampton
South East Trillium Hunter Jumper Association, Gananoque
London Curling Club, London
East York Collegiate Institute, Toronto
St. Michael Catholic High School, Kemptville
Susan Kitchen Trailblazer Award Toronto Inner City Rugby Foundation (TIRF), Toronto
Hydro One Safe Play AwardLeander Boat Club & McMaster University, Hamilton
Andy Higgins Lifetime Achievement AwardYoung Choung Taekwondo Academy, Vaughan & Toronto
The CAO congratulates all of the award winners and coaches across Ontario for their commitment and dedication to ensuring Canadians live an active and healthy lifestyle. For more information on the Ontario Coaching Excellence Awards and nominating a coach in the future, visit https://www.coachesontario.ca/events/awards/.
CAO’s Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench article series – September 2023
“The objective has always been to get kids active, healthy, and focussed on building strong life skills.”
When Mark Peltier had an opportunity to impact the lives of young people in a positive way, he went right to work. There was no hesitation.
A modest guy, extremely focussed on always wanting to meet challenges with overwhelming success, the rewards started to show. In time, achievements and prosperity continued to shine.
For Peltier, what is acutely gratifying is watching it all happen in a place where it all began for him – his home on Manitoulin Island.
Known locally in Ojibway as “Spirit Island” and in the heart of the Great Lakes, it’s a place recognized for having the largest freshwater island in the world. Tack on some breathtaking sunsets.
Also shining, is the character, dedication, and work of Peltier.
His enthusiasm and energy clearly are evident in his ability to find positive ways to achieve a boom in success. That can be tough when the microscope is on individuals between the ages of nine and 15. Pushing for participation and engagement in a variety of activities can be arduous, but also intriguing.
Peltier chose sport as a way of attracting youngsters. His primary objective: getting them to benefit from physical health and exercise.
“Sport was so important in my life,” said Peltier. “It helped me learn, create relationships, become physically fit and strengthen my social and emotional skills. Now, what makes me feel even better is providing a form of enjoyment to youngsters in the community – and giving them the same opportunities.”
This September, Peltier was recognized with an Ontario Coaching Excellence award given out by the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO) in partnership with Hydro One. It’s presented to a group of coaches, honoured during National Coaches Week for exemplary work along with the integral role they implement and achieve with their athletes, sport, and community.
As part of the award, CAO and Hydro One is presenting Peltier with a $500 award to purchase new equipment and tools from local Ontario or Canada businesses.
There are periods in life when growing up in smaller communities can sometimes feel like living in isolation – especially for a vulnerable age bracket. Peltier is quite aware that same age range is also hooked on what he calls “small screen devices”. You know of them as being cell phone games and computers.
“It makes my job, as a coordinator or a coach, that much more important,” he said. “I have to find positive ways to attract them to participate so they see it’s all meaningful.”
Peltier grew up on a farm in Wikwemikong First Nation located in the eastern peninsula of Manitoulin Island. For him, there were family responsibilities, which included baling hay, rounding up cattle, and a variety of other chores. Peltier understood his duties, but he also wanted some variety, too.
“My dad wanted me to work on the farm – to do real work,” recalled Peltier. “Sports was a waste of time to him. But when I became successful in school and sports, he changed his viewpoint and said he was proud of me – and I’ll never forget that.”
So, when was the break-out period for Peltier?
It may have been at Pontiac Elementary when Peltier showed the early signs of a fond interest in academics as well as a desire to experience taking part in a variety of athletic activities. He participated in every sport offered by the school.
But badminton was not one of them. For some reason, he explained, the school board just didn’t offer it and factors could have been a lack of funding or having someone to coach. That would change in time.
It was as a seven-year-old, while taking a break from duties on the farm that his ingenuity kicked in. With help from his sisters, he tied string between two trees and launched his own version of a badminton net. Confidence also became huge for him.
A multi-sport athlete, Peltier would go on to excel in the track and field obstacle event known as steeplechase. He went on to become the Nipissing District champ and competed at the Ontario high school track and field championships. It wasn’t the Olympic Games, but for him it was a huge personal accomplishment.
With a post-secondary education always a priority, Peltier went on to attend Toronto’s George Brown College, but would graduate with a diploma in fitness and leisure management from Cambrian College in Sudbury. Worth noting, was that he did win back-to-back gold medals at the Ontario colleges championships in cross country running. As for badminton, he was awarded the men’s singles intramurals badminton title during his time at George Brown.
“After College, the love for badminton remained and it was all for recreation,” he said. “The focus would switch to coaching. I had so much fun that I knew the responsibility shifted to help others, young people back home, and try to bring out the best in them.”
What would come next for Peltier would be huge for the community.
As the coordinator of healthy living youth programs for Noojmowin Teg Health Centre, which services First Nations communities on Manitoulin Island and the District, Peltier was looking for additional funding to launch programs.
In 2021, it came.
The federal Government’s Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities provided a two-year grant of $80,000, which included in-kind contributions from Noojmowin Teg Health Centre.
Peltier would tap into the allotment to form Badminton Warriors of Mnidoo Mnising (the Ojibway translation for Manitoulin). It was, and still is, the only badminton club on the Island and serves eight communities. Friendly, encouraging, and a positive role model, Peltier also fit the role of coach.
“The objective has always been to get kids active, healthy, and focussed on building strong life skills,” said Peltier, who is a benefactor of the National Coaching Certification Program.
He knows that the impact of the Sport Canada project is measured in a variety of ways that include participation numbers and physical literacy assessments. Another huge moment came in April of 2023 – the inaugural Manitoulin Island elementary school badminton championships took place.
Peltier couldn’t help but recall his younger years when the sport was not offered. Now, badminton is a school sport event across Manitoulin.
“It’s such a wonderful time,” said Peltier. “Kids love it, parents are happy, and I see everyone as a winner.”
“I had so much fun that I knew the responsibility shifted to help others, young people back home, and try to bring out the best in them.”
