Igniting the Champion Within in Sports

We are proud to offer Champions to empower athletes to reach their full potential while contributing to a positive culture in sports. The language of Captain and Poet immediately activates their Champion Within – unlocking the added edge of self-awareness and self-leadership. The result? Coaches better understand players, athletes are more confident, resilient and coachable, teams are more cohesive, and everyone is empowered to reach their full potential together.


This isn’t just a performance strategy.
It’s a new way to coach, play, and lead.

Download Champions Overview
PRESS RELEASE - November 3, 2025

We are proud to be sponsored by Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and are taking our program to 50 teams across the country starting in November, 2025! 

Self-Awareness | Connection | Inclusion & Belonging | Leadership

Champions enables coaches to have more impact on player mindsets, optimize team dynamics, and access untapped leadership potential on the bench by working with the whole athlete. The premise of the program is that we each have a unique Captain and Poet inside that, in partnership, enable us to be our best selves. Understanding the Captain and Poet deepens self-awareness by defining, and activating their inner champion – unlocking an added edge for both individual and team performance.

Athletes gain insight into their unique strengths and orientation to the game, alongside greater understanding of others. When the Captain and Poet operate in partnership, they create a powerful formula for engagement.  The observant Poet and decisive Captain gains confidence as a goalie. The empathetic Poet and goal-oriented Captain encourages others to be their best. The values-driven Poet and ambitious Captain becomes the driver of team culture. When mental, emotional, attitudinal, and behavioural attributes align performance is elevated from within.

Drawing from neuroscience, positive psychology and mindfulness, Champions ignites agency in athletes to contribute to the world around them in more positive ways. The program not only affirms innate strengths but offers access to a broader repertoire of Captain and Poet traits and resources that athletes and coaches can draw on as they develop as competitors, leaders, and people.

Whether the focus is on strengthening individual contribution, teamwork and leadership capabilities, or enhancing well-being, inclusion, and belonging, Champions is designed to ignite the potential in everyone to augment overall performance.

Who Are Your Captain & Poet?

Key Benefits

  • Better understand individual players for optimal coaching outcomes
  • Harness diversity to drive innovation and team performance
  • Promote team cohesiveness and foster a sense of connection and belonging
  • Ignite untapped leadership potential on the bench
  • Foster well-being, resilience, self-leadership, and a growth mindset
  • Create a positive and inclusive culture from athletes themselves
"The Coaching Workshop provided invaluable tools to enhance team dynamics, foster leadership, and nurture emotional intelligence in our athletes. This unique approach resonated deeply with our coaches, offering fresh perspectives on athlete development both on and off the field. I highly recommend this workshop to anyone looking to elevate their coaching strategies and create a more empowering environment for their athletes." Director of Athletics, St. Anne's School

Workshops

We offer one-hour team, coach, and parent workshops tailored to the needs of your club, team, and athletes. Sample topics are listed below and can be focused on themes such as self-awareness, self-leadership, leadership, team cohesion and dynamics, inclusion and belonging, well-being, and more. Or, sign athletes or coaches up for a one-on-one Discovery Session of their unique Captain and Poet! Team and club packages are also available.

Discover the Champion Within

Being an effective team means everyone bringing their best. Discover your unique Captain and Poet to harness your natural strengths, become more self-aware, and better align to your team. Harness untapped leadership potential on the bench and build a championship culture where everyone thrives.

Harness the Leader Within

Being a leader demands you be a role model for others, navigate challenges, and elevate your team’s performance. Uncover your authentic leadership style and learn to engage everyone on your team to create a championship culture where everyone contributes to team success.

Authentic Coaching

 Identify your innate “Captain and Poet” coaching style and expand your coaching toolkit to pivot to the needs of individual athletes. Learn to better harness coachable moments, identity untapped potential, and heighten connection and engagement on your team.

Coach Your Child On & Off the Field

We all want our kids to bring their best while experiencing a sense of well-being and belonging. Learn a shared language to support a positive culture on your child’s team. Understand your child’s unique strengths to build self-awareness, confidence, and resilience on and off the field. 

Book a Team, Coach, or Parent WorkshopBook a One-On-One Discovery Session
"If you are looking to supplement or bolster your athletics program, you can find value and confidence in the programming offered by Captains & Poets. Their professionalism, knowledge, and ability to connect with specific teams and students creates potential for stronger team cohesion and individual success. They help us to realize our own potential as individual athletes and coaches, as well as the dreams of those around us." Director of Athletics, Sterling Hall School

Facilitators

Leigh Mitchell

Leigh is a DEI-focused trainer and facilitator dedicated to promoting equity in sport, education and business. Her certifications include Parenting Instructor, Recreation Leadership, SEL, Ethical Leadership, and Inclusive Design, along with mental health first aid and several DEI related certifications from the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC). A seasoned entrepreneur, she teaches at York University's School of Continuing Education and is the founder of Women in Biz Network and the Changemaker Collective Podcast. Leigh enjoys reading, trail running, yoga and mindfulness, and volunteers for several local causes.

Francesco Bazzocchi

Francesco is a distinguished coach, accomplished consultant, and former high school teacher. As a dynamic leader, he employs innovative teaching methods and activities to captivate and inspire his audience, offering invaluable expertise across educational institutions, corporate environments, and sports teams. He is President of Bazzocchi Consulting, specializing in coaching, leadership development, and training in Emotional Intelligence and Choice Theory. Additionally, Francesco is a prolific author and contributor for Glasser Canada, and he continues to deliver impactful workshops on the international stage.

Abu Hafejee

Abu is a seasoned GTHL hockey official, on the Board of Directors of Markham and Lawrence Community United, where he coordinates impactful initiatives for seniors, new mothers, and youth leadership, and VP of the Scarborough Muslim Ball Hockey Association, an organization founded by his father in 2004. Having introduced 100s of players to the Scarborough Ice Raiders, he is widely known for his ability to connect diverse groups and cultivate a sense of inclusion and belonging, demonstrating the power of sport to foster mutual understanding through community approaches. Abu is a licensed carpenter and a professor at George Brown College.

Kurt Michael-Downes

Kurt is an award-winning teacher with the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board and President of Border City Athletics Club. He is an advocate for community sport access for youth, a public speaker, and recipient of the Canadian Running Magazine Golden Shoe Award as Community Builder of the Year, the Under Armour Diversity Award, and  Athletics Canada Dr. Doug Clement Coach of the Year. He represented Canada as staff coach at the World Youth and World Junior Championships, Pan Am Games, World Championships, and Tokyo Olympic Games. Kurt is completing his PhD in Kinesiology.

Owen Brine, M.A.

Owen is a seasoned Officer with the Royal Canadian Navy and a former leadership mentor with the Canadian Forces College in Toronto. He has a B.A. in History and an M.A. in Public Administration and draws upon 32 distinguished years of service including four NATO deployments conducting operations in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Owen’s vast volunteer experience with youth includes Scouts Canada, Junior Achievement, and Hockey Canada where he is currently Head Coach of a U18A team. A father of four, Owen is deeply committed to mental well-being and embracing mindfulness practices to make the most of every day.

Natasha Maloney

Natasha brings a breadth of fitness certifications and an entrepreneurial spirit to promoting wellness and youth development through community programming. She is a certified physical literacy instructor and founder of My PATH Learning Society educational program. Certified in Social Innovation, Natasha was a founding member of the grassroots initiative Achieving Community Together and co-founded the Parkland Youth Sport Consortium. She is also a committee member and coach for the Parkland Minor Softball Association. Natasha is an avid sports enthusiast and loves exploring nature.

Ted Temertzoglou, M.A.

Ted is a seasoned educator, author, and speaker and is on a mission to deliver programs rooted in equity, diversity and inclusion, social-emotional-learning, and culturally responsive teaching practices to empower people to lead authentic, happy, and fulfilling lives. As the president and founder of LifeIsAthletic, he provides global educational services in health & physical education, staff and student mental health including workshop facilitation, program/resource development, curriculum design & writing, monitoring and evaluation, professional development, demonstration classrooms, action research, and eLearning.

Pam Reilly

Pam is a seasoned coach and educator who integrates her experience as a personal trainer, yoga/group fitness instructor, and certified life coach into her framework. She is a qualified multi-sport coach with the Ontario Coaching Association and a member of the Board of Directors with Oro Minor Hockey Association. Pam specializes in integrating mindset work using physiological feedback to engage the body in learning and development. Her aim is to help athletes discover their strengths, achieve focus, and build confidence to see their potential in everything they do. Pam enjoys partaking in outdoor sports with friends, family and her dog.

Jesse Nairn

Jessie is committed to developing young athletes with a focus on teamwork, discipline, and personal growth in her role as Head Coach for Halton Regional Volleyball Club (U17) and formerly Elite Volleyball Player Inc. She has demonstrated her passion for community engagement in previous roles of Operations Coordinator for the Ontario Volleyball Association as well as Co-President of the Varsity Leadership Committee, and Mental Health Executive at McMaster University. As a standout member of McMaster’s varsity women’s volleyball team from 2016-2022, she was recognized as a three-time OUA First Team All-Star and named McMaster’s Female Graduating Athlete of the Year in 2022.

Bring Captains & Poets To Your Team!

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