“Good things come to those who sweat.”

As anyone who has worked out with me or seen me in one of the classes at the studio can attest, I love to get a sweat on. I have always loved the natural high that comes with physical exertion. I started playing sports as a youngster in Saskatchewan and soon devoted myself to achieving a high level of performance in basketball. I enjoyed a lot of success as a basketball player, including the opportunity to represent my province in the 1993 Canada Summer Games and to compete as a member of the University of Regina Cougars through 4 years of varsity basketball.

I began my journey to becoming a fitness trainer, though, in 2013 when I realized that my level of fitness had slowly but surely deteriorated over the years, and that my health and self-esteem were both suffering because of it. I started participating in classes at Fitness Funatics alongside my wife, Leanne, who had been a member for about a year. And soon I found that I was again finding the joy of exercising and enjoying the benefits of a fitter, healthier body. It didn’t take long before I was a dedicated member at the studio, participating in classes and/or training up to 5 or 6 days a week.

I love learning about fitness and trying new things. Over the last couple of years, Shelley and the other trainers at the studio have encouraged me to be an active member of classes and training sessions, and their support and positive feedback has given me the confidence I needed to consider taking a step further into the world of fitness by becoming a fitness professional. My achievement of certification in Personal Training for Health and Fitness from the Sport Performance Institute is the beginning of a new chapter in my fitness journey.

I began my working career as a high school teacher, and I have coached basketball and other sports at various levels over the years. The most important thing to me as as an athlete, as a teacher, and as a coach has always been sharing in the joy of improving through mental and physical endeavours. Now I hope to bring that same emphasis on finding the fun part of working out to my new role at Fitness Funatics. I plan to keep learning and trying out new methods and strategies for helping you achieve the fit and healthy body you want. I hope you’ll join me!

– Leigh.