Aug 10th, 7:00-8:00PM

Anthony Johnson, LGBTQ2S+, Two-Spirit and Diversity Expert

Anthony Johnson, a Two-Spirit advocate, artist, poet, photographer, cultural documentarian, and strategic analyst whose mission in life is to explore the beauty of the Earth and its inhabitants. A proud Diné of Navajo Nation in Arizona,, Anthony was born and raised on a reserve before he found his path through education and traditional teachings and branched out to explore the world. He has lived in many cities across Turtle Island and even had a short stint in Shanghai, China. He graduated from Harvard University in 2009, earning a degree in Economics and Social Anthropology of East Asia. In 2017, Anthony began a new chapter when he moved to Treaty 6 Territory in Edmonton, Alberta. That same year, he married his husband, Dr. James Makokis, during the BMO Harris Vancouver Marathon. The pair later introduced themselves to Canada and the world when they triumphantly won Season 7 of The Amazing Race Canada, using the platform to raise awareness for challenges that Indigenous, LGBTQ2S+ and Two-Spirit individuals face. In his professional and personal life, he continually advocates for Indigenous rights, LGBTQ2S+ inclusion, and the harmonious fusion of traditional Indigenous knowledge with allyship and unity to create access and acceptance for others.

Aug 14th, 12:00-1:30PM

The Power of Praise, Ali Stoffels of Rec Gym Pros

Leaders in the gym are good communicators - they clearly express expectations and use the power of positive feedback to reinforce the words, actions, behaviours & attitudes we want to see more of in the gym. Come learn one simple technique for maximum impact when you're praising your athletes (or staff!) -- and then we'll practise it too. If you're looking to see more smiles, faster progress and boost the confidence of the kids in your classes, this is a great place to start! And - by the way - this works for managers who lead staff too, and it has the power to shift the culture of your team!

 

Aug 18th, 12:00-1:00PM

Obstacles Welcome: Parkour’s Place In Your Gym, Brody Atkin of Alberta Gymnastics

Hello everyone! My name is Brody Atkin and I’m very excited to join you all soon! I’ve been coaching Parkour for about 15 years now, both recreationally and competitively, and it’s been a huge part of my life since I first heard its name.

I’m one of the co-authors of the AGF Parkour Curriculum and Coaching Courses, and have spent a lot of time implementing Parkour programs into gymnastics settings in a way that’s fun, safe, and sustainable. On the athlete side, I’ve been competing internationally for 12 years now, and was fortunate enough to work behind the scenes as the Parkour Equipment Manager at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, and as an assistant at the FISE festival in Montpellier back in 2021.

This congress I’m here to share everything I can about starting up a successful recreational Parkour program in a gymnastics gym—from the skills and class structure to demographics, scheduling, and marketing. My goal is to help you get a program off the ground that fits your gym’s culture and creates something exciting and fresh for your community.

Aug 19th, 10:00-11:30AM

Performance Psychology, Ralph Schoenfeld

Ralph played basketball and football, primarily reaching the Canadian Football League level with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for two seasons. Now retired as a teacher, Ralph is a mental skills consultant for athletes who compete in a variety of sports at Saskatchewan, Western Canada and Canada Summer Games levels and he has also been a coach of the Saskatchewan Wheelchair basketball program. 

 

Aug 21st, 9:00AM-10:30AM

Ellie Black - 4x Olympian, 2022 World Championships Silver & Bronze Medalist, 2x Pan Am Games All-Around Champion, and 8x National Champion

Along with many other incredible achievements Ellie has accomplished over her amazing career, she was named one of the greatest 15 athletes in Nova Scotian history, earning herself the Order of Nova Scotia presented by the Lieutenant-Governor. She is one of only two individuals to have received this award under the age of 25.

Ellie is widely regarded as the most successful Canadian female gymnast of all time and is known for breaking barriers and supporting women in sport.

Ellie will share her personal experiences and insights on:

💬 What does positive coaching look and feel like?

🤝 The importance of strong coach-athlete relationships

💡 How her coaches have supported her journey to the world stage

Aug 22nd, 12:00-1:00PM

Yvonne Tousek-Renne - Cirque du Soleil Casting Advisor

Yvonne began competing internationally at the age of twelve and continued to compete with the National Team for nine years. She represented Canada at two Olympic Games (Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000), advancing to the all-around final on both occasions. She also competed at four World Championships and was a triple gold medalist at the 1999 Pan American Games. At the 1999 World Championships, she qualified to the Floor Exercise Final finishing 8th in the world on this event. At these same World Championships she debuted an original element on the balance beam, a cross-wise back handspring, now named the "Tousek" in the International Gymnastics Code of Points.

In 2006, Yvonne embarked on her adventure with Cirque du Soleil as an artist and movement captain on Corteo.  She toured the world with Corteo for nine years before joining the cast of Amaluna in 2015.  After 11 years performing with Cirque du Soleil, Yvonne has joined the Casting Team in Montreal as an Acrobatic Talent Scout.