Meet the YAD Team

  • Team athletic training session, coach kneeling on gym floor, holding a massage ball, athletes stretching and sitting in background, wooden basketball court surface.

    Coach Carmen

    Director of YAD Coach Development

    Hi fellow parents. I am a Co-founder of YAD and it’s always been my goal to offer top development to my athletes. I am an experienced performance coach - meaning I have extensive training in physical education, sport science, coaching and mental performance.

    I also know I cannot do this alone and I have assembled a very powerful team of specialists. I value the unique and rare combination of practitioner - one that can think like a scientist, but one that can practice like a ‘coach.’

    Those providing guidance to children and youth must be adequately trained - As the director of Coach Development for YAD & a lecturer at Simon Fraser University in BPK (Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology), you have my word, that this team is highly skilled and very competent at what they do and have the track record to show it.

  • Ice hockey coach instructing goalie wearing protective gear

    Coach Curtis

    Director of Parent and Athlete Relations

    Hi everyone. I’m also a co-founder of YAD. I’ll share my philosophy: I always meet the athletes where they are at as a coach. Understanding who they are and what motivates them provides the foundation I operate from. I believe instilling in them that their opinion matters and that they matter, not just as an athlete but as a person first and foremost is critical as this is so often overlooked.

    Once they know this, creating an environment where failure and taking chances is welcomed and embraced is easy.  From there I simply guide their focus towards unlocking their potential, through drills that challenge them and expose their areas of improvement pushing them further each session.

    “The sky is truly the limit.”

  • Coach Garrett - Lead S&C

    Hi everyone! I’m a coach with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Simon Fraser University, where I focused on Active Health and Rehabilitation, I grew up immersed in sports, eventually specializing in hockey. I was fortunate to play college hockey with Selkirk college and SFU developing a greater understanding in how movement and technique is key to unlocking full potential as athletes.

    My coaching philosophy is rooted in movement efficiency, strength development, and long-term athlete growth. I believe that strength is for everyone and that mastering movement patterns is the key to unlocking performance, confidence, and injury resilience.

    With a hands on, science based approach, I work to create an environment where athletes feel supported, challenged, and empowered to push their limits.

  • Coach Kristen - S&C

    "Hi there! I hold a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in Active Health and Rehabilitation. I grew up playing every sport I could fit into my schedule which eventually led to me playing softball at Simon Fraser University. Throughout my education and athletic experiences, I learned that strength and proper movement patterns can elevate your performance more than you’d ever expect — and that strength builds confidence far beyond sport.

    As a coach, I aim to be intentional, approachable and supportive. I work to create a safe environment where young athletes feel comfortable trying new movements, asking questions, and understanding the why behind what we do. My goal is to help athletes grow not just physically, but in self-belief and lifelong confidence."

  • Coach Rykan - S&C

    Hi everyone! I am a coach finishing up my last semester at SFU, I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Sports are my life! I grew up playing baseball, basketball, and soccer.

    The more I learn through my education, coaching, and playing experience, the more I appreciate how important strength, speed, mobility, and overall movement quality are for reaching our potential as athletes. My coaching philosophy is to meet athletes where they’re at and provide them with not only the physical tools, but also the mental tools to progress towards their goals. I believe that making mistakes is the best way to learn, and fostering an environment where athletes feel comfortable and confident enough to make mistakes is where the most growth can occur. By combining science based training with competition and fun, I will work to challenge and empower athletes to push themselves to meet and surpass their goals!

  • Coach Jake - Reconditioning Specialist

    Hello everyone! I grew up playing a variety of competitive sports, with a focus in lacrosse and football, which gave me an early appreciation for both the physical and mental demands of being an athlete. I hold a BSc in Kinesiology from Simon Fraser University and have a background working as an athletic trainer, where I have provided injury assessment, management, and return-to-play support for a variety of athletes.

    My approach to rehabilitation is practical, hands-on, and grounded in science. I believe that effective rehabilitation is multifaceted and about more than simply getting an athlete back on the field. I aim to not only rebuild physical capacity but also develop the confidence, resilience and trust needed to perform at their best. I take a pragmatic, results-driven approach to help athletes navigate the rehabilitation process, overcome setbacks, and return to their sport stronger, more capable, and more confident in their bodies. 


IN NEED OF PHYSIOTHERAPY?

Meet Robbi Basran, YAD’s Director of Sports Medicine. Robbi has a Kinesiology degree from UBC and is a liscenced Physiotherapist. Robbi also has a sports background having been a varsity athlete himself. He operates out of two clinic locations:

  1. Coquitlam Express Performance Center - #211-1020 Austin Ave, Coquitlam

  2. VSC Clubhouse - 17358 104A Ave, Surrey

See below to book with Robbi as both locations are on his booking app:

YAD PILLARS

Movement Competency + Adaptability = Foundation.

Movement competency is the ability to perform movement tasks efficiently and consistently, understanding how the body moves in space. Fundamental movement patterns and motor skills need to be developed with a level of competency before load and speed are added. All athletes want speed and power - First, we learn to move well and be adaptable. Movement adaptability is the ability to build on a given movement/motor skill, and manipulate the plane, velocity, load and stability without losing quality or consistency of the movement.

Resilience

At ‘YAD’ our focus around resiliency is holistic. First, the body must be able to withstand the rigors of sport and must be conditioned to tolerate the demands. This is tissue resiliency. Second, we believe exposing athletes early on to receiving and managing feedback help build mental resiliency. This heightens self-awareness and accountability and other intangible skills like emotional regulation which are important not only in sport, but in a young athlete’s life. Our coaches combine the physical and mental aspects to achieve a truly balanced resilient mind-body spirit.

Learner Mindset

Athletes in our programs will be strongly encouraged to be ‘daily learners.’ They will be directed to focus on the ‘process’ and seeking mastery. Sport psychology research illustrates this mindset creates higher levels of intrinsic motivation. Our coaches set a high bar because we believe that everyone can rise to that level. We hold our participants and ourselves to a high standard. Growth in all aspects cannot occur without exposure to stress, overcoming adversity as an individual, or as a group; this is a vital part of life and will be a staple of our programming. Research shows us that embracing the learning process and comprehension instead of comparison to peers is linked to better performance.