The Athletes Podcast

Join David Stark & Mike Pickles as we share how smart, simple training builds confidence and keeps athletes healthy while cutting through the noise of gimmicks and hype. Mike reflects on lessons from coaching hundreds of kids and why life skills matter more than making the pros.

• origins in strength and conditioning and early mentors
• confidence as the biggest gain from youth training
• injury prevention as t...

We talk with BJJ athlete and coach Sean Spence about building real confidence under pressure, smarter training without burnout, and why “framing” chaos works on and off the mat. We also dig into cross-training, youth development, and how longevity can live with peak performance.

• Sean’s path from fitness to Brazilian jiu-jitsu
• Why humility beats ego for faster skill gain
• Framing pressure to stay calm and think...

We explore how elite performance is built on consistency, smart prioritization, and a network that protects long-term availability. Stories from NHL rooms, Kelowna’s rise as a training hub, and a candid look at captaincy, data, and mental health show what actually moves the needle.

• playing the long game with career choices and boundaries
• why availability beats bigger, faster, stronger
• data that validates coac...

Clark Hardman, CEO of Thread Performance, joins us to rethink how young athletes fuel growth, focus, and safe strength. We dig into trust, bioavailability, multi-sport benefits, and why snack bars and kids’ menus need a hard reset.

• mission to build youth-specific supplements
• why processed food hurts focus and recovery
• trust gap in teen supplements and how to fix it
• bioavailability and iron deficiency in...

A torn ACL sparks a pivot to Prague, an elite training internship, and a national reality challenge that reshapes how we coach and compete. We launch the Two‑Minute Warning, debate sports’ hottest questions, and map the real rise of women’s sports with on-the-ground proof.

• ACL tear as catalyst for change
• Prague study abroad and work grind
• Gary Roberts internship lessons in sport science
• Canada’s Ultimat...

Sandra Abstreiter shares how film study, better fueling, and smarter gear choices helped her rise to Germany’s starting job and a PWHL roster. We swap stories from the PWHL takeover tour, dig into mindset for starters and backups, and unpack how small gains stack into big jumps.

• jumping from skater to goalie at 16 and building skills fast through deliberate video study
• why comfort-driven gear choices accelerate con...

We sit down with ultra runner Dave Proctor to unpack how he ran across Canada, what attention and meditation did for his performance, and why the finish line mattered less than the steps that got him there. The talk moves from ego and validation to stillness, doubt, and the craft of stacking habits.

• Canadian pride and sport as pure attention
• Doing vs being and running across Canada
• Outrunning ego and the Seco...

Cal Dorohoy, founder of Fairway Co and director of Innovation for VaynerSports, joins Dave to discuss the ambitious Fairway Long Drive Tour across Canada and the intersection of athletics and entrepreneurship.

• Cal created Fairway Lager after identifying the untapped opportunity to own the "social side of golf"
• The beer contains a protease enzyme cutting 90% of gluten, making it less filling for extended d...

Luke Way, founder of Isocapnic Technologies, reveals how respiratory limitations affect athletic performance and how proper breathing training can unlock significant performance gains.

• Approximately 70% of athletes are functionally limited by their respiratory systems, meaning they physically cannot breathe enough air to perform at their true potential
• VO2 max testing provides valuable insights beyond just a number...

Shea Emry shares his remarkable journey from being a two-time Grey Cup champion in the CFL to competing in World Long Drive Championships, hitting golf balls over 400 yards with a specialized 48-inch driver. His story demonstrates how elite athletes can successfully transition between sports, applying lessons from one competitive arena to another.

• Former CFL linebacker who retired in 2015 and discovered long drive golf i...

Maddie Warren joins us for a brutal leg workout and shares her journey from teenage undereating to powerlifting to becoming a bodybuilder who travels the world. She opens up about finding balance, building confidence, and pursuing personal growth on her own terms.

• Training with heavy hip thrusts (3 plates) and high reps for glute development
• Using cooling implements called "narwhals" to maximize workout c...

Evy Lyons from Apex Cool Labs explains how palm cooling technology is revolutionizing athletic performance by cooling blood and muscles during intense activity.

• Palm cooling accelerates recovery in competition and training by utilizing hands as the body's natural radiators
• Our palms get 10 times more blood flow than other skin areas when we're hot
• Cooling your palms helps lower core temperature, acc...

Brian Wallack shares his journey from professional basketball player in Spain to Gymshark athlete and social media fitness influencer with half a million followers. His transition reveals how he's now able to inspire more people through fitness content than he ever could have on the basketball court.

• Importance of planning training around performance needs, especially for in-season athletes
• Effectiveness of tr...

Dusty Imoo, also known as "The Goalie Therapist," shares his journey from professional hockey goaltender to mental performance coach, offering insights on managing stress and finding balance in high-performance situations. Drawing from his 15-year career, most recently coaching with the Los Angeles Kings, Fort Wayne Comets, and Japanese national team, he provides practical wisdom for athletes looking to optimize their men...

Cruz Oguz, dubbed the most athletic kicker in the country prior to entering the NCAA, shares his multifaceted approach to athleticism through football, track, and tricking while creating his social media content.

• Creates and edits all content himself, recently upgrading equipment to enhance quality
• Follows a modified diet with around 200g of carbohydrates while cutting for summer
• Boasts impressive lifting num...

April Hutchinson, a three-time Team Canada record-holding powerlifter, shares her journey from childhood athlete to women's sports advocate after being suspended for speaking biological truths about male competitors in female categories.

• Sports served as therapy through difficult times including childhood abuse and later struggles with alcoholism
• Found sobriety six years ago and channeled energy into powerlift...

Siddhartha Bhat, a 14-time Team Canada Taekwondo national champion, shares his journey from being a troublemaking child to becoming one of Canada's most decorated martial artists. He explores the discipline martial arts instilled in him and why he believes every child should learn some form of self-defense.

• Growing up in Toronto as a child of Indian and Sri Lankan parents shaped Siddhartha's cultural identity

Marie-Eloise Leclair shares her journey from a Montreal athlete to becoming a Canadian Olympian competing in the 4x100m relay at the Paris Olympics. National Record Holder 13x All-American D2, her story weaves through early sports experiences, collegiate decisions, Olympic village insights, and her ongoing development as an elite sprinter.

• Originally recruited to SFU as a 400m hurdler before her coach redirected her to p...

Eleni Demestihas, Director of Hockey Operations for Cookstark Management, shares her journey from law school to becoming an agent for women's hockey players and offers insights on the explosive growth of the PWHL.

• Began as a law school graduate who wanted sports industry education without necessarily practicing law
• Started representing hockey players when many had no agents, particularly focusing on players wh...