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LCol Trudel is a CAF Physiotherapy Officer currently attending the Joint Command & Staff Program and is part of the Professional Technical Network providing guidance to the Physiotherapy trade.

In addition to his day-to-day job, LCol Trudel is also the Chief Trainer and co-creator of the CAFATP. He provides oversight for the entire program and works to ensure that the program continues to grow and deliver excellent services to CAF athletes, domestically and internationally.

In 2003, while in Kingston Major Trudel began his sports coverage career. “During that time, I covered many sports and was surprised that a more comprehensive program did not exist.” This lead LCol Dan Trudel and Maj (Retd) Daniel Crumback to conceptualize a restructuring of coverage that was being provided to CAF Sports program and production of the CAFATP. A program which began with two physiotherapists and a handful of trainers providing coverage to nationals and some CISM teams has expanded to include over 500 trainers with a governance structure, training curriculum, and the capability to provide coverage to any sporting event, involving CAF athletes, domestically or worldwide. The program is a collaborative endeavour with both military and PSP trainers of varying backgrounds. Leading by example LCol Trudel has provided coverage to over 73 events, including four CISM Military World Games, countless training sessions and was the Medical Coordinator for four world level CISM competitions, including three hosted by Canada.

Due to his leadership and tireless dedication, CAF athletes are able to count on an extensive network of accredited, high-quality athletic trainers that allow them to reach peak performances. As such, it comes as no surprise that in 2019 LCol Dan Trudel was inducted into the CAF Sports Honour Roll for his role as a Builder of Athletic Therapy in the CAF Sports Program.

“Involvement in the CAFATP has provided me with opportunities that I would have never imagined, and I get to work with a diverse, motivated team to ensure that all our CAF athletes get the coverage they deserve. I encourage you to get involved by speaking to your local PSP Sports Coordinator or your Regional Head Trainer.”

Maj Mahoney is a Physiotherapy Officer currently working at Health Services HQ as the Physical Rehabilitation Physiotherapy Coordinator.

"I have the privilege to work with ill and injured members on a daily basis and it is the most rewarding part of my position.

My current role in the CAFATP program is Operations Coordinator. I am responsible for maintaining a nationwide list of trainers and therapists to attend CAF National Sport Championships as well as CISM training camps and World Championships.

In 2008, I met a patient who inspired me to focus on amputee rehabilitation and adaptive sport. Since then, I continue to be inspired each day by many ill and injured members. Over the last 15 years, I’ve deployed to Afghanistan, participated as part of Team Canada’s medical team for the Invictus Games in Toronto and Australia; have attended many Soldier On events; and of course have travelled multiple times with the CAFATP program for CISM and National events.

In 2010, I became involved with the CAFATP and since then I’ve held the position of Regional Head Trainer for the Atlantic; been the trainer for the CISM Taekwondo team at the World Military Games in Korea in 2015; attended several regional and national events as well as a trainer for the World Marathon Championships hosted in Ottawa in 2018. Most recently, I attended the World Military Games in Wuhan, China as the trainer for the CISM Women’s Volleyball Team. These experiences have been worthwhile as it enriches me as a CAF member. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful people and have made many lasting friendships as a result.

Becoming an athletic trainer for the CAF Sports program has been challenging and rewarding. I encourage you to contact your local PSP Base Sports Coordinator or your Regional Head Trainer to become involved."

Capt Stefanov is a Physiotherapy Officer currently posted to CF H Svcs C(A). Prior to her current posting to Halifax, she was in Greenwood, NS, and Kingston, ON, in a variety of clinical and administrative role. In a previous life, she was a NCM in the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s) for over a decade before training to be a physiotherapist and transferring to the Regular Force.

Capt Stefanov became involved with CAFATP in 2015, and was the trainer for the CISM Men’s Volleyball Team for two years prior to her deployment on OP REASSURANCE in 2019. She assumed the Training Coordinator position in early 2020, and is currently responsible for CAFATP course development and delivery, and the maintenance of training standards within the Program.

Capt Johnson was a Regular Force Physiotherapy Officer who retired from the Regular Force at the end of 2016. Since then, Capt Johnson has continued to support DND. She is currently a Public Service Employee working as a Manager at 42 CF Health Services Centre in Gagetown. She is also a Reservist Physiotherapy Officer with 1 Canadian Field Hospital. Since leaving the Regular Force, she has further expanded her Physiotherapy skills by completing additional clinical training/experience in pelvic health, working at the local hospital in various settings such as the ICU, and working at a Private Clinic working with many types of patients, including CAF members and Veterans. In her spare time, Capt Johnson likes to train with the Gagetown Masters Swim/Multisport Team.

Capt Johnson has been involved with CAFATP since 2011 and has covered a variety of sporting events as a trainer or head trainer at the Regional, National, and CISM level in Canada and abroad. She loves to teach fellow trainers about emergency sports coverage, sideline assessment, return to play, and taping skills. She has organized, taught, and/or assisted with a number of CAFATP relevant courses including Intro to CAFATP & Level 1 Sports Taping, Level 2 Sports Taping, Sports First Responder, and Dr. Darrell Menard’s Performance Enhancers course.

In her opinion, the pros to CAFATP are many: develops new skill sets, presents new opportunities and experiences, improves the well-being and safety of our CAF athletes and helps them sustain operational readiness, promotes leadership development of the trainer – to name a few. As an example, as a sole trainer travelling with a CISM team internationally you are often responsible for many behind the scenes tasks such as: coordinating all supplies required for the duration of the trip, ensuring all team members pass the World Anti-Doping Agency standards and have appropriate medical documentation, encouraging healthy behaviours while abroad, providing input to team management and athletes as to whether or not someone is safe to return to sport, liaising with local medical authorities/ facilities in a foreign country, completing all after action procedures, etc. Equally as important is the role of a trainer at any local or Regional event. The trainer/head trainer is the final authority as to whether or not an athlete may return to sport.

They have a crucial leadership role in ensuring safety of all athletes and liaising with officials, team management, and local medical services as appropriate. Not to mention, on the lighter side, sports coverage is fun and can provide you with an opportunity to travel and network with great people!

All that to say, if you are in the Atlantic Region and interested in the CAFATP program in any capacity, please contact Capt Johnson or your local PSP Sports Coordinator.

Melissa has worked for PSP for over a decade and is currently the Fitness Coordinator at CFB Shilo.

In addition to her day-to-day job, Melissa is the Regional Head Trainer (RHT) for the Canada West region. She has been involved in the CAF Athletic Trainer Program since 2009, serving as RHT since 2011. As the RHT for the Canada West region, she coordinates all CAFATP related training for the Canada West region and is also a Taping Level 1 instructor.

Melissa holds a Kinesiology degree from the University of Manitoba. She is also a Certified Athletic Therapist, Exercise Physiologist, Personal Trainer, Yoga Instructor (200hr), Crossfit Level 1 Trainer as well as Pre/Post Natal, Group and Aquatic Fitness Leader. She has been active her entire life but currently spend her days training for half marathons, triathlons, CrossFit competitions and spending time with her children.

“As a trainer, you get to provide taping and medical services to our CAF athletes at local, regional, national and potentially international events, travel, network, gain hands on experience.”


 

Megan is the Reconditioning Manager in Petawawa where she manages the reconditioning of CAF members as they recover from injury and runs the pre/post-natal program on base. She has a bachelor of science in human kinetics, a bachelor of applied health science in athletic therapy, a diploma in massage therapy and has recently completed her Masters of Arts in sport psychology.

Prior to working for PSP she worked as an assistance athletic therapist with the Hamilton Tiger Cats, McMaster University, and Hamilton Jr A hockey as the head athletic therapist. In 2008 during the Ti-Cats off season she deployed to Kandahar where she worked in the gym and volunteered in Role 3.

Megan is the Regional Head Trainer (RHT) Ontario, as well as the CAF CISM Men’s Soccer mental performance coach and has recently worked with the CAF CISM Cross Country team. She has been with the CAFATP since 2011 and has worked at numerous regionals and nationals such as; squash, badminton, volleyball, basketball, soccer, and hockey. As the regional head trainer she coordinates training, professional development opportunities, and acts as a mentor for military members and PSP employees interested in becoming an athletic trainer with the CAF Sports Program. She teaches level 1 and 2 taping courses, First Responder course, provides refresher training, coordinates trainer coverage for regionals events, and recruits for national championship coverage.

Mostly recently, she has been providing mental performance training workshops and programming for CISM teams as well for members who are pursuing Special Operations Forces selection programming and is hoping to be able to contribute more mental performance training for athletes across the CAF.

“If you are interested in adding a new skill to your resume, looking for a way to give back to the sports program or have a general interest in injury prevention/treatment I encourage you to get involved. For more information, feel free to shoot me an email"