I am the oldest child of a family of five, a younger sister and a younger brother fills out the family. Being the oldest is something I am very comfortable with. I think I have the perfect leadership traits in order to be a great older brother. Of course my siblings and I would fight growing up, but it was usually me saying sorry or telling my parents it was my fault, kind of protecting my siblings in a way. As I grew up, I realized I need to be a leader for them. I am always trying to be a good role model so they have someone solid they can look up too. I always try to keep the mood light around the house. My sister is in her fourth and final year at the U of R in the faculty of nursing and my brother has recently graduated high-school and has transitioned into the workforce. They both experience stressful times during their busy lives as does everyone, so I want to be a positive vibe in their lives. I believe this can translate to the classroom in many different ways. As I want to translate those leadership traits I feel I have developed into my philosophy. As an education, being a positive influence in the schools as well as the community is something I am passionate about and believe that with this mindset, I can be successful.

My hockey career can also be recognized as a way I showed my family, friends and any other people around me the leadership qualities I have. I had goals to always compete at the highest level of competition I could and I strived to earn every opportunity that was given to me. I had help along the way, but the ultimate goal was to make the Western Hockey League and was fortunate enough to make that goal a reality. Along the way I always thought about how much my family supported me on my journey and always kept in mind that I not only wanted to make them proud, but also show my siblings that with hard work and dedication, your goals can be reached. I had a great opportunity to play the game I loved at an elite level, and am grateful that I am still able to play at a high level within the university ranks. I want to continue to be grateful for everything I have accomplished, and to continue to work hard to achieve great things in life. 

Focusing on my physical education philosophy, it is centred on promoting lifelong health and wellness for all students. I believe that physical education should be an inclusive and engaging experience that encourages all students to be physically active and develop a positive attitude towards physical activity. Physical education should be accessible to all students, regardless of their physical ability, and it is the teacher’s responsibility to provide modifications and adaptations to meet each student’s individual needs. Preparing for different adaptations can be difficult at times, but with more experiences in the field it will only become easier over time to be prepared for anything that students need. 

I also believe that physical education should go beyond just teaching basic skills and sports techniques, but also promote personal and social development. In my learning environment, I want to emphasize the importance of teamwork, communication, and sportsmanship, as well as self-reflection and goal-setting.

Finally, I believe that physical education should be fun and engaging, and that students should leave my class feeling energized and motivated to stay active and healthy for the rest of their lives.