At UBC, we recruit on the foundation what is necessary to win championships. Those athletes who attract our interest ultimately possess qualities necessary to garner on-field success. We are simply not prepared to waiver on those expectations, and so remain very cognizant of the high school programs, and those in the performance business where our incoming student-athletes tend to originate. Coach Alex and his team at SMART Performance operate at the pinnacle of the performance industry in Calgary. SMART athletes are not only physically prepared, but understand the underlying personality traits of the “A” mindset. This mentality will not let you be out-worked, enables you to accept coaching, and importantly, understands the role of science (nutrition, rest, etc.) in athletic development. “A” minded individuals also take these characteristics to the class-room, which is always part of the formula. To the point, UBC Football trusts that those athletes who come through SMART will have an easier time transitioning to university football and not be surprised by the level of expectation and accountability that we place on our incoming athletes. Coach Blake Nill 175 career wins (4th all-time in U-Sports history) 3-time National Champion Only U-sports coach to win national championships with two different programs and coach in the national final in 4 different decades.
I knew it was time I had to do something with my health and fitness after spending years of sitting behind a desk and spending long hours in the office. It was time to take care of myself. I had met Alex Ogbongbemiga with SMART Performance through my business, and I enjoyed his personality and his demeanor. I had been hesitant in the past to hire a personal trainer, but I can say that this was one of the smartest moves I have made by signing up with SMART Performance to train and coach me. They developed a program tailored to my fitness level and wants, and modified this program as I moved forward. I tried many times to develop my own programs or use online programs to train at home , but had always ended up getting injured. Being a former athlete, I thought that I knew enough to train myself with help of online training programs, however I still ended up getting injured which hampered any progress I had made. Early in my training with SMART Performance, I came to realize that I was doing many of the moves incorrectly and had poor form. They corrected my form and taught me proper lifting techniques, I have avoided injury since working with SMART Performance by performing moves and lifts the correct way under their guidance. I have lost fat and had gains in muscle, flexibility and balance since starting this journey. More importantly I just feel great, about my health and my mental state. Alex is a very knowledgeable and professional coach and mentor, he motivates and pushes you when you need to be pushed. I look forward to each session as I know I am going to see results and new personal bests. I finally feel fit and healthy, physically and mentally and I owe this all to training with SMART Performance.
My relationship with SMART Performance began in 2019. SMART Performance has extremely passionate and hard working coaches that push athletes to bring the best out of them. Not only is Coach Alex a great coach, he is a great mentor. He has once been in our shoes as younger athletes and knows what it takes to get to the next level. Therefore he provides great guidance and mentorship. I sometimes reflect on my athletic career and wish I came in contact with him when I had began my high school career. When struggling with certain situations I have personally reached out to Alex and based on his past experience in his playing career, he was able to put me in the right direction to handle difficult scenarios appropriately and things ended up going well for me. This past off-season I had made a position change within my sport. Without Alex’s knowledge, guidance, or experience it would have not gone nearly as smooth. With Alex you’re not only getting a great coach, but a great mentor that will help you reach your goals on and off the field.
“I think the most important component of a young athletes development is to have a coach who pours belief into their players that they can play at the top collegiate and professional levels of their sport. It’s not that American athletes are any more talented than our Canadians athletes, it’s simply a matter of us not knowing the type of athlete we need to become in order to compete at the top levels of our sport. I once had a baseball coach tell me that I was never going to be good enough to play 1st base at the collegiate level in the States. Yet I ended up winning the National Junior College Player of the Year award and was the starting 1st Baseman at TCU where we ended up making back to back College World Series appearances. So how did that happen? In grade 12, I came across an opportunity to play for a coach who played baseball at Washington State. Since he knew the road to the next level, he prepped me mentally and physically, and he was always good at painting a picture of what it would one day be like to play NCAA Division 1 Baseball and at the professional level. Having a coach and mentor who played at the highest levels of their sport is one of the greatest assets one can have as a young Canadian athlete. Don’t take them for granted.” 2013 NJCAA National Player of the Year 2013-2015 TCU Baseball Alumni
