For my 5th blog post, I’m writing about the NCCP core competency “valuing” which the NCCP defines as the ability to use clear moral reasoning in making judgements or decisions within one’s coaching/leadership context.

Moral reasoning is the process of evaluating and determining what is right or wrong in a given situation based on ethical principles, values, and societal norms. I believe one’s core values serve as the standard for determining what is right or wrong as they act as internal guidelines that shape that critical thinking process. When faced with ethical dilemmas, individuals who have established their core values can more effectively evaluate their choices based on how well those choices align with their core values. In other words, if the thing aligns with your core values then do the thing. If the thing doesn’t align, don’t do the thing.

One of my first business coaches over twelve years ago introduced me to the practice of establishing my short list of core values and I remember the first time going through that process to identify my top 4.

My top 4 core values then were:

• Integrity
• Commitment to quality
• Commitment to continued education and growth
• Commitment to building a strong and inclusive community

For the next twelve years, these core values served as a filter for me when making important decisions in my professional life including hiring and firing staff, managing my staff and helping them grow and develop, business development projects to take on, choosing strategic business partnerships, PSO director duties, and coaching in the trenches. There were many times I was faced with ethical dilemmas and my core values helped guide me to make the right decision for me, my clients, my business, and my community.

One leadership example I’ll share is when I first started Engineered Bodies Strength & Conditioning, I paid $3000US a year to CrossFit HQ to be a CrossFit affiliate at the height of CrossFit’s popularity. I offered CrossFit group classes under our CrossFit affiliate name “CrossFit Port Moody” and after some savvy SEO, business was going really well for several years. In May 2020, George Floyd was murdered by police in Minneapolis. What followed was a global call for justice and a demand for accountability with protests and rallies all over the world. CrossFit HQ remained silent and that silence did not align with my core values. I made the decision to disaffiliate from that organization. My company was the first in Canada and quite possibly the first in the US to disaffiliate during this time. Colleagues and friends who were also gym business owners told me I’d be losing out on lots of money but that didn’t matter to me at all. Separating my business from CrossFit was the easiest and best decision I could make. It was easy because my core values guided that decision and since disaffiliating from CrossFit, my business is thriving, our community is more inclusive and diverse

Fast forward to the start of 2024. I felt that my journey as a coach so far had been leading me to something bigger than coaching the sport of weightlifting or running a strength & conditioning business in my community. I was getting bored and I didn’t feel challenged any more. I think I randomly saw an email newsletter from CSI Pacific or something where I first heard about the MHPCTL but it sounded like the challenge I needed.

A fun fact about core values is they will evolve over time. At least that’s my experience with my own core values. I don’t mean they completely change or leave the list entirely but in my case, based on where I’m at in my journey, a few new ones rose up the list and made the top 4. Dr. Shaunna Taylor’s KIN586 course and the Leadership Challenge book really inspired me to remix my core values. This time around, I had my coaches go through the same exercise with me so that they can see the value in establishing their own list. We also came up with our team’s shared core values. I found that doing this exercise with my team really brought us closer together and it made it easier for each of them to help talk through ethical dilemmas they were facing.

My top 4 core values (the remix)

• Cultivate a growth mindset
• Embrace adversity
• Challenge the status quo
• Commitment to building a strong and inclusive community

I brought my remixed core values list to several meetings with my mentor from ISPARC and we came up with a plan to help me develop a holistic (mind, body, spirt) model to teaching physical health education to youth. Through this holistic model, my hope is that youth will have an improved understanding of physical health and strength training, stronger mental well-being, and a deeper spiritual connection to their peers and nature.Youth are more likely to participate in activities that align with their identities and values and right now, with the current model, many kids are don’t have a sense of their identities and values as much as they could. It’s a big gap and big challenge to address that gap. This is definitely challenging the status quo…

Part of that plan we developed includes taking several ISPARC training courses so three weeks ago I had the privilege of participating in the two-day, Indigenous Cultural Safety training by ISPARC held at the Musqueam Cultural Centre. It was one of the most powerful and emotional learning experiences of my life and I’m truly grateful to my mentors at ISPARC for the opportunity.

It was an honour to learn from Indigenous elders, ISPARC leaders, and non-Indigenous teachers and facilitators as they shared the detailed history of the colonial “Canadian” government’s genocidal acts on the Indigenous people of Turtle Island to steal their land and how that history is directly connected to anti-Indigenous, racist policies that continue to oppress and marginalize Indigenous people today. We participated in the Kairos Blanket Exercise which was a powerful way to tell the true history and an experience I truly felt and will never forget. Every non-Indigenous immigrant on these lands needs to experience the Kairos Blanket Exercise at least once.

It was amazing to connect with and learn alongside progressive PSO sport leaders, coaches, ViaSport board members, and staff from the BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. Their empathy and commitment to acknowledge and address the gaps makes me hopeful that through the vehicle of sport (both coaches and leaders), we can more effectively remove barriers as we collectively work towards reconciliation.

So I’m definitely not bored any more and I definitely feel challenged in the best possible way.