Coaches

Coach Noble has been working with high-level athletes for the past 15 years. He is a performance coordinator, Athletic Development coach and specializes in skill acquisition, constraints-based learning, movement, and childhood and youth athletic development. He also works in coaching education and is a speaker and author. Recently he has contributed to best-selling books: Conscious Coaching: The Art and Science of Building Buy-In and Weight Room Wisdom. He is also a regularly featured sports performance hockey expert and has been in Sports Illustrated, The Hockey News, Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet and other top media outlets. He also regularly trains Olympians, athletes from the NHL, CFL and NCAA.

Notable athletes:
Mitch Marner – Toronto Maple Leafs
Anthony Cirelli – Tampa Bay Lighting
Michael Dal Colle – NY Islanders
Marie-Philip Poulin – Canadian Women’s National team
Laura Stacey – Canadian Women’s National Team

Coach Lee has been a staple in the Leaside Baseball community for the last 8 years. He has trained a wide range of competitive athletes aged 6-21 but has focused predominantly on training players from Leaside’s Elite Baseball Program.

Lee graduated from Humber College’s Sport Management program where he studied a range of sport business courses as well as sport psychology and exercise physiology. He also played 3 seasons with Humber’s Varsity Baseball Program.

Lee specializes in hitting and pitching development but also dedicates a great deal of his efforts to working with athletes on the mental side of the game. He strives to arm his athletes with mental tools and strategies that build confidence and foster a mindset of growth.

Coach Single has been developing his unique approach to motivating athletes for over 25 years by providing mentorship, encompassing fair play, instilling competitiveness, and engaging amplified, well-mannered FUN!

His inaugural year as a coach with the Leaside Baseball Association coaching the 9U AAA 2019 team was testimony to his specific coaching design and techniques as the team won the OBA championship title. Coach Single’s background in film further fuels his enthusiasm, energy, and engagement that he shares with every athlete he activates.

“I believe every athlete has greatness in them, and as a coach my goal is to activate that greatness.” – Coach Single

Coach Damon, is a proud Scarborough native and has been a Strength & Conditioning coach for almost a decade. Damon is a part of the inaugural team at GRIT Athletics Toronto and currently coaches at The Hill Academy. Damon is heavily involved in the community and coaches in the Toronto Beaches Lacrosse Organization at both Minor and Jr. A levels. Damon has enjoyed a 10 year career in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) and is a current member of the Toronto Rock.

Coach Marcus was born and raised in Toronto and grew up a baseball and hockey fanatic, always up to something athletic.

He was selected in the 3rd Round in the 2010 MLB Draft by his hometown team, the Toronto Blue Jays. Prior to beginning his professional career, he played college baseball at Oklahoma State University and Connors State College. Marcus  played for the Canadian National Baseball Team in the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championship, being named to the tournament All-Star team. He also participated in the 2011 Baseball World Cup, where Canada won the bronze medal, and the 2011 Pan American Games, where Canada won gold.

Marcus understands the deep commitment it takes to play at the highest level, and appreciates where the game has taken him.

Now, Marcus has turned his 8 year professional baseball career into a collection of teachings to help athletes think big, set attainable goals, remove obstacles, and carve their own path towards their goals and dreams in sport – and beyond!

Coach Trevor recently concluded his 21-year hockey career having played in various leagues including the OJHL, OHL, U-Sports, ECHL, and professionally across Europe in France and the Netherlands. In his last year in the Netherlands, he was the leading scorer of the Dutch league in the 2019-2020 season. Coach Trevor is currently working with The Hill Academy and GRIT Athletics as a Strength & Conditioning and Hockey Coach, in addition to being the owner of Petersen Athletics. Coach Trevor is a NSCA Certified Personal Trainer, and a graduate of York University with a BA in History. Coach Trevor’s mission is to help the next generation of athletes pursue their athletic dreams while passing on his own experiences.

James Gardiner is a Certified Athletic Therapist, Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and holds a Masters Degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He has held positions as a Head Athletic Trainer in the Blue Jays minor league system, a Rehab Coordinator role at York University and various therapy, conditioning, and sports injury rehab roles, including working within the York University Athletic Therapy program and as a performance consultant with the University of the Bahamas.