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TrueSport’s Cohort for Change are coaches from across the country that have committed to work together to explore and develop mental wellness best practices to better support the development of athletes and mentorship of peers. 

Meet the 2024 Coaches

Click each photo to read their biography.

Macy Blake headshot.

Macy Blake

Raleigh, North Carolina

Victoria Cates headshot.

Victoria Cates

Los Angeles, California

Alesha Harper headshot.

Alesha Harper

Lancaster, California

Telia Marks-McCall headshot.

Telia Marks-McCall

Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Karen Marley headshot.

Karen Marley

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Kie McCae headshot.

Kie McCrae

Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania

Megan MacFarlane headshot.

Megan MacFarlane

West Fargo, North Dakota

Marc Moreau headshot.

Marc Moreau

Far Hill, New Jersey

Powell Paguibitan headshot.

Powell Paguibitan

Charlotte, North Carolina

Emily Shields headshot.

Emily Shields

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Sarah Sutin headshot.

Sarah Sutin

Park City, Utah

Randy Thames headshot.

Randy Thames

Richton Park, Illinois

Return to the Cohort for Change landing page.

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Macy Blake

Macy Blake headshot.Macy Blake
Raleigh, North Carolina

Macy is entering her fifth year as an Age Group Site Director for the YMCA of the Triangle Area (YOTA) Swim Team in Raleigh, North Carolina. At YOTA, Macy leads a site of roughly 100 age group athletes and serves as the Communications Director for the team. During her time at YOTA, the team has consistently won the Upper Southeast Regional YMCA Championships, placed in the top 10 at the North Carolina Age Group Championships, and finished in the top 10 at YMCA Nationals.

Before her time at YOTA, Macy coached for the Nittany Lion Aquatic Club while she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Biobehavioral Health at Penn State University. She recently furthered her education by earning her Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Macy values the mental health of her athletes and leads many mental wellness initiatives for her team. She recently co-created RISE: The Climb To Confident program for teenage girls at YOTA and plans to continue leading efforts like this to support all athletes.

Victoria Cates

Victoria Cates headshot.Victoria Cates
Los Angeles, California

Victoria Cates is a dynamic leader in gymnastics and sports management, currently serving as the Director of Operations and Business Development at Broadway Gymnastic School. With over a decade of experience in the industry, she has been instrumental in the school’s growth. With an unwavering passion for nurturing young athletes and a keen business acumen, Victoria has played a pivotal role in the growth and success of the school.

As Director of Operations, Victoria ensures a healthy and safe training environment, focusing on top-notch coaching, safety protocols, and customer service. Her dedication paved the way for a significant increase in student enrollment and program expansion post-COVID. Her expertise in customer service and relationship management, honed throughout the years of working in hospitality and event management, has been instrumental in creating lasting bonds with students, families, and community partners. 

Victoria brings a wealth of experience to her role. Her journey began as a recreational student, and she has since leveraged her deep-rooted understanding of the sport to champion innovation and quality within the school. As Director of Business Development, Victoria has successfully created and strengthened strategic partnerships, expanded the school’s community outreach, and has spearheaded fundraising initiatives to support aspiring gymnasts’ dreams.

As a small business advocate, Victoria has been a driving force behind fostering entrepreneurship and supporting local businesses. She is devoted to creating communities that embrace ethnic, cultural, secular, and physical differences and promote equity. She actively works on building the capacity of coaches and teams to support younger athletes who are often conditioned to hide their emotions and openly speak about their struggles. With a Bachelor’s degree in Communication, Sociology, and Business Leadership from the University of Arizona, Victoria brings a diverse skill set to her role as she advocates for an inclusive gymnastics environment. She firmly believes in creating a positive experience in which gymnasts of all ages and abilities can thrive.

Beyond her role as a dedicated professional, she is a passionate world traveler, content creator, and a firm believer in global connections. Her adventures across continents have enriched her life and instilled a deep appreciation for diverse cultures and perspectives. She attributes much of her gymnastics management skills to her global experiences. Victoria is a beach lover, and an explorer of local cultures, culinary experiences, outdoor adventures, and tennis player/enthusiast.

Alesha Harper

Alesha Harper headshot.Alesha Harper
Lancaster, California

I’m a high school teacher at Littlerock High School, passionate about empowering student-athletes to excel on and off the field. Through my role in the Student Support Center, I instill a resilient mentality focused on year-round fitness, going beyond the traditional seasonal approach. I understand that being a true athlete goes beyond physical prowess. This year I am adding the Athlete Mental Wellness Committee, providing athletes a platform to voice their needs and concerns, tailor our program, and create an environment where they can thrive academically, emotionally, and athletically. My mission is to equip these young athletes with the tools for lifelong physical and mental well-being.

Telia Marks-McCall

Telia Marks-McCall headshot.Telia Marks-McCall
Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Mrs. Marks earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Virginia in 2013 where she was also a member of the women’s basketball team for four years. She also earned her Masters in Organizational leadership from Quinnipiac University. After graduating from the University of Virginia Mrs. Marks played professionally in Luxembourg and Finland. After this amazing athletic and cultural experience, Mrs. Marks turned her focus to coaching. She soon received an opportunity to join the University of Iowa Women’s Basketball Staff as their Recruiting Assistant. Her passion for coaching and leadership grew. In her first year, the Hawkeyes advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1996. After a two-year stint at Iowa, Mrs. Marks traveled to Connecticut to take on the role of Director of Women’s Basketball Operations for Quinnipiac University. The Bobcats won its first NCAA tournament game in her first year and advanced to the Sweet 16. Mrs. Marks was also enrolled in Quinnipiac’s School of Business from which she received her master’s degree in Organizational Leadership in 2018. After a great experience at Quinnipiac University, she became the Assistant Athletic Director and Varsity basketball coach at Miss Porter’s school located in Farmington, Connecticut. In her first year, the basketball team made history. It was the first time in school history the basketball team won a Founder’s League championship. After completing two years at Miss Porter’s, Telia became the Athletic Director at Miss Hall’s School located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts where she currently works.

Karen Marley

Karen Marley headshot.Karen Marley
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Karen is currently a Senior Lecturer at Colorado State University- Pueblo, where she has spent the last 14 of her 48 year career. Her passion has always been in the sports, physical education and coaching world. Karen wanted to teach and coach from the time she was in third grade when a teacher inspired her to work with others. Mr. Johnson is long gone but his inspiration and guidance contributed to her passion of wanting to be in the sports world. Karen has been involved in teaching Health and Physical education at all levels, working as a graduate student at UMass, Amherst, working as an athletic director for 13 years, coaching many sports,  working in event management with USA Field Hockey and finally as a college lecturer. She started a homeschool program at CSU-Pueblo to bring home schoolers to campus to be instructed by her elementary and secondary methods students. Karen also started a Let’s Move annual program where all students in Pueblo County can come to participate in various activities and visit 20-30 vendors promoting healthy, active lifestyles. Karen is passionate in everything she is involved in. She has developed health and physical education curriculums, taught athletic director leadership training, worked with the National Council for the Accreditation of Coaching Education and has worked with USA Field Hockey to develop coaching education and fundamental field hockey curriculums. Karen believes that sharing her knowledge and experiences with others is to provide valuable lessons for future professionals. Her motto, Modify, Adapt, and Be Flexible is what her students hear constantly about education.  Be willing to change is necessary in today’s world. Karen has taken students to state and national conferences for the last eleven years, in addition to providing field trips to schools and community activities. The students do all of the fund raising. This provides them with valuable experiences that can’t be experienced in the classroom. Karen loves what she does and as long as she is still having fun, retirement will have to wait.

Kie McCrae

Kie McCae headshot.Kie McCrae
Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania

Coach Kie McCrae has commited her career to using education and athletics to help young people achieve goals they set for themselves. As an athlete herself, Kie has personally experienced the powerfully positive influence sport can provide, including opening doorways to a career path within sport. She is known for integrating fun and challenging activities into the life lessons and sport skills she teaches and is proud to have served as a role model for many young athletes throughout her years of coaching. Having earned her Master of Business Administration with concentration in Athlete Administration and International Business from South New Hampshire University, Kie continues to inspire the next generation to practice high integrity and achieve success while also building a strong foundation for mental and physical wellness across sport levels and experiences.

Megan MacFarlane

Megan MacFarlane headshot.Megan MacFarlane
West Fargo, North Dakota

Megan MacFarlane is the Executive Director of M3, a nonprofit out of Moorhead, MN that embeds mental wellness modules and events into the Moorhead Youth Hockey program. She uses her passion for youth, hockey, and mental health to create a supportive environment on and off the ice for Moorhead hockey players. M3 is a passion project that has grown since its inception in 2019, and while it does not pay the bills, it fills a calling. Megan is a former teacher and coach who now works full time for a family foundation that supports philanthropy across her region.

Marc Moreau

Marc Moreau headshot.Marc Moreau
Far Hill, New Jersey

Marc has as well-rounded experience in the world of lacrosse as anyone. From his success as a D1 lacrosse player, founder of Leading Edge Lacrosse and NJ state champion lacrosse coach. In 2000 Marc founded Leading Edge Lacrosse. Over the course of 19 years he grew Leading Edge into the best lacrosse program in NJ and one of the most competitive in the United States each year. Sending over 600 players on to the college level. Presently, 100% of Leading Edge players play in college, over 80% at the Division 1 level.

In addition, Marc co-founded the Jersey Shootout Lacrosse Tournament that had a 12-year run as one of the best run lacrosse events in New Jersey each summer. After 12 years the event had run its course and along with Marc’s co founder they decided to dissolve the organization. Marc and his co-founder also created the Garden State Showcase which quickly became a great individual player showcase for NJ HS lacrosse players.

At the high school level Marc has coached more than 20 USILA All Americans. In addition, Marc has sent more than 95 of his high school players on to play at the collegiate level.

In 2018 Leading Edge and Marc completed a successful merger with Dynamic Sports Management. Over the course of 19 years Marc has been instrumental in the growth of club lacrosse and events in NJ as well as Nationally with his involvement as a Founding member of the National Lacrosse Federation. There are few people involved club lacrosse that have the experience and consistent level of success that Marc has enjoyed since 2000.

In 2022 Marc launched his latest venture, The WellConnected Athlete. A company focused on leadership development and mental health advocacy for youth and high school athletes, coaches, and parents. In August of 2023 Marc published his first book on Amazon.com, “Empowering Champions, Cultivating Mental Health and Wellness in Youth and High School Athletics.”

Marc has been married to Dr. Carmel O’Donovan for 30 years. Carmel is a graduate of Rutgers College of Pharmacy as well as earning her PHARMD from Rutgers.  Marc and Carmel have 2 children, Brendan a graduate of the Rutgers Business School in 2020 and a member of the Rutgers Lacrosse team.  Cara is currently in graduate school at Villanova University and a member of the women’s lacrosse program.

Powell Paguibitan

Powell Paguibitan headshot.Powell Paguibitan
Charlotte, North Carolina

Powell is a dedicated and accomplished educator and mental health advocate with a passion for education and well-being. As the driving force behind a robust psychology program at Charlotte Latin School, Powell has achieved remarkable results, doubling enrollment, increasing national test scores, and most importantly, making students feel a sense of belonging in his classroom. In the realm of Sports Psychology, Powell introduced a curriculum that promoted TrueSport lessons to varsity soccer and tennis teams that empirically enhanced athletes’ Social-Emotional Self-Awareness, Locus of Control, and Process Orientation of Growth mindsets, Grit and Belongingness. He was eventually named the Assistant Coach of the year from the North Carolina Soccer Coaches’ Association on his way to helping the soccer team win a state championship in 2023. His contributions extend beyond the classroom and the sports field, as he has presented educational research at various conferences, further advancing the field of applied psychological curricula in health and wellness. Powell’s passion for promoting wellness extends to educational leadership where he is currently assisting in qualitative thematic analysis to develop effective programming and curriculum at an institutional level. Powell is not just an educator, but a transformative force in the lives of students and individuals, exemplifying a profound commitment to improving well-being and learning outcomes across various domains.

Emily Shields

Emily Shields headshot.Emily Shields
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Emily Shields is the program manager at Kids on Bikes, a non-profit organization based in Colorado Springs whose mission is to provide more opportunities for children to ride bikes, create more access to bikes, and learn bike safety. Emily brings a passion for helping people and a driven spirit to her work.

Before joining Kids on Bikes in the summer of 2023, Emily worked as a paramedic both in a private practice and on an ambulance. That experience gave her a unique perspective and empathy for others.

In her free time, Emily enjoys mountain biking and hiking in the Colorado mountains with her family. She finds joy in building relationships and engaging with the community through her work at Kids on Bikes. Emily is a free spirit at heart who loves helping kids discover the joy of riding bikes.

Sarah Sutin

Sarah Sutin headshot.Sarah Sutin
Park City, Utah

Sarah has a Masters in Sport Psychology and has spent the past few years working with youth, collegiate, and professional Soccer teams, Crossfit athletes, Tennis players, and more. She has experience working with both teams and individual athletes.

Sarah focuses on helping athletes build mental performance skills on and off the field. Using a mix of behavior and cognitive based techniques, she assists athletes in building a strong mindset in order to reach their full potential.

Before completing her Masters, Sarah’s passion for mental performance stemmed from her own experience as a competitive Tennis Player and Professional Flying Trapeze artist. This lends a hand in her ability to understand the pressure in both a competitive and performance space.

Randy Thames

Randy Thames headshot.Randy Thames
Richton Park, Illinois

Randy Tyrone Thames is a dynamic professional from the South Suburbs of Chicago with a diverse background in youth development, coaching, and marketing. With a strong focus on empowering young individuals, Randy has dedicated over 20 years to making a positive impact on their lives.

With extensive experience volunteering, teaching and working in youth and prevention services, Randy has been a catalyst for uplifting and empowering young people. His dynamic approach encompasses various areas, including health education, bullying prevention, financial literacy and cyber safety. Through engaging programs, he creates safe and nurturing environments where youth are encouraged to flourish.

As a coach, particularly in youth basketball grades K-8 and High School Women’s Varsity
Basketball, Randy has not only shared his passion for sports but also instilled essential values like teamwork, discipline, and perseverance in his young athletes. His coaching style emphasizes personal growth and character development, enabling players to excel both on and off the court.

Returning to the marketing field after teaching in the high school setting, Randy joined Thames Media Solutions, a dynamic digital marketing agency founded by his wife, Michelle Thames.

Leading the newly established division focused on NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and Personal Branding for student-athletes, Randy guides them through the ever-evolving landscape of
college athletics. He helps them build strong personal brands and seize exciting opportunities.

While pursuing his professional endeavors, Randy remains deeply connected to his roots in youth basketball. Coaching his daughter, Riley Thames, in both park district and club teams, he continues to foster a love for the game and instill essential life skills in young athletes.

Randy Thames embodies an unwavering enthusiasm for youth development, coaching, and marketing. His relentless dedication, vibrant approach, and diverse range of experiences have earned him a well-deserved place in the prestigious TrueSport Cohort for Change 2023. With his passion for empowering young individuals, Randy is poised to make a lasting impact and inspire others on their journey of growth and success.

Goal-Setting Lesson Video Transcript

Hi. I’m Trevon, Trey, Jennifer. Team USA wheelchair basketball player, paralympian, and true sport athlete. Today, I want to talk to you about goal setting. And there are three things that I would like you to know. First, successful athletes set goals and a planned roadmap. Second, goals should be written down, assessed over time, and changed if necessary. And third, goals need to be challenging in order to be worthwhile. As a freshmen at Edinboro University, I was a part of a team that made the national championship game. And at that time I recognized I was the low man on the totem pole, but I felt in my heart that I knew my dreams were so much bigger than winning a national title. I wanted to make Team USA. I knew what achieving my lofty goal was not going to be easy and that I would need to work hard every day.

So, as a reminder, I created a pyramid of goals that I kept right above my bed. This pyramid reminded me of the accomplishments that I was working towards and visually represented my need to create a solid foundation underneath me before reaching the top. In the bottom roll of my pyramid of goals I listed goals such as obtaining my bachelor’s degree, becoming a scholar athlete award recipient, and becoming an All-American. The middle row listed winning a national title and playing for a professional team. And at the top row, the most challenging of them all, I listed becoming a gold medalist for Team USA.

By understanding that there are smaller stepping stones to achieving my ultimate goal of being on Team USA, I was able to stay motivated and to stay focused on completing the smaller stepping stones fully before moving onto the next one. Now I’ll be the first to admit that not every goal that I listed on my pyramid was accomplished, but seeing my goals every day when I went to bed, I was able to push through the days that I felt like doing nothing in hopes of achieving the bigger picture. Remember, create a clear goal roadmap, assess your goals often, and continue to challenge yourself. I hope that you never stopped dreaming big or reaching for the stars. And I look forward to seeing where your roadmap takes you.

Body Image Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Kara Winger, Olympic javelin thrower, and true sport athlete. Today I want to talk to you about body image and I have three things I’d like you to know. First, healthy thoughts often lead to healthier bodies. Second, there are varying body types and no one’s body is exactly like another. And third, true beauty goes deeper than the skin. As a multi-time Olympian, I’ve experienced a lot of variation and progression in my training. My coaches and I adapt to my training frequently, all with the goal of supporting my long-term success and health in the sport of javelin. I’m talking to you about body image today because sometimes even with the best of intentions and a common goal in mind, the changes you make to your training habits can prove to be detrimental if made for the wrong reasons. In the lead up to the 2012 Olympic trials, I was told in order to improve my performance on the field, I should try to become a leaner, skinnier version of myself.

So I changed my diet. I went along with what I was being told to do, even though I’d had great success at a slightly heavier weight and higher body fat percentage, and became much leaner than ever before. It seemed like a successful change at first, but I didn’t have nearly the results I’d had before. And I believe becoming leaner than my body naturally wanted to be was what caused my ACL to tear. In the end, it cost me heavily going into the 2012 London games. The takeaway for me, and hopefully for you, is that it’s important to know what works for you and your body and to not compare yourself to others. You should do your research and experiment with your diet to find what makes you feel the best, rather than focusing on what you look like. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day.

I’ve learned what a properly balanced meal for my body looks like and I recognize food as the fuel that keeps me throwing. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover. And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. We only get one and it’s amazing to discover how many things our bodies can do. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.

A Good Sport Lesson Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Izy Isaksen, Team USA, Modern Pentathlon, Olympian, US Army Sergeant, and True Sport Ambassador. Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. There are three things I’d like you to know. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose. Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character.

I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us. I would overhear spectators and teammates asking, “Who’s the better athlete,” and “Who’s going to beat the other.” Instead of letting outside pressures create a negative experience for us, I chose to practice winning and losing with grace and respect. I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.

I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. So, no matter what situation I encounter during competition, I know it’s important to always treat people with respect and be a good sport. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses. And I hope to see you out there.

What Kind of Coach Do You Want to Be? Video Transcript

Edwin Moses: You’re a coach. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again. Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. And wanting all of that, of course, that’s good. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within. Truth is, you have even more influence than you know.

You have the ability to affect even deeper change, to take what’s in your hands and do something even more extraordinary. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most. There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both.

I’m Edwin Moses, and the lessons I’ve learned through sport have challenged me, guided me, and shaped my life forever. What kind of coach do you want to be?

THE SIMPLE TRUTH: DECODING THE SUPPLEMENT INDUSTRY VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. They seem safe and healthy, but just because the label says a product is a dietary supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Unfortunately, you can’t tell whether a product is safe or not just by looking at the label. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold. Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.

At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones. Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG. All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. Products like these can harm your health and career, but they’re for sale online, in some nutrition stores, and they’re labeled as dietary supplements.

When you pick up a supplement, especially one that promises performance enhancement, you don’t know if it belongs in the “Mostly O.K.” pile or in the “Dangerous” pile. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids. Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories. We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories.

Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them. Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. Just because a product is on a store shelf doesn’t mean it is safe. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise. If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Please visit USADA’s Supplement 411 for more information about dietary supplements.