Because being involved with a sport can be both exciting and dreadful, because the path to glory is not always the straight path to the finish line that one expects when starting, we have asked our ambassadors to reminisce over their journey between the euphoria, discipline, and successes. What is it that keeps them motivated no matter what? Here are their stories and their secrets!
A player, a planner, a kinesiologist-massage therapist: JP, a 3-in-1 athlete
Measuring in at 5’11”, Jean-Philippe Moisan is not too tall for a beach volleyball player, and not everything has gone as he expected during his athletic career. “In the beginning, not many other tall indoor [and beach volleyball] players of my age competed, so it was relatively pretty easy to win when I was 16. This sport was not yet very popular,” JP remembers.
But this trend soon reversed and he started facing more difficulties. “When I tore my knee during the university selections, it held me back more than I expected at the time. Not having the volume of practice to help me progress made me feel constantly behind in my technical development and my general level of ability. (...) I often made the decision to leave the sport behind me, but if I had actually done it, I would definitely not be doing the work I’m doing today,” JP recounts.
Since the beginning of his career, many things have changed in his life. “Now, I am the father of two children and I am a health professional,” he explained. “So, if I want to compete, I need to account for different things in my training or my physical preparation.” He has also revised his priorities and learned to reflect on what truly matters to him, deciding between intensity and chronic injuries or the joy of being on the field: “play to compete, or play to play, [I had to choose],” he acknowledges.
Love for his practice, taking care of others
Among the high-level athletes that have called on him for his services, Jean-Philippe keeps the Power Run Energy ambassadors Simon Fecteau and Sarah-Jeanne Meunier-Bédard, our beach volleyball players, in mind. “Now that fall has begun,” Jean-Philippe explains. “We are back in the phase of muscular balance where athletes of outdoor sports benefit from recalibrating the parts of their body that are lesser-used during their main season, and it is there that we can correct imbalances inherent in practicing a uniaxial sport. And that’s not counting injuries which also need to be repaired before the next season.”
And that’s how JP is. He embraces the advantages and pleasure that he got from his athletic career, and uses it to do what he loves most: helping others. Furthermore, when asked what he would like to do if he were to participate on a mission to Mars, without hesitation, Jean-Philippe said: “treat others so that they may work in good health.” Always ready to assist, supervise, and advise in order to bring out the best in others, he is a true team player that is generous, engaged, and gifted in medicine.
Perseverance and understanding, through sharing and respect
With slowly healing wounds, changing teammates, and at times receiving belated recognition, Jean-Philippe’s journey has not been easy. But, he stays positive and still thinks about his best moments, notably when he realised the extent of his teammates’ kindness and the confidence they had in him: “I remember having been awarded the most-improved player award when I was 28 years old. That warmed my heart, because the award was voted for by my training partners who were stronger, and even younger, than I was. Now, I still keep in touch with them, and I help many of them either with physical preparation or with therapeutic care”.
Dedicated and always ready to lend a hand, JP has already provided us with his recommended exercises that will help avoid injury for those getting back into a sport on our Power Run blog. He is used to healing injuries that are often easily prevented, and knows better than anyone how often they can become a threat to an athlete’s health and career: “I was never able to overcome my injuries through physical preparation, so I always had to pay for additional private training. It became burdensome and frustrating. I often made the decision to leave the sport behind me,” he admitted. And it became a good reason for him to do everything he can to prevent pain and quickly heal the athletes he treats. JP is an essential member in our Power Run Energy team!