Northern Strength Academy

Athlete of the Month: Jesse Devost 🥇

Congrats to Jesse, our NSA Athlete of the Month!

Jesse Devost won gold in the long jump (4.96m), bronze in the 100m (12.55s) and 5th in the 200m (25.96s) at the Canadian Masters Track and Field Championships in the 50-54 division in Laval QC this month. Attaining personal bests in all three events, Jesse stubbornly adhered his to training, doing things like 250m/90% repeats in 11c/rain/July and extracting long jump sand from his washing machine.

A high school sprinter and long jumper c.1990, Jesse rediscovered his love for sprinting when the new FH track was installed. After a few years of casual sprinting with his daughter, his enthusiasm crystallized after joining NSA two years ago, where he discovered that strength work was fun and made him faster, and the encouragement of the NSA crew to train and compete was the nudge he needed. 

“I love the exhilaration that comes from sprinting and jumping. Cora and the NSA crew have provided me with the peer support, encouragement and training to improve and challenge myself at the national level. After this year’s successful track season, I’m setting my goal to compete for Canada at the North American Masters Championships next year. Sprinting and track are amazing sports that people of any age can enjoy, and we have the pathways to achieve success here in Whitehorse.”

A MASSIVE congratulations to Kai Simon-Sakurai, a Team Canada U17 Wrestling Development team member and NSA athlete, for CRUSHING the Hong Kong International Wrestling Tournament this past weekend and earning the gold medal! 🥇 This was also his first ever international competition, making his accomplishment even more impressive.

You may remember Kai as our July Athlete of the Month. Clearly we made a good call, as Kai is going above and beyond to prove his exceptional wrestling skills and overall athleticism.

From all of us here at NSA, congrats to you Kai and we're exciting to see what's in store for you next!

Athlete of the Month: Kai Simon-Sakurai 🥇

Congrats to Kai, our NSA Athlete of the Month!

Kai Simon-Sakurai was selected to join Team Canada’s U17 wrestling development team, earning the opportunity to participate in international training camps and tournaments. He is currently traveling to Japan and Hong Kong to train alongside top international wrestlers, gaining high-level experience to further build his skills. On August 8th and 9th, he will compete in his first international tournament—the 6th Hong Kong International Wrestling Competition—representing both Team Canada and the Yukon.

Kai has consistently performed well at major national tournaments, placing fourth at the 2026 Western Canada Age Class Championship (a Pan American qualifier in Richmond, B.C.), fifth at the 2026 National Championships in Grande Prairie, and securing medals at the 2026 Arctic Winter Games. His future goals are to continue training hard and competing in prestigious national and international events, including the 2027 Canadian Wrestling Championships. Additionally, Kai is deeply committed to being a role model for youth wrestlers in the Yukon and looks forward to sharing his skills with his home club, the Wolverines Wrestling Club.

“Training at NSA really enhanced my wrestling performance. It helps me build the power, grip, and endurance I need to dominate on the mat. It’s also great to train along other athletes who have similar goals.”

Athlete of the Month: Lily Brassard 🏅

Congratulations to Lily, our NSA Athlete of the Month!

Lily Brassard was selected to the Volleyball Canada Red & White Program, the national entry point into the Women’s Age‑Class pathway that identifies top emerging athletes born 2010 and later for early national‑team development, high‑performance training with Team Canada coaches, and competition at the 2026 Canada Cup, held July 22–26, 2026 in Regina, Saskatchewan. Lily will be travelling to Regina to train with her Team Canada squad on July 10. Athletes from the Red & White program may be selected to play for Team Canada at the 2027 NORCECA Continental World Qualifying Tournament.

Following a strong performance at the RBC Training Ground testing in Whitehorse, where Lily performed well in sprinting tests and exceeded Skeleton Canada’s performance standards for her age group, she has also been invited to attend an SC training camp in September 2026. The purpose of the camp is to introduce athletes to the push phase of skeleton, expose them to the training environment, and provide insight into the team culture and program operations. If successful, Lily would attend the SC Driving School in November 2026 and if selected to join the program, Lily would be eligible for the 2028 Youth Olympic Games in the Italian Dolomites.

“NSA’s High Performance Academy has helped take my performance to another level, literally! I am faster, stronger, more confident and recently reached a personal best vertical touch of 9’2”! Thanks to Ben and everyone at NSA for all the support!”

Monday May 18th Schedule:

We’ve got two classes running on Victoria Day, both coached by Leon:
⏰ 12:00-1:00 PM - Open to All S&C
⏰ 1:00-2:00 PM - Intro to S&C

Come move, train, and make the most of the long weekend.

Stronger by Summer starts next week 🔥

This challenge is more than just body scans.

With the Evolt Active App, you’ll get access to:
✔️ Personalized calorie & macro targets
✔️ Progress tracking over 9 weeks
✔️ Challenge leaderboard & accountability
✔️ Nutrition guidance & recipes
✔️ Full body composition insights
✔️ Real data based on YOUR body & goals
✔️ And more...

Plus 3 Evolt scans throughout the challenge to track your progress from start to finish.

Even after the challenge ends, you’ll still have access to the Evolt Active App to continue tracking your progress and goals.

📍Starts May 18
💲$99 Registration

Register here: https://kilo.gymleadmachine.com/widget/form/EFARIJv1A0w8P7Rez9jP

Let’s get stronger this summer 💪

Athlete of the Month: Ryan McLennan 🏅

Congratulations to Ryan, our NSA Athlete of the Month!

Ryan’s fencing journey began right here in Whitehorse as a teenager. After stepping away during university, he returned to the sport in 2022 with a renewed focus and a mission to elevate his performance.

Since switching his focus to Épée, Ryan has transformed into a true student of the sport — combining explosive athleticism with tactical patience and precision. His hard work continues to pay off with a recent Silver medal in Calgary and a double-medal performance at the Yukon Championships.

Known for his lightning-fast toe touches and technical ex*****on, Ryan embodies what it means to be a modern athlete: disciplined, powerful, and community-driven.

We’re proud to have Ryan as part of the NSA family. Congratulations again, Ryan 👏

For the first time in the Yukon, on-ice and off-ice hockey development are being combined to create a structured off-season pathway for athletes.

In partnership with Yukon Summer Hockey Club, NSA’s Hockey Off-Season Training helps athletes build strength, speed, and performance for the next level.

🏒 Open to ALL hockey athletes
🏒 You do NOT need to participate in Yukon
Summer Hockey Club to train at NSA

📅 June 15 – August 22
⏰ Monday–Friday | 8:00–9:15 AM

Options:
• Elite Package (3–5x/week)
• Regular Package (2x/week)

Register here:
https://kilo.gymleadmachine.com/widget/form/0h0aUJ8lMfs4HypUbkCq

We’re back with another Evolt360 Challenge ☀️
Stronger by Summer, points-based, real results.

✔️ 3 Evolt scans ($180 value)
✔️ Track muscle, body fat, visceral fat & more
✔️ $99 to join

🏆 Prizes:
1st: Free month membership + supplements + shaker
2nd: $50 La Cara + NSA swag

Perfect time to build momentum into summer, and actually see the results.

Starts May 18

Register here:
https://kilo.gymleadmachine.com/widget/form/EFARIJv1A0w8P7Rez9jP