Name: Sheila Townsend, BHK'05
T-Bird Sport: Basketball 2000-05
Current Profession: Co-Owner of Prime Personal Training and SheilaStrong.com
Instagram: @sheila_strong, Facebook:  Sheila Strong Community
 
Why did you choose to play at UBC?
I knew UBC was a great University and wanted to play for Deb Huband. I also had a dream of playing for the National Team and felt playing at UBC would give me a good opportunity to do that.

Why did you choose your program of study at UBC and what did you enjoy most about it?
Training and Fitness and the Human body was always a passion of mine, so I chose Human Kinetics as my focus.

How does your degree/major apply to your job?
My education, experience as an athlete, and going through some injuries definitely helped me when I initially starting working with clients as a Kinesiologist and Personal Trainer.

Favorite T-Bird memories:
There are many! Winning our First National Championship in 30 years in my 4th Year was a one. Beating our rivals SFU in a yearly Barbara Rae Cup for the first time on our school history, being named an All Canadian…. (Editor's note: check out the 2008 Barbara Rae Cup recap here).

Favorite place on campus:
War Memorial Gym…I spent a lot of hours there playing, practising…I loved it!

Did you receive financial support as a student-athlete? If so, how did this impact your experience as a T-Bird?
Yes I received support as a student athlete which really helped me live on campus and get to experience being on campus:-). Also In my 3rd year I was named to the Senior National Team where I received additional support, which was a huge help.

What was your first job after graduation?
I worked in Housing At Gage Towers during my time at UBC. After graduating, I played basketball professionally in the Czech Republic for a season, then Germany for a 2nd season and Australia for another season…I also played during the summers with the National team, so I guess these were my first "jobs" after graduating…although It didn't feel like a job:-)…..After that I came home and started my Personal Training Company with my husband Jesse Tupper (T-Bird Football alum).

What advice do you have for current student-athletes?
Learn as much as you can from the athletes older than you, focus on growing each year and enjoy the journey as 4-5 years flies by.

What's the best career advice you can give to a student or recent alumni?
Give as much value as you can to a business or someone you want to learn from. The more value you can give someone else, the more success and opportunities you will have. Once you start earning income, learn how to leverage your income by investing in yourself and then investing in assets that will create income.

How have you used your varsity athletic experience in your current career/life?
 I think I have used my experience in many ways. I think my experience working my way from a rookie to a leader and senior athlete transferred over a lot in starting a business and understanding there is going to be success and failures…both are valuable parts of journey. I also think my experience of working hard, taking risks and being committed to seeking out opportunities has transferred well

Do you have a mentor? How have they influenced you?
I don't necessarily have a specific mentor but I am part of a couple mentorship groups and find one of the most valuable things you can do Is surround yourself with people who have similar ambitions and values that you have. I also finding being around other successful women is powerful.

How and where do you find inspiration?
 I find inspiration learning from people who are where I would like to be (whether that be in business, in relationships, financially etc). I find I feel the most inspired when I do things that are out of my comfort zone.

Any insights over the past 6 months?
The last 6 months has been eye opening for us all hasn't it! I think we have all gained an appreciation for the small things that really matter in life (social connection, quality time, the freedom of travel etc). But I think more than anything, in life, I think our happiness comes down to our attitude and our ability to innovate and embrace change (which is not an easy task at times!)

Any new hobbies/goals?
Along with growing and adapting in the new world with our training studios, I have been building an online training/coaching company specifically for women/moms that I am excited about. This year I am planning to really take my content creation to the next level and help as many women/moms as I can optimize their metabolisms and take their health to the next level. I feel like now being a mom of 3 girls (soon to be 4) I have a lot of experience with the changes and challenges moms have when it comes to prioritizing our health, embracing our new identity and giving ourselves permission to be our best.