From Player to Coach: Cory Gillespie Coaching Journey

For Cory Gillespie, coaching is about more than building stronger athletes. It's about helping people grow, develop confidence, and creating a culture where athletes feel supported as they work towards their goals.

With 18 years of experience in strength and conditioning, Cory brings a wide range of education and certifications to his role, including a BA in Physical Education, a Bachelor of Education, NCCP Coaching Theory, NCCP Olympic Lifting, and CrossFit certifications.

Before becoming a coach, Cory was a competitive strength athlete. He earned a National Championship title in powerlifting in 2004 and competed nationally and internationally in Strongman, as well as at the amateur level in CrossFit. He also played junior hockey before beginning his strength sport career.

After significant injuries forced him to retire from competition, coaching offered Cory a new way to stay connected to what he loved. "I still loved everything about training, performance, and the capabilities of the human body," he shared. What began as a difficult transition ultimately helped him discover a new passion for strength and conditioning through supporting athletes as they pursue their own goals.

Cory's coaching philosophy is rooted in long-term athlete development and individual need. For him, success isn't simply about winning or losing, but helping athletes become better physically, mentally, and emotionally.

A major part of that philosophy is creating a strong team culture. Cory believes genuine relationships built on care, compassion, accountability, and trust allow athletes to accomplish more than they imagined while developing leadership skills, positive values, and lessons that extend beyond sport.

If he could no longer coach, Cory says he would miss the day-to-day journey most; building relationships, celebrating successes, learning through setbacks, and watching athletes grow as people.

In 2025, Cory received the Lethbridge Sport Council Coaching Excellence - Community Coach Award. While he appreciates the recognition, the moments that mean the most are the heartfelt letters from athletes, messages from parents, and relationships that continue long after an athlete has moved on.

For Cory, those lasting relationships are the greatest reward and a reminder that the impact of coaching can extend far beyond sport.