The University of the Fraser Valley athletic department is pleased to introduce Matt Chapdelaine as its new strength and conditioning coach.

Chapdelaine brings 14 years' experience in training amateur and professional athletes, and operates an Abbotsford-based health and wellness company, Theorem Performance & Lifestyle, alongside his wife Kelsey.

"Professional strength and conditioning is now commonplace in high-performance university sport," said Steve Tuckwood, UFV director of athletics and campus recreation. "Having someone from Abbotsford in the position who competed at a very high level and is committed to doing everything he can to make our athletes better is a huge win for the UFV Cascades."

Both Matt and Kelsey Chapdelaine will have input into the development of Cascades student-athletes. Their training philosophy is three-pronged, with emphasis on athletes' mental and nutritional approaches as well as the physical. Matt will spearhead the strength and conditioning sessions, and provide performance counselling/mental training. Kelsey will take the lead in sport nutrition, while also having input in the physical training.

Both Chapdelaines come from high-performance sport backgrounds and are well-known locally for their own athletic exploits.

Matt played his high school football at W.J. Mouat Secondary, leading the Hawks to the B.C. AAA championship in 2005 before heading to the University of Alberta, where he competed for the Golden Bears in football and track. He was drafted by the B.C. Lions in 2010, and was on the CFL club's roster for one season. Educationally, he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, a post-grad certificate in counselling, and certifications in physical training, strength and conditioning, and sport nutrition.

Kelsey Chapdelaine (nee Adrian) was a three-time provincial AAA basketball champion at Brookswood Secondary in Langley, and went on to play NCAA Div. I basketball at Cal-Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara. A seven-year member of the Canadian women's national team, she's a certified public accountant (CPA), holds a double-major degree in accounting and economics, and has associate's degrees in nutrition and sport nutrition.

"Adding a strength and conditioning coach is a large indicator of the growing athletic culture on campus, and commitment to the level of excellence that all the coaches are aspiring towards," said Matt Chapdelaine, whose off-season work with the Cascades teams is already underway.

"The facilities here are fantastic, and the athletes have every opportunity to be as successful as they wish to be. A number of athletes are already taking advantage of the opportunities to excel from a performance standpoint. We've been at it a couple months, and we've already seen some tremendous leaps in progress."