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What happens when everything you’ve built your identity around suddenly gets taken away?

In this episode, we sit down with Dallas Soonias, a former Team Canada volleyball player turned filmmaker, to unpack the reality of chasing elite performance, breaking down physically and mentally, and rebuilding from the ground up.

Dallas shares how a career-altering injury forced him to confront more than just rehab and pushed him to face the parts of himself he had been avoiding for years. What started as a pursuit to “get back on the court” turned into a deeper journey through mindset, identity, and resilience.

We dive into:

• The difference between being competitive vs. being consumed by it
• How injury became the catalyst for growth, self-awareness, and better performance
• Why being at 70% physically made him a better teammate and player
• The mental skills that separate athletes in high-pressure moments
• How to stay calm, focused, and effective when everything is on the line
• What it really means to add value to a team even when you’re not playing
• And how the lessons from sport translate directly into leadership, creativity, and life after sport

This episode is a powerful reminder that sometimes your biggest setback becomes the exact thing that elevates you if you’re willing to face it.

About Dallas

Dallas is a multi-talented actor who also writes, directs, and produces his own projects. His first short film, Frank Gets the Job Done, was commissioned by ImagineNATIVE Film Festival and TELUS Storyhive. He followed that by writing, directing, and starring in The Saint and the Bear.

In 2024, Dallas directed the western short One Click and the TV series Renegade Fever. With strong ties to the sporting world, he is also proud to be the first male Indigenous athlete to represent Canada in volleyball.

During the 2024 Summer Olympics, Dallas produced and hosted a segment for CBC Olympics, directed the Olympic opening, and worked as an analyst for CBC Sports covering volleyball.

Dallas is Nehiyaw/Anishinaabe, registered with The Chippewas of Nawash, with close ties to his father’s band, Red Pheasant. He grew up off-reserve in Red Deer, Alberta.

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