Centering connection in hockey and taking an inside look at what has defined success beyond the ice.

Linda Massie is an educator, coach, and hockey mom with a passion for developing the person behind the player. With a B.P.E. and B.Ed from Memorial University and over a decade of teaching experience, she is also a Hockey Canada High Performance 1 certified coach, skills coach, and MasterCoach Developer.

As the founder of Mental Strides, Linda helps athletes and coaches build confidence, strengthen mindset, and create positive, high-performing team cultures. Across her career, Linda coached at national competitions, led skills programs, mentored women coaches through national equity initiatives, and developed progressive, athlete-centered training systems for players ages 4–elite.

Linda's work is rooted in transformational leadership—prioritizing connection, culture, and whole-athlete development, building programs and a business that reflects her core belief: when we invest in people first, performance follows.

Linda is passionate about empowering athletes and coaches to reach their potential by combining technical excellence with mindset training and by creating spaces for them to be curious and courageous about their development.

Beyond the Ice is a podcast by Cape Breton University Researchers exploring coaches training and approaches in relationship building, effective communication practices, and leadership skills to improve confidence, enhance motivation and collective performance. Having conversations with coaches, players, parents, and hockey operation staff – taking an inside look at what has defined success, beyond the ice.

Hosts:

Dr. Lynn LeVatte (lynn_levatte@cbu.ca) (Lead Researcher) (Education Department, Cape Breton University)

Sarah MacRae (sarah_macrae@cbu.ca) (Department of Communication and Languages, Cape Breton University)

Dr. Kristin O'Rourke (kristin_orourke@cbu.ca) (Education Department, Cape Breton University)

Shaun Ranni (shaun_ranni@cbu.ca) (Department of Experiential Studies in Community and Sport)

Centering connection in hockey and taking an inside look at what has defined success beyond the ice.

Mike Bara is the Senior Manager of Coaching Development at Hockey Canada, where he contributes his expertise in coaching education, program design, and leadership development. With over 15 years of experience, Mike has played a key role in advancing national coaching initiatives and shaping curriculum for the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).

In his role, Mike has planned and managed national coaching task teams, led curriculum and resource development, and delivered High Performance 2 national seminars—overseeing assessment and evaluation processes that ensure quality and consistency. He has also guided national initiatives in coach, evaluator, and facilitator development through conferences and training seminars, while supporting provincial partners in delivering coaching and instructional stream programs. Mike co-led the Hockey Canada Long-Term Player Development program and designed practical evaluation strategies to strengthen the link between policy and practice.

Beyond Hockey Canada, Mike has served as Director of Coach Development for the Okotoks Oilers Athletic Association (OOAA), leading coach recruitment and selection, as well as professional development for coaching staff. He has also contributed more than 15 years to Hockey Alberta as a contractor, instructor, coach, facilitator, and evaluator— coaching and mentoring coaches at elite levels including Junior A, U18 AAA, U15 AAA, and the U15 Hockey Alberta Spring Showcase (Alberta Cup).

Mike is a Certified Facilitator, trained evaluator, and Master Coach Developer through the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) / Coaching Association of Canada. He also holds a Network Technician degree from CDI College in Calgary.

Beyond the Ice is a podcast by Cape Breton University Researchers exploring coaches training and approaches in relationship building, effective communication practices, and leadership skills to improve confidence, enhance motivation and collective performance. Having conversations with coaches, players, parents, and hockey operation staff – taking an inside look at what has defined success, beyond the ice.

Hosts:

Dr. Lynn LeVatte (lynn_levatte@cbu.ca) (Lead Researcher) (Education Department, Cape Breton University)

Sarah MacRae (sarah_macrae@cbu.ca) (Department of Communication and Languages, Cape Breton University)

Dr. Kristin O'Rourke (kristin_orourke@cbu.ca) (Education Department, Cape Breton University)

Shaun Ranni (shaun_ranni@cbu.ca) (Department of Experiential Studies in Community and Sport)

Centering connection in hockey and taking an inside look at what has defined success, beyond the ice.

Sylvain Couturier & Isabelle Morrier are involved in the sport of hockey in many capacities through their roles in business development, organizational operations, and as parents.

Isabelle is the former Director of Operations with both the Acadie-Bathurst Titan as well as with the Cape Breton Eagles. She is a passionate community leader with vast hockey management experiences.

Sylvain is a former professional hockey player, spending time within the NHL, AHL, IHL and European leagues. He was the General Manager of Acadie-Bathurst Titan and is the current General Manager of the Cape Breton Eagles.

On the episode of Beyond the Ice they share their expertise and experiences regarding positive community engagement, capacity building, effective leadership, and parenting roles of elite hockey players. Their son, Sean, is the Captain of the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL.

Beyond the Ice is a podcast by Cape Breton University Researchers exploring coaches training and approaches in relationship building, effective communication practices, and leadership skills to improve confidence, enhance motivation and collective performance. Having conversations with coaches, players, parents, and hockey operation staff – taking an inside look at what has defined success, beyond the ice.

Hosts:

Dr. Lynn LeVatte (lynn_levatte@cbu.ca) (Lead Researcher) (Education Department, Cape Breton University)

Sarah MacRae (sarah_macrae@cbu.ca) (Department of Communication and Languages, Cape Breton University)

Dr. Kristin O'Rourke (kristin_orourke@cbu.ca) (Education Department, Cape Breton University)

Dr. Christina Phillips (c.phillips@mail.utoronto.ca) (Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, OISE/UT)

Shaun Ranni (shaun_ranni@cbu.ca) (Department of Experiential Studies in Community and Sport, Cape Breton University)