Meet the Instructors

Welcome to the vibrant world of art and Crochet with me. As an enthusiastic art lover and seasoned crochet and knitting artisan, I have been passionately creating beautiful pieces of art from yarn since my early years. My journey with crochet and knitting began as a personal joy (thanks to my mom for teaching me), and over time, it blossomed into a deep-seated craft that I love to share with others.

From intricate patterns to cozy handcrafted garments, I thrive on using my hands to bring creativity to life. Whether you're new to crochet or looking to refine your skills, I am dedicated to guiding you through every step of the process. I have had the pleasure of instructing friends and family, helping them unlock their creative potential and complete their crochet projects with confidence.

Join me in exploring the art of crochet and knitting, where each stitch is a step towards creating something uniquely yours. Let's embark on this creative journey together and transform simple yarn into stunning works of art.

Sewing has been a lifelong passion for me—starting from the young age of 8, I have been sewing various items, gifts, clothes, and more for 30+ years! My mom was the reason I got into sewing, as she worked in a local sewing shop that offered sewing classes.

Over the years, I have worked with many mediums, including sewing my own clothes, clothes for my family, quilts, bags, home décor, and more! Now, I work in Digital Marketing during the day, but in the evenings and on weekends, you can always find me in my sewing room, crafting up new projects, selling at craft markets under Ginger & Sage Handmade by Jaime, or teaching others everything I know about sewing.

Melissa is a fur mama and full-time nurse with a passion for everything fitness. On her days off from the hospital, she teaches group fitness to help spread the love! She has been certified in over a dozen group fitness formats, but the most popular have remained the same for several years now: HIGH Fitness and UpBeat Lift!

“I grew up dancing, moving, and shaking, so group fitness is an amazing way to keep that part of my life going.”

Puddle of Mud Productions is an arts organization dedicated to inspiring movers, shakers, and thespians of all ages. Since its inception in 2007, Puddle of Mud Productions has engaged thousands of students through creative, active programs designed to get children moving, exploring, and expressing themselves.

With a strong emphasis on the creative side of learning, Puddle of Mud Productions uses the arts as a catalyst for building confidence, developing new skills, and encouraging growth across all areas of learning.

Samantha (Teacher Sammy) has always had a love for movement, having a background in dance and creative arts. She fell in love with the path of Yoga during the height of the pandemic. Finding a calling to teach others about this incredible way of living, she completed her certified 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Prana in 2021.

Her love and passion for yoga spread to her family, motivating her to take additional training through the “Little Wonders Yoga” Mindfulness & Movement program. A mom of two, Samantha loves to incorporate mindfulness and good intentions into all aspects of her life.

Her kids’ yoga classes are aimed at helping children focus on breathwork, body movement, and overall awareness as tools to help cope with BIG feelings. Her classes also combine storytelling, music, and imagination, allowing even the youngest of yogis to blossom and grow.

I graduated from NAIT in 2012 as an Application and Game Programmer. Over the years, I came to realize that programming is much more than writing code on a computer. It’s a skill that can be applied throughout the real world, from robotics and technology gadgets to industrial systems, home automation, and intelligent devices.

I believe everything starts with learning the fundamentals of programming. Once those fundamentals are understood, they can be combined with electronics, sensors, motors, and other hardware to bring ideas to life in the physical world.

Over the years, I have designed and built a variety of robots and robotic projects, including toy rides, tracked tanks, and, most recently, a snow-clearing robot. These hands-on projects have given me the opportunity to explore how programming, electronics, mechanics, and creativity can work together to solve real-world problems.

My goal as an instructor is to teach you the fundamentals of embedded and robotic programming while giving you the knowledge and confidence to take those skills beyond the classroom. Once you understand the fundamentals, the possibilities are limited largely by your imagination.

Learn the fundamentals. Build something real. Then let your imagination take over.

The Sportball team is like a family. They spread more smiles per square mile than anyone around, united in the belief that every kid deserves to play, laugh, and develop a lifelong love of movement and sport.

What Makes Sportball Coaches So Special?

They’re 100% Certified
Sportball’s Certification Program teaches coaches how to help kids develop their skills, build confidence, and have fun while moving their bodies.

They Love What They Do
It’s not just a job—Sportball coaches take joy in inspiring young minds and bodies. They’re positive role models whose infectious energy is felt by every Sportballer.

They’re All About Safety
Every coach has completed First Aid/CPR training and undergone background checks, so you can feel confident that your little athlete is in good hands.

Bricks 4 Kidz inspires children to learn, build, and create through engaging, hands-on STEM experiences. Using LEGO® bricks as a tool for exploration, their programs introduce children to engineering, robotics, coding, and other STEM concepts in a fun and supportive environment. Through creative building challenges and play-based learning, students develop important skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, creativity, and confidence. With a focus on curiosity and discovery, Bricks 4 Kidz helps young learners explore their ideas, embrace challenges, and build the skills they need to become tomorrow’s innovators.

Trish’s Yoga journey began when she took her first Ashtanga class in Calgary and discovered the powerful connection between breath and movement. She was hooked. Over the years, her practice has evolved through many styles, including Ashtanga, Moksha/Modo, Vinyasa Flow, Yin, and gentler forms of Hatha yoga. In 2020, a shoulder injury prompted Trish to rethink how she approached her practice. That experience ultimately led her to pursue yoga teacher training and deepened her understanding of how—and why—yoga has been so transformative in her life. Trish believes yoga is much more than a physical practice. It offers a way to become curious about the body and mind, and to explore the stories and patterns that shape how we move through the world. Drawing on her experience as an educator and her own evolving practice, Trish creates classes that invite students to move with awareness, explore with curiosity, and deepen their connection to themselves. Above all, Trish hopes to help students find greater ease, well-being, and joy in movement—both on and off the mat. When she’s not teaching, she loves cooking, writing, and walking her beloved pups.

Master Taylor, aka Coach Troy, is a 4th-degree black belt in Combat Tae Kwon Do and the CEO and head operator of Family Spirit Martial Arts. He began training in Martial Arts during early childhood, with experience in Kung Fu, Shotokan Karate, Boxing, Kickboxing, and Jiu-Jitsu. He received his first black belt from the Headquarters of the Kukkiwon Institute in Korea in 1994 and has been instructing and coaching for close to 30 years.

Coach Troy is a professional coach certified through the NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program) and holds a 3rd-degree blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He has extensive education and certifications in human services, youth work, psychology, fitness, wellness, and healing, including a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology.

Throughout his career, Coach Troy has worked with high-risk youth, including individuals experiencing complex trauma and street-level populations. He is also the director of the Canadian Wide Anti-Abduction and Anti-Human Trafficking program, where he has taught anti-abduction clinics in communities across Canada. As an Empowerment Coach, he facilitates programs for agencies and communities Canada-wide, with a focus on individual empowerment.

Above all, Coach Troy considers being a father his greatest accomplishment. He takes pride in loving and guiding his family to be the absolute best they can be.