Saskatoon physiotherapist helps Olympians and Paralympians find success
Saskatoon physiotherapist Bruce Craven has worked with athletes at every Olympics and Paralympics since 1992.
At the Tokyo Summer Games he has three Olympians and Paralympians he worked with, including 10-metre platform diver Rylan Wiens.
"I always say Saskatoon is Canada's best kept secret and I think Saskatchewan is Canada's best kept secret as to the number of high performance athletes," said Craven, owner of Craven Sport Services.
Craven's career took of in 1991 when he was hired to on to head the Saskatchewan Sports science Program. It was there he was exposed to some of the province's top athletes.
"You’ve actually got kids walking into your office at the age of 14 and say, I want to go to the Olympics.
"I take these young aspiring athletes and teach them what high performance is."
He has since worked with roughly 40 combined Olympian and Paralympians, including figure skater Kurt Browning and speedskater Catriona Le May Doan, Dione Meier in softball and bobsleigh athlete Jaime Cruickshank.
ATHLETES SHARE STORIES
Three-time rowing Olympian Jake Wetzel worked with him from the time he was 14. The Saskatoon native won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.
"I would never have gotten there were it not for him," said Wetzel.
"He brought a lot of professionalism, into the way I prepared as an athlete, as a very young athlete."
Erica Gavel from Prince Albert suffered several injuries while playing basketball for the University of Saskatchewan, including severe injuries to her femur and tibia.
"Bruce helped me understand that anything is possible,” she said.
Gavel participated in the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Games in wheelchair basketball, working with Craven for over 10 years.
"I'm doing my PhD in access physiology and a lot of the reasons why I chose to pursue exercise physiology is just because of Bruce."
Colette Bourgonje is a 10-time Paralympian who competed in cross-country skiing and wheelchair racing.
The Porcupine Plain native was injured in a car accident when she was 18. She works with Bruce and medaled at the Vancouver Paralympics in 2010.
"He's an amazing guy with a lot of ability to make a program and help you be successful," said Bourgonje.
"He had a huge impact on my career. He definitely challenged me physically and mentally."
For Craven his passion for the job comes in watching the growth of his athletes.
"The thing that I liked the most is to see the kids be able to grow to do the things that they never thought they could," said Craven.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Manitoba mom praises quick-thinking fire department for freeing daughter stuck in playground equipment
A Manitoba mother is praising firefighters for their quick work in helping her daughter who got stuck at a playground in Lorette, Man.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.