OUR COACHES
LUKE VANMOERKERkE
FOUNDER, CO-OWNER & COACH
Luke has been a lifelong athlete who has trained and competed throughout the province. His experience working with different coaches and training facilities inspired him to return to his roots in the Brantford area to build AFT. His vision for AFT was to create a training facility that would help build the next generation of great local athletes. What started as a passion project for Luke and his wife, Taylor, has now grown into three locations with a team of 20 coaches who live out the AFT vision.
Now retired from his OHL and varsity hockey career, Luke remains motivated to live a healthy and active lifestyle so that he can keep up with his growing family of four and his staff of real go-getters. Luke’s commitment to AFT deepens year-after-year as he continues to work tirelessly to expand and improve his facilities, programs, and coaching team.
Taylor VanMoerkerke
CO-OWNER & COACH
Taylor has been in the strength and conditioning industry as a coach for 6 years and she has competed as an elite athlete for over 15 years. Taylor’s athletic achievements include playing lacrosse for Team Canada in 2011, D1 Lacrosse in the NCAA at Virginia Tech as well as OUA Lacrosse. She went from athlete to coach when she began coaching in the Ontario Women's Field Lacrosse League for Edge Lacrosse and Western University.
As a busy mom of two young boys, she has recently fallen in love with exploring new types of training while maintaining her competitive and self-described "intense" personality. Taylor is passionate about leading by example & wants to encourage new parents that "prioritizing their physical and mental health is not selfish; instead it benefits everyone in your life".
ANDREW WILHELM
Co-Owner, COACH & Director of Business Development
Andrew has been in the fitness and training industry since 2015 and brings experience in conventional strength training, olympic lifting and endurance sport. He is a former Guelph Gryphon varsity football athlete, and has completed multiple triathlon races including Ironman 70.3 Muskoka.
Before joining the team at AFT, Andrew owned and operated his own coaching business where he worked with clients both in person and remotely, and intends to bring more remote training options to AFT clients in the future.
As a coach, Andrew's greatest passion is to help people develop a positive relationship with their fitness and to gain access to new capabilities. He specializes in working with individuals who are new or just returning to fitness and helps them develop a routine that anyone can be proud of.
Carleigh Englefield
Coach + Nutritionist
Pre-Script L1 + BSC Food Nutrition
Carleigh has been working in the field of nutrition and fitness for 8 years. She utilizes her Bachelor of Science in Food Nutrition to lead the AFT Nutrition program for adults and athletes.
Having worked with the Brantford Bulldogs, corporate groups, and individuals, her experience is as vast as her personality. Her passion is to help educate people about health and fitness in a sustainable and encouraging way.
JESSE DAMM
HEAD COACH
Health, Wellness & Fitness Diploma - Mohawk
Pre-Script: Functional Anatomy & Applied Biomechanics, Barbell Certification, Exercise Programming
Precision Nutrition: Sports Performance Nutrition
Coach Jesse has been working in the fitness industry for nearly 5 years now. The loss of his father and sister to health-related illnesses has been his main source of motivation to learn and teach others about important tools they can use to lead healthy and active lifestyles. Jesse believes that fitness is something that can and should be accessible to everyone, and that the benefits it can provide are truly life changing.
TRISTEN FURE
COACH
Certified ISSA Personal Trainer
Pre-Script: Functional Anatomy & Applied Biomechanics
Coach Tristen started coaching wrestling and fitness at 18 years old and has never looked back. He is a passionate life-longer learner about optimizing the mind & body and he strives to share this knowledge and experience with his clients.
As a coach with AFT, Tristen wants to help people set clearly defined goals, work diligently towards, and build a solid foundation with measurable benefits along the way. His areas of specialization are Olympic weightlifting, turning soft parents into strong people and changing people's mentality towards fitness.
Paul Szczechura
Director of On-ice performance
Played 4 years NCAA D1 Hockey
Played 16 years professional hockey (NHL, AHL, KHL)
Jesse Talon
COACH
Health Wellness & Fitness Diploma - Mohawk College
Pre-Script Level 1
Jesse completed his co-op with Athlete Farm before joining the staff as a coach. His experience in competitive power lifting makes him an in-house expert on strength development.
Jesse works with young athletes in our After School Athlete program as well as his personal training clients. His biggest priority is helping people express their full potential, and does so by holding them accountable to their goals long term.
EVA FAST
COACH
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
Eva directs Female Athlete Development at AFT and specializes in helping young female athletes develop the skill and confidence they need to succeed in the gym.
Her experience as a competitive soccer athlete, coach and personal trainer help her to teach the fundamentals of training to young athletes in our After School Athlete program, as well as her individual clients over the last several years.