Ryan Hayden has spent over 25 years in the sport of track and field/cross country running as an athlete and a coach. Growing up as a member of the Richmond kajaks track and field club Ryan was a 10 time national champion as a youth and a 5 time Canadian team member youth and senior. His track career led him to Villanova University where he trained for 5 years under the tutelage of renowned coach Marcus O’Sullivan. While at Villanova Ryan was a 2 time NCAA champion and broke the 4 minute mile barrier on several occasions. After University Ryan returned home to coach with the Kajaks and successfully coached several athletes including a former teammate who also broke the 4 minute mile under Ryan’s guidance. Before moving to the Okanagan Ryan spent several years coaching young athletes at the Langley mustangs track and field club. Ryan is extremely excited and proud to be involved with the Penticton track and field club and looks forward to helping young athletes achieve their dreams in the sport of track and field.
Erin is certified in her Sport Coach with BC Athletics, and will be pursuing her Club Coach certification in the Spring of 2022. She is currently a registered physiotherapist in Penticton, and is always furthering her understanding of running biomechanics and sport injury prevention and treatment. Prior to being a physiotherapist, Erin was a PE teacher in Saskatchewan and has a Bachelors of Education and Kinesiology. She coached track and field in Saskatoon at the high school and elementary level. She further coached junior development for the Vancouver Thunderbirds and was a founding member prior to her relocation to Saskatoon.
Erin’s background in track and field includes a late start at the age of 19 where she happened to walk into the office of the UBC Head Coach and asked, “Can people train and get faster? I don’t really like running far.” She was pleased the answer was a definite yes, and was fortunate to be included in Kevin Tyler’s training group where she gained a wealth of cutting edge knowledge in the sport, and improved at long sprints. Erin was the 400m BC provincial champion in 2000 and placed 9th at Olympic Trials that year in Victoria, BC. She competed for both UBC and the University of Saskatchewan at the Canada West and CIS(now U-Sport) Championships in the 300m and 600m individual races, and 4x200m, 4x400m, and 4x800m relays. She was the 2003 Canada West Silver Medalist in the 600m and won multiple medals in the relay events at the CIS meets. She was a member of the 2003 Female National Championship CIS Track and Field Team Member awarded to the team with the best overall performance at the university national conference.
If anyone wonders why Erin competed first for UBC and then switched to competing for the U of S, she may say it was to train indoors, but you also might notice another coach by the name of Ryan Hvidston that competed for the U of S around the same time. Erin would also like to acknowledge some of the coaches she had in her youth, including Mike Boreham, Percy Perry, Bill Morrish, Kevin Tyler, Lyle Sanderson, and Ivan Tam who had such a significant impact on her life. She aspires to foster that love for the sport of track and field in all the athletes that she coaches, as her coaches did for her.
Ryan grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and attained his Bachelor of Education while representing the University of Saskatchewan Track and Field Team. He has his Master of Education from the University of Calgary. Ryan was a teacher in both Saskatchewan and in British Columbia for 14 years, prior to pursuing his current career as a firefighter. Ryan has 20+ years of coaching experience including at school, club, provincial, university and national levels. Ryan coached athletes to the international level in pole vault when working with the UBC Thunderbirds. He is excited to help develop Penticton Track and Field club, hoping to provide athletes with the opportunities that he was allowed as a youth. Ryan is a four time National Champion, former Canadian Record Holder, and has had the opportunity to represent Canada on multiple occasions.
Melinda grew up in the West Kootenays and was a part of the Trail Track Field Club in her youth. Melinda was a multi event athlete, including both long distance and sprinting running as well as jumping events.
Melinda loves volunteering and working with young athletes to help develop their talent, abilities and esteem. Since having her own children, Melinda has coached a number of sports including dance, t-ball, wrestling, and baseball. Melinda starting coaching track and field in 2016 in Bonners Ferry, Idaho at the local middle school and high school, attending the state championships on multiple occasions.
Melinda is very much looking forward to working with the athletes and their families here in Penticton and being apart of the community.
Rob grew up on the prairies and predominantly played Hockey. However, later in life began to train for local road races and multisport endurance events.
Professional work saw Rob live in the Rocky Mountains where he settled for a dozen years and was an avid Hiker, backcountry skiier and trail runner. Rob started a family in Banff and both his boys played hockey, accompanied Rob on hikes at an early age and enjoyed skiing as well.
Once his boys caught the running bug, he decided he should get involved in helping them build their abilities and help with any athletics clubs in the community. Rob and his family relocated to Penticton in spring of 2019 and both boys have been active with athletics in the community. Rob is new to coaching and began to help out with the Cross country club and indoor track since fall of 2021.
Rob is very much looking forward to working with the athletes and their families here in Penticton and continuing to contribute to athlete and Penticton Track and Field growth.
Melissa is an avid runner and loves to share her passion for the sport. She is a middle/high school teacher, and has experience coaching in schools as well as with the Langley Mustangs.
Melissa manages some of the administrative roles within the club and is always happy to chat with parents about any questions they have.
Melissa shares 4 children with her husband Ryan, 3 of whom are currently in the track and field program. She looks forward to working with the young athletes and their parents in Penticton and fostering the growth of track and field in the community
