Meet Travis, he is originally from St. Albert but moved with his parents to Kelowna in 1986. Travis spent many years pursuing a hockey career and with that pursuit came travelling the world. But since his return to Kelowna, he has developed his career coaching a younger generation of athletes to become the best version of themselves.
Who is your favourite person to spend time with and why?
My favourite person to hang out with is my son. He's just over a year and a half old and he's an absolute blast to be around. Watching him as he slowly figures things out and seeing his personality develop is really interesting.
What is your favourite local store in Kelowna and why?
I don't do a ton of shopping but when I do it's typically for hockey equipment. The guys down at Mission Sports are unreal to deal with and they always make sure I get exactly what I need.
Describe yourself in one word.
Integrity
If you could go anywhere in the world right at this moment where would you go and why?
Back to Abu Dhabi. I was there a few years ago on my honeymoon and had an incredible time. Learning about their culture and history was extremely interesting. The place was also stunning and very clean (I'm a bit of a germophobe.)
What is your favourite activity in Kelowna?
This city offers so many fun activities to partake in that it's hard to say just one. But for me being out on the water trumps everything else. It's peaceful and relaxing and the best way to stay cool on a hot summer day.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
I've thought long and hard about this question and I actually can't think of anything embarrassing. It could be because I try and not let things embarrass me or it's because after something embarrassing happens I quickly chose to forget about it.
What is the most inspiring thing that has happened to you?
Every day I get a chance to work with dedicated athletes. Seeing them get stronger and more explosive throughout our training together is extremely rewarding and continues to inspire me to learn more and become a better coach for them.
Tell us your favourite childhood memory.
Hands down my favourite childhood memory is playing hide and seek with my Opa. Growing up they owned over an acre of land and it was filled with trees and shrubs. I remember playing for hours on end trying to find him somewhere in their backyard. The best part of the whole thing is how he never let me win, he always made sure I earned it. At the time I didn't think much of it but looking back now it sure taught me a lot. If you want something in life you have to go out and get it, no one is going to give you anything.
Where do you volunteer or give back to in the community?
This is my first full year in Kelowna since retiring from professional hockey. I've spent the last nine seasons in a lot of different places from Tennessee to Germany so I haven't been able to find the right organization to work with. Since hockey is such an expensive sport to play, my ultimate goal is to make hockey training and mentorship programs more accessible to all young hockey players in our community.
If you could change one thing in the world what would it be?
Some people seem to be more preoccupied with themselves (or their social media) and don't notice life around them. I'd like to see people care more for the person next to them because if that were the case, then everyone would be better off.
Where would you sneak away to in Kelowna to spend some time alone?
The closest beach access that isn't too busy where I can enjoy a good podcast.
Where would you like to see positive change in Kelowna and why?
Having spent a lot of time in Germany playing hockey, I really enjoyed the city centres and city squares because they are filled with pedestrian paths, cafes and shops. I would like to see Kelowna adopt a little more of this. We already have a great city centre but I think it would be even better if they blocked it off to car traffic, extended all the patios and had more walking paths.
What do you think makes Kelowna great?
The landscape here in Kelowna is next to none. I have seen many parts of the world and I wouldn't want to reside anywhere else. We have beautiful mountain lines and a gorgeous lake. It's simply stunning.
What are 3 things on your bucket list?
- To race high-end sports cars down at Area 27 with my dad.
- To visit Croatia with my family
- To fly a helicopter
Tell us something that not everyone may know about you.
Only the people that grew up with me would know this but I've had the same size feet since I was 14 years old. Being only 5'6" at the time it made for one awkward looking teenager.
How do people connect with you, personally, through social media? (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)
Instagram is probably the best. My handle is @martell.elite.fitness
What is the name of your business/organization?
Martell Elite Fitness
Why did you get into/start this business?
I wanted to give back to younger hockey players. I never had the resources to train the way they do today. After a long professional career, I recognize how crucial this type of training is to their overall success. And I love being a part of that.
What is the goal of your business?
My goal is to help as many dedicated hockey players as I possibly can to achieve their goals. Whether that's in hockey or in life, whatever they want to pursue I'll match their commitment 100%.
What has been your biggest struggle either at work or in life?
The biggest struggle with work is trying to avoid worrying about what others are doing. It's important to stay relevant but not get caught up in the details. And then with life, it's finding the balance between work and family.
If you could start all over again would you do things the same or would things be different?
If I could do it all over again I'd start earlier. I wouldn't waste all the free time I had in my youth. You don't realize how important time is until you don't have any. It's like oxygen, you don't think much about it until you start to run out of it.
What do you always find yourself saying?
Right now, I find myself saying "are you kidding me" a lot. I think it's because some people are doing things that make me shake my head. Maybe I'm getting old, I'm not sure.
Tell us your best piece of life advice.
Best piece of advice, do everything to the best of your abilities. No matter if it's something you enjoy doing or not. Once you start taking pride in everything you do, life becomes a lot better.
If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select?
I think it would be such a cool experience to spend a day with Jerry Seinfeld. I always enjoyed his sitcom growing up and I think his sense of humour is great. To sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee with him and talk about nothing would be awesome.
Why do you think it is important to shop locally?
Shopping locally supports the community we live in. The stronger our community is the better it is to live here in Kelowna. Everyone wins when we support each other.
What has been your proudest accomplishment?
As a child, I always wanted to play in the NHL. As I got older I realized that dream probably wasn't going to come true. My goal became to play professional hockey and receiving my first paycheque for playing the game I love was a huge accomplishment.
Give someone you think that deserves it a shout out and explain why!
My good buddy Matt Crowell deserves a shout out. He is probably one of the hardest working people I know. When he first started his company he had a vision and he didn't let anyone or anything stop him from achieving his goal.
My choice for the KelownaNow In Focus spotlight is:
Tyler Bouck.
Some general comments I would like to share are:
I'm very humbled to be featured in Kelowna Now. I think it's really awesome to have the opportunity to tell a little bit about my story and who I am. Thank you very much!
We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE.
In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition of the people, businesses, and organizations that help make our city great. Thank you, Kelowna!
