Pulling Together: A Coach's Journey to Uncover the Mindset of True Potential

In the world of elite sports, where excellence is measured by competition results and athletes internalize the results as indicators of self-worth, Jason Dorland‘s coaching philosophy is nothing short of radical. The Olympic rower-turned-coach was raised with a “in-it-to-win-it“ attitude, but the devastating loss of the 1988 Olympic Games and the advice of fellow Olympian, (and future wife) Robyn Meagher helped him realize that winning is not the ultimate goal but a byproduct in the journey to personal and team excellence.

In 2010, Dorland was hired by Ridley College to reignite the schools rowing program. Expected to produce results, Dorland adopted a process centred approach to coaching, emphasizing compassion, empathy, and hard work. In this environment, his athletes found success beyond your wildest dreams: multiple international championship victories, a Canadian course record time, and back to back national championship wins. Pulling Together chronicles Dorland's coaching experience and outlines how his strategy can be applied both on and off the playing field.