Lesley's passion for sport lead her into a Bachelor of Kinesiology with a focus in Sport Psychology, then a Bachelor of Education, and a Master's of Education in Counselling Psychology.  These achievements were obtained at Dalhousie University, Acadia University and the University of New Brunswick.

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Since opening Mindfit, Lesley has worked with numerous professional, competitive, and recreational athletes, coaches, teams, and parents. Among the various sports and organizations listed below, she is always expanding her services to new opportunities and sports to add to her experiences. 

 

Lesley has worked with athletes who have competed in a variety of national and international competition, including the Olympics, Canada Games, Nationals, University Sport, Atlantics, Provincials, and local competition, in the following sports: 

 

Hockey                                        Speed Skating             Volleyball

Ringette                                      Basketball                    Women’s Curling       

Track and Field                          Boxing                           Baseball

Gymnastics/Trampoline          Figure Skating             Football

Downhill skiing                           Soccer                          Swimming

 

In addition, Lesley has provided her services to hockey players from a wide range of levels:

 

NHL players and prospects                   Team Canada                            CHL (QMJHL, OHL, WHL)

Junior A                                                      University (Canadian and NCAA Div.1 & 3) 

Prep school                                               U18 and U16 AAA Major hockey

U12 and up hockey (all levels) 

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Lesley’s background in sport began at the age 5, but she quickly found herself passionate and committed to her involvement in competitive swimming by the age of 11.  Lesley would go on to compete as a high-performance athlete ranking seventh overall in the country for her event, was a bronze medallist at the Canadian Youth Nationals, and held numerous provincial records that remained hers for approximately 30 years. Lesley was also pre-selected for the New Brunswick Canada Games Team in 1993, but due to unforeseen circumstances had to withdraw.

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Lesley went on to become Rookie of the Year on the Dalhousie University Swim Team, Rookie of the Year for the Atlantic Universities Athletic Association (AUAA), was an AUAA All-Star Athlete, and was a finalist at the Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union (CIAU) Championships in three events. She competed nationally and was also a contender at the Canadian Olympic Trials in 1992.

 

In her post-competitive swimming years, Lesley went on to compete in triathlons and also competed in the New York City Marathon in 2004.  She continues to be active in sports on a recreational level. 

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As a coach, she has achieved her Levels 1 and 2 of the National Coaching Certification Program. She has coached both middle school and high school teams, and was an assistant coach with the local swim team for two years.  Lesley has studied university courses in Leadership and Team Building, Philosophy and Principals of Coaching, Social Psychology of Physical Activity, Canadian Sport System, Health Education and Educational Psychology.

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In her professional career, Lesley taught in the public school system for approximately 10 years prior to becoming a therapist, where she would go on to create the Atlantic Wellness Community Center, a charitable organization that provides individual and family therapy in Southeastern New Brunswick.  She was employed as the Founder, Executive Director and Therapist for 5 years before resigning and focusing on her next challenge, the creation of Mindfit.

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As a member of the community at large, Lesley has been a Keynote Speaker at numerous Business and Wellness events promoting positive mental health, is a volunteer member on non-profit community programs and in 2014 was awarded the YMCA Peace Medallion.

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Lesley comes from a family of athletes--her grandfather, Harry Smyth, was one of the first New Brunswickers to attend the Winter Olympic Games for Speed Skating in 1932 in Lake Placid and her father, Ron Smyth, was recruited and attended the Toronto Maple Leafs' training camp when he was 16 and would continue to play hockey for Dalhousie University.

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