COACHES
David Boucher
David Boucher is our co-founder, and we recognize his depth of knowledge and skill with a nod in our name to his French heritage. He brings a unique perspective from coaching and managing programs in Western and Eastern Canada and in New Zealand. David is passionate about developing the sport of ninja because it has a strong gymnastics component and also relies on creativity with movement. David is no stranger to the pressure of competition, having competed at the Canadian National level, and he serves the unique needs of Francophone participants. He is an accomplished competitive coach with a strong following of athletes. Safety in the gym is a priority for David and he has designed the gym by thinking ahead to skill progression. He values the professional side of sport and ensures SEGN coaches are educated in skill development and adhere to our ethical framework.
Ovidiu Serban
Ovidiu Serban brings a long history of high-performance coaching with the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, the Romanian Junior National Team, and the Canadian National Team. Ovidiu’s athletes regularly placed at the Pan American and World Gymnastics competitions between 2013 and 2016. Ovidiu’s degree in physical education serves him well in program design for SEGN, as does his work as a course clinician and facilitator of international gymnastics clinics. Because Ovidiu has achieved many competitive gymnastics goals, he is now focusing on encouraging fun and strong basics for future gymnasts. Ovidiu values fitness and the demonstration of honesty and integrity among the SEGN coaching staff. He encourages athletes to bring authenticity of emotion and spirit to the gym, and he is excited to grow the sport of ninja to encourage athlete challenge and discipline.
Georgia Diduck
Georgia Diduck brings her background as a pediatric/neuro physiotherapist from the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital to SEGN programs. She has considerable experience managing the connection from the brain to the body and making challenging activities enjoyable. She leads our Specialized Programs by adapting classes for those who are limited physically or cognitively. Georgia believes core physical literacy skills can be applied to diverse settings, and her programs aim to modify an activity to fit the child so full participation can be achieved regardless of the child’s abilities. As a mother she sees the benefits of setting different boundaries and freedoms to suit the environment.
George Diduck
George Diduck brings more than 15 years’ experience to SEGN from teaching elementary education with Edmonton Public Schools. His experience working with kids in an integrated classroom means he is comfortable with kids of varying levels of cognitive and physical development and abilities. He has demonstrated a passion for youth sports through his years coaching soccer, volleyball and basketball, and volunteering with the Special Olympics. George has certification in seniors’ functional independence training and has designed SEGN programs to encourage mobility among seniors to increase quality of life. George believes in encouraging anti-fragility, challenging norms, and keeping an open mind. As a parent, George has pursued free range parenting ideals that encourage children to experiment and learn from challenge.
