Hounds add athletic staffers
Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League have brought aboard both a physiotherapist and player performance specialist ahead of the looming ’25-26 season.
They are Sarah McGall and Aidan Wright.
McGall, who hails from Owen Sound, joins the Greyhounds as their athletic therapist and registered physiotherapist. And Hounds’ general manager Kyle Raftis went in to great detail in listing McGall’s assets.
“We are very fortunate to have Sarah joining our staff for the season,” Raftis began. “Sarah brings a wealth of experience and expertise in injury prevention, rehabilitation, and performance optimization, which will be invaluable in supporting our players both on and off the ice.
“Her dedication, professionalism, and ability to connect with athletes make her a perfect fit for our program and we are excited to see the positive impact she will have throughout the season,” added Raftis.
Among the teams that McGall has previous experience with are the OHL’s Peterborough Petes and the Collingwood Blues of the Ontario Jr. Hockey League. A former hockey player herself, McGall skated at the Division 1 National Collegiate Athletic Association level at Lindenwood University from 2013 to 2018.
As for the aforementioned Aidan Wright, the Wawa native joins the Greyhounds as their new director of player performance, one that he is well suited for, said Raftis as the GM.
“We are excited to welcome Aidan to the program as we continue to evolve not just our on ice development, but equally the off ice growth of our players,” Raftis began. “As we strive to add every resource possible to help our athletes reach their full potential, Aidan will be an excellent day to day resource while working closely with our coaching staff to approach the year in a way that balances training, recovery and nutrition to maximize athlete performance. His passion and work ethic are evident in the way he pushes athletes to improve.”
Wright is a certified Level 1 and 2 functional strength and conditioning coach and the owner/operator of Peak Performance in Sault Ste. Marie. Peak Performance trains a wide range of athletes and clients from the National Hockey League level on down to youth hockey.
As a student-athlete, Wright attended and played hockey for the Division 1, NCAA Lake Superior State University Lakers from 2014 to 2018 while serving as captain in his final year. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Sciences with a minor of Kinesiology at Lake State. He is currently a fire fighter with Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services.
“I am thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to join the Soo Greyhounds organization. It’s an honour to work with such a historic program, a positive team culture, and an outstanding coaching staff while supporting the development of some of the top prospects in the game. I look forward to bringing my passion and experience in strength and conditioning to contribute to the team’s continued success,” said Wright.