Peterborough’s Birkhof Redblacks’ new strength and conditioning coach
Fitness expert spent eight years at Hybrid Sports, working with the Peterborough Petes
Broedie Birkhof is ready for the next step in his career.
After eight years working with Josh and Holly Gillam at Hybrid Sports, including as the Peterborough Petes strength and conditioning coach, the Peterborough native is joining the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa Redblacks in the same capacity.
Birkhof, 30, was hired by Ennismore native Sean Young, founder of the Canadian Strength Institute in Ottawa in 2010 and has been the high-performance director for the Redblacks since 2020, OHL’s Ottawa 67’s since 2016 and for Ottawa’s new PWHL franchise.
Birkhof was in St. Lucia on his honeymoon two weeks ago with his new bride, Martha, a nurse at Peterborough Regional Health Centre, when he got confirmation he was being hired.
“It’s that next step up going to a professional sports organization,” said Birkhof. “That’s always been my goal, to grow and reach the pinnacle in sport. This opportunity opens a lot of doors making that step. It’s a big transition. Obviously, a different sport and a lot more bodies, but that challenge is what’s exciting.”
At Hybrid, Birkhof gained experience working with Trent University’s men’s and women’s lacrosse, rugby, soccer and volleyball teams, giving him a varied background. He’s also worked with football players through Hybrid’s work with individuals.
He says there are differences and similarities working with hockey versus football teams.
“The major difference is going to be the variety of positional groups. The big linemen will need to be addressed differently than some of your smaller more skilled players,” he explained. “Looking at the different physical demands of the different positions and being able to change up the training programs. The schedule is different, too. Hockey is kind of all over the place and we’re having to scramble to find times to train and plug things in here or there, where with the football schedule we have a bit more consistency. The biggest difference for me will be going from 23 to 25 players to 80-plus athletes.”
Also working for Young is Peterborough native and former Redblacks standout receiver Brad Sinopoli.
“Brad will be helping me out a couple of days a week with the Redblacks and will do some other stuff with Sean,” said Birkhof.
He said he didn’t really know Young until they talked at the OHL Combine last year.
“We chatted briefly about hockey and their set-up in Ottawa and our set-up in Peterborough. When the job opening came up, we connected and I interviewed with Sean,” he said.
Birkhof will make the move to Ottawa next week to begin preparing for training camp in May. He said Martha will look for a nursing job in Ottawa as the couple look to make Ottawa home.
“I’ll get into some meetings with the coaching staff to start to understand what our team identity and philosophy is because some of the ways they’ll employ different types of tactics will determine some of our training style,” he said.
“I’ll start building some of those relationships with staff as well as meeting the players and getting my bearings. It’s nice to have a month to be able to do that.”
His time with the Petes has helped prepare him for this opportunity.
“Having that long championship run last year and going through those gruelling playoff series and the extra travel really helped prepare me to handle myself no matter what we see,” he said.
He owes a lot to Gillam for giving him his start.
“I can’t say enough good things about Josh and Holly and all the people I’ve worked with at Hybrid,” said Birkhof.
“To have the opportunity to do what I love to do in the city I was born and raised in was pretty special. Without them and their business and what they’ve been able to grow there, I wouldn’t have this opportunity.”
‘‘ To have the opportunity to do what I love to do in the city I was born and raised in was pretty special.
BROEDIE BIRKHOF