At the High Performance Centre – Ontario, greatness isn’t just measured in medals — it’s shaped by the journey. The Toronto-based program has been producing Olympians and national team members since 2009 when the centre was established. But what sets HPC – Ontario apart isn’t just its results — it’s the people it builds along the way and that is a real feature of the program under the leadership of Head Coach Ryan Mallette.
While the centre’s focus is squarely on high performance, the program also nurtures personal growth, shaping well-rounded individuals prepared for life beyond the pool. As Paris 2024 Olympian Sophie Angus puts it, “Ryan definitely wants us to become better people while we’re swimming, and it’s not always just swimming focus.”
It’s this balance — between ambition and character, competition and community — that makes HPC – Ontario special. Based at the world-class Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (TPASC) since 2015, the program is home to Olympians of the past, present, and those who dream to be ones in the future.
Five athletes from the centre were part of the Paris 2024 team: Javier Acevedo, Angus, Apollo Hess, Ella Jansen and Lorne Wigginton. But beyond their success on the international stage lies a deeper story of growth, sacrifice and belonging.
For Hess, the centre was the missing piece of his journey. The Lethbridge, Alta., native knew he needed an environment that would push him — and he found it in Toronto.
“Before I came here, I longed for people who were better than me and had the same goals, people who wanted to push me,” Hess said. “I tried out the centre in 2022, and I knew this was where I wanted to be. It took me from finishing seventh or eighth at Trials in 2023 to making the Olympic team — coming here has changed my life forever.”
That transformation wasn’t just about training harder, it was about the people around him. Hess found a team with the same drive and a coaching staff just as invested in his success.
“I’ve grown very close to (Assistant Coach) Rob (Novak). He probably wants me to get better more than I do sometimes,” Hess said. “Rob works out with me — we go rep for rep in the weight room. It makes me buy into their coaching when I see them doing the work alongside us.”
The centre’s resources also play a pivotal role in the athletes’ development. With access to mental performance consultants, dieticians, strength and conditioning coaches, massage therapy and video analysis, athletes have everything they need to thrive.
“I never had access to these kinds of resources before I moved here,” Hess said. “It gives me so much more confidence knowing I’m getting everything I need for my training.”
It’s a commitment that requires sacrifice. Hess left his friends and family behind to chase his dreams, but he found a new family in Toronto — one built on shared goals and mutual support.
“I gave up a lot — moving across the country, leaving my friends and family — and I didn’t know anyone here,” Hess said. “But Ryan and Rob took a chance on me, and it paid off. More people should take that chance and come to the centre.”
Ben Winterborn is one of those people who took a chance and tried it out. The Kingston, Ont., native is a full-time student-athlete, balancing political science studies at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus with his training.
“It’s so much fun to train with people I’ve idolized, like Apollo and Sophie,” Winterborn said. “It’s really motivating to see how they work and learn from them. Ryan and Rob push us in the best way, and that brings out the best in us.”
For Winterborn, this is just the beginning of his journey — but his potential hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“Balancing school and training is tough, but he’s thriving. I’m really looking forward to his growth over the next quad,” Mallette said.
As Winterborn starts his chapter at HPC-Ontario, Angus reflects on hers. The breaststroker’s journey almost ended after her NCAA career — until an unexpected national team call-up in 2022 changed everything.
“Ryan reached out and told me Canada needed more strength in breaststroke — and that he believed I had the potential,” Angus said. “That belief is what convinced me to continue swimming and make an Olympic push. Moving to the centre was definitely the right decision — and it led to me making the Olympic team.”
That belief — in the process, the people, and the possibilities — is what drives HPC-Ontario. The athletes may arrive with individual goals, but they leave with a shared legacy.
“We joked about how amazing it would be if two or three of us made the Olympic team — but all four of us making it was incredible,” Angus said of Jansen, Wigginton and Hess, her housemates last season. “It’s something we’ll cherish forever.”
Angus also acknowledges the legacy of TPASC itself, a facility that’s given Canadian swimmers a home like no other.
“I grew up training in a tiny six-lane, 25-metre pool,” she said. “Training here — with world-class facilities and access to resources like the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario — makes me feel so grateful. It’s amazing to think that we could become part of the legacy of Canadian swimming.”
“The Canadian Sport Institute Ontario are a key partner in making the daily training environment world class. CSIO staff support the athletes on site with programs covering biomechanics, physiology, mental performance and heath, medical and nutrition, all aligned with the coaching program in place,” said High Performance Director and National Coach John Atkinson. “Swimming Canada has also always worked closely with Swim Ontario in the implementation of the centre and they are a valued partner in having the centre based at TPASC.”
It’s a legacy built on more than performance — it’s built on people. And for those considering joining HPC-Ontario, Angus has one piece of advice.
“Whether you’re visiting or thinking of joining full-time, really embrace the professionalism here,” she said. “We bring our best effort to every single session so that when race day comes, we don’t need to be better than we’ve been in training — we’ve already practised at that high level every day. It’s a big adjustment from a club environment, but if you buy into the program and give it time, you’ll see the results. The coaches are fully invested in us, and that support makes all the difference.”
For Mallette, it’s that collaborative spirit — between coaches and athletes, veterans and newcomers — that makes HPC-Ontario a place where dreams take shape.
“Coaching here is about working with a team to be the best in the world,” he said. “It takes a team — staff and athletes — pushing each other to do more, and that’s what’s going to lead us to success.”
At HPC-Ontario, the pursuit of excellence is a shared journey — one where every stroke, every rep, and every sacrifice brings them closer to greatness.
“The High Performance Centres in Canada are a great option for all Canadian swimmers to further their swimming career in Canada,” Atkinson added. “Athletes can combine school or university with full-time training in an environment with the coaches at the centre focused on progression for each athlete as an individual.
Those interested in joining the centre can indicate their interest by submitting an inquiry at the following link: https://www.swimming.ca/high-performance-centres/