PEOPLE

Meet Our Head Coaches

For nearly three decades, Kristine Chambers and Kris Hildebrand have worked together to build far more than a triathlon club. Together, they have created a community where young people are encouraged to discover confidence, develop lifelong friendships, embrace healthy living, and realize their potential both in sport and in life. Their shared philosophy—People first, athletes second, triathletes third—continues to shape every athlete, volunteer, coach, and family who becomes part of the Exceleration community.

Kristine Chambers

Kristine Chambers is an educator, coach, mentor, and community builder whose life's work has been helping young people discover confidence, belonging, and leadership through sport. As the Founder of Exceleration Multisport and Triathlon and one of the organization's two Head Coaches, she has spent more than 25 years creating positive, inclusive sport experiences that strengthen children, families, and communities.

Known as the heart and soul of Exceleration, Kristine is an inspirational coach whose warmth, optimism, and unwavering belief in young people bring out the very best in those around her. Since founding Exceleration in 1998, she has built a community where lasting friendships are formed, confidence is nurtured, and children of all abilities are encouraged to discover what they are capable of. Her guiding philosophy—"People first, athletes second, triathletes third"—has shaped every aspect of the organization.

A former 1994 ITU Duathlon World Champion, Kristine's impact extends far beyond competition. Her lifelong contributions to coaching and sport development have earned numerous honours, including the Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012) for contributions to coach development through the National Coaching Certification Program and the Sport BC Daryl Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award (2023). She has also been featured in the "In Her Footsteps" exhibit at the BC Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to sport, particularly for girls and women.

Kristine is also an elementary school educator with a specialization in Learning Disabilities and holds a Master of Science in Coaching, specializing in neuromotor psychology and motor learning. She is a Master Learning Facilitator, NCCP Master Evaluator, longtime Kids of Steel® Race Director, and one of Canada's most respected coach developers.

Kristine is also the proud mother of three children, all of whom grew up through the sport, competed as athletes, and have gone on to become coaches themselves. For Kristine, sport has never been the destination—it has always been the vehicle through which young people discover confidence, resilience, belonging, and the desire to give back to their communities.

Kris Hildebrand

Ask any athlete what makes Kris Hildebrand special and you're unlikely to hear about championships or national teams. They'll probably tell you that he believed in them before they believed in themselves.

For more than 30 years, Kris has helped young people discover confidence, resilience, and joy through sport. As one of Exceleration's two Head Coaches, he is known for his calm leadership, genuine compassion, and remarkable ability to meet every athlete where they are—whether they are learning to swim, preparing for their first triathlon, or pursuing national and international competition.

Kris believes that great coaching begins with understanding the person before the athlete. Every child arrives with different strengths, challenges, fears, and dreams. His role is to help them discover their own "superpower," build confidence through success and failure, and leave sport healthier—physically, mentally, and emotionally—than when they arrived.

While Kris has coached provincial champions, national team athletes, and competitors who have gone on to the Olympic Games, he measures success very differently. The greatest reward is watching young people grow into confident adults who support one another, mentor younger athletes, and carry the lessons of sport into their everyday lives.

Before joining Exceleration in 2006, Kris coached with the Manitoba National Triathlon Centre and built an extensive career in swimming, triathlon, water polo, community recreation, and youth leadership. His work has always focused on making quality sport experiences more accessible while helping coaches and organizations create environments where every participant feels welcome.

In 2020, Kris received the City of Vancouver Community Sport Champion Award in recognition of his commitment to creating positive, inclusive sport experiences for children and youth throughout the community.

For Kris, coaching has never been about producing champions. It has always been about helping young people discover that they are capable of far more than they imagined.

Together with Kristine, Kris has helped raise three children who grew up in the Exceleration community and now coach the next generation. Watching that cycle continue has reinforced Kris's belief that the greatest legacy of coaching is not medals, but people who choose to give back.

We're grateful for the dedicated team of lead and support coaches who work with us to share our love of sport.

Do you have a desire to make a difference and have fun? Join our coaching team by contacting us today.