Our Story

GRIT Athletics began as a vision to create a high-level athletic training facility with a community focus

A place where every athlete would feel welcome, nurtured, and inspired to find their true potential.

GRIT was co-founded in 2020 by Jeff Wolburgh, Shady Ashamalla, and Neal Prabhu, each of whom spend their time away from their professional careers coaching their children’s sports teams, volunteering their time as board members with sports associations, and enjoying the evolution of youth sport in Toronto.

Over several years of committing to the development of youth sport through their own families, they shared the common desire to develop a hub for youth sport locally where athletic training could be less about the coach and more about the athlete. Jeff, Shady, and Neal are together committed to the vision of establishing the groundwork for high-performance sport athletic development in the heart of Leaside to serve the passion and enthusiasm of emerging young athletes.

At its core, GRIT Athletics Toronto is committed to ensuring passion, fun, and perseverance are at the root of high performance sport athletic development by providing high calibre, athlete centred programming for those ready to be the next Pro Athlete, but also for those who simply love the game. GRIT is a multi-sport athletic hub where you may find a professional athlete training next to an aspiring 10-year-old, a goalie practice next to a pitching clinic, or a dodgeball tournament after school – all rooted in the mindset that sport unites us, brings us together, and helps us strive to be our better selves.