Who We Are.

EMPWR is an athletic, productive & supportive team environment that “looks after everyone as if they’re our goalie.”

We work with those who’ve cycled through periods of working out hard, followed by hardly working out — life after sport, kids/work, or injury; it’s hard to train like you used to.

We provide structure, accountability, and precision coaching rooted in sports science.

We’re experts at taking care of the details so you can focus on what’s important.

Meet The Team

Rich Thaw

Owner

Rich Thaw is a performance coach, educator, and movement specialist with a passion for helping athletic adults and hockey players break through plateaus and perform at their best.

With over 15 years in the fitness and sports performance industry, Rich has worked with everyone from recreational athletes to seasoned professionals. He founded EMPWR to be a training home for athletes who’ve experienced the “all in / all out” cycle of fitness and want a smarter, more sustainable approach.

Rich’s programs combine cutting-edge sports science with practical, real-world coaching to build strength, improve mobility, reduce injury risk, and enhance on-field performance. Whether it’s small group personal training for athletic adults or off-season development for hockey players, his mission is to help every athlete move better, feel better, and perform at their peak.

Outside the gym, Rich enjoys spending time with his son, staying active, and continuing to study the latest advances in athletic performance.

Emily Gaudet

Athletic Therapist

Emily studied Athletic Therapy at Concordia University and graduated from the Honours program in 2022. Throughout her studies, she gained hands-on experience in 4 different internship sites. Since passing her National Certification Exam in June, Emily has worked on the field with athletes of all ages, ensuring their safety as well as helping them recover from injury. Working with sports such as soccer, hockey, football, and rugby has helped her fine-tune her rehabilitation programs based on the demands of the sport to allow for a safe return to play. Emily also follows her clients in the clinical setting, where she can provide an evaluation, treatment, and tailored exercise program to help further their recovery. As a Registered Massage Therapist, Emily also provides deep tissue/ sports massage for the relief of pain or for tune-up purposes.

Our EMPWR’d Performance System.

EMPWR – Fitness & Sports Training is a spacious open-layout facility designed to maximize your training experience, featuring tools and tactics from the forefront of human performance.

We have 6 designated performance zones that have been dedicated to each subset of our complete training system.

1. Release/Reposition
2. Retrain
3. Reactive
4. Run
5. Resistance
6. Resilience

Our 25 yards of turf is designed for sled pushes, plyometrics, and agility drills. Additionally, we provide locker rooms and recovery zones equipped with muscle-release tools and recovery drinks to ensure a complete fitness & sports training journey from start to finish.

A Letter From The Founder

When I started EMPWR, the goal was simple: to create a third space — a place where you feel looked after, supported, and truly empowered—a place built on a foundation deeper than exercise alone.
For years, I watched athletes and athletic adults get caught in the same cycle: periods of training hard, followed by stretches of hardly training at all. What was missing wasn’t effort — it was structure and systems, accountability, attention to detail, and the fun that makes training enjoyable.
EMPWR was built to change that. Here, training is guided by sports science, delivered with precision coaching, and backed by a culture that builds people up. Whether you’re an athletic adult chasing your edge again or a hockey player preparing for your best season yet, this is where performance and longevity come together.
As a coach — and as a father — I believe in playing the long game. The values I bring to raising my son — doing the right thing (not the easy thing), kindness, and accountability — are the same values that shape this community.
Welcome to EMPWR. Let’s get to work.
— Rich Thaw
Founder & Head Coach

Book a quick chat with us today!

Take the first step towards a healthier lifestyle with a 15-minute call with EMPWR – Fitness & Sports Training in Saint-Laurent! Our team will answer any questions you have about our programs and training style, then help you decide on the first steps of your fitness journey.