Melissa Bourdeau
CEO & Founder of EVO Performance
Melissa Bourdeau’s journey in hockey began at a young age, developing her skills on the ice with boys and playing on girls’ teams. Her strong skating ability and natural vision for the game quickly became her defining strengths. Always searching for ways to gain an edge, Melissa recognized early on that success required more than physical ability — it demanded sharper thinking, faster decision-making, remaining calm under pressure, and a deeper understanding of the game.
As her career transitioned from athlete to coach, Melissa dedicated herself to helping players unlock that same competitive edge. With a foundation in strength and conditioning and continuous education in neuroscience, she soon turned her focus to the cognitive side of performance, recognizing that while most athletes could skate, shoot, and pass, the true separator was one of the greatest engine that's often neglected - the brain and nervous system.
Today, Melissa is a cognitive performance specialist based in Ottawa who has worked with athletes at every level — from youth players to NHL professionals, Olympic gold medalists and professional Race Car Drivers. Her mission is clear: to transform the way athletes think, process, and perform.
Melissa views cognitive development as a long-term journey with unlimited potential — one that too often goes overlooked in traditional training.
More than a coach, Melissa is an innovator who lives and breathes the game. She spends countless hours analyzing performance and data, studying and measuring athlete development, and applying cutting-edge science to create measurable, lasting results. With a unique perspective as both an athlete and specialist, she challenges players to think differently, see differently, and perform at their peak.
Her relentless dedication and belief in her athletes make Melissa Bourdeau a true game-changer — transforming potential into achievement, and athletes into smarter, faster, and more confident competitors.
