Frank Power

When Frank Power arrived in Fort McMurray 13 years ago, he came for a job. What he discovered was a calling.

Originally from Mt. Carmel, Newfoundland, Frank and his wife Karla moved north in 2012 after both securing teaching positions. Today, Frank is a beloved Physical Education teacher at Elsie Yanik Catholic School and the founder of Hoop Heroes Inclusive Basketball Association, an organization he launched in 2023 to create accessible, judgment-free athletic opportunities for youth of all abilities.

Basketball has always been central to Frank’s life. He grew up coached by his father, later playing and coaching competitively himself. But the sport took on deeper meaning when his two sons, Paddy and Kelton, were diagnosed with autism. Rather than watching from the sidelines as his children navigated a world where traditional sports programs often lacked flexibility or understanding, Frank created the kind of team he wanted them to belong to.

“I wanted them to have the same chance I had,” he says. “To make friends, be active, and feel like they were part of something.”

Hoop Heroes is more than a basketball program. It is a celebration of inclusion, patience, and shared joy. Under Frank’s leadership, players move at their own pace. Cheering is louder. Success is defined differently. And every small victory is treated like a championship moment.

Frank credits his wife as the true force behind the vision. “Karla is just as important to Hoop Heroes as I am,” he says. “She pushed me to get it started and has supported me every step of the way.” Together, they are raising their boys with love, advocacy, and action, and extending that care to countless other families.

Community involvement has always been part of Frank’s DNA. Over the past 12 years, he has coached basketball from elementary to high school levels, served as Athletic Director at Holy Trinity, volunteered with the Autism Society, sat on sports and event boards, and even hosted provincial championships. Whether working behind the scenes or courtside, he shows up where he is needed.

For Frank, the philosophy is simple: “It takes a village to make things work.” He believes that when people contribute even the smallest effort, the ripple effect can change lives.

Despite his many roles — teacher, coach, founder, father — Frank speaks with humility. He sees himself not as a leader but as a facilitator. Someone who happened to be in the right place with the right idea, willing to act when inspiration struck.

His goals for the future are big, and he isn’t shy about dreaming out loud. In his perfect world, Fort McMurray would one day have a year-round inclusive sports facility, a place where children with exceptional needs could play, grow, and belong without barriers. If he won the lottery tomorrow, that is the first cheque he would write.

Until then, he’ll keep building his dream one practice at a time.

Looking back on nearly two decades of teaching and coaching across multiple provinces and school boards, Frank says experience, and especially fatherhood, reshaped his perspective. Where he once focused on the thrill of competition, he now sees sport through a different lens.

“I was always driven by the challenge more so than wins or losses,” he reflects. “But becoming a father helped me understand the importance of inclusion, acceptance, and seeing the world through my boys’ eyes. They are my heroes.”

Frank lives by a quote from legendary coach John Wooden: Be here now. It sits in the back of his mind as both a reminder and a promise. Whether in the gym, at home, or on the sidelines, he gives his full presence.

Because every moment matters, especially the ones that change someone else’s life.