Matt Webster's Athletic Journey
Born and raised in Calgary, Matt grew up immersed in sports alongside his two siblings. Hockey, skiing, and track filled his childhood, but when it came time to pick just one in high school, both he and his brother chose football.
“I just fell in love with the game,” Matt shares. “I loved everything about it on the field, but I also loved the training—the off-season work, being in the weight room, and the camaraderie with teammates.”
Matt’s hard work and talent took him to Queen’s University, where he played four years of football. While none of these culminated in a championship, the time fulfilled a longstanding dream for Matt of competing at the post-secondary level. In 2014, he was drafted into the CFL (Canadian Football League) by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, a moment he describes as life-changing. But it was in 2017, as a defensive back for the Toronto Argonauts, that Matt’s football career hit its pinnacle with a Grey Cup championship victory. “It was one of my better seasons as a player. I played in every game, was healthy all year, had my best season statistically, and I was a team special captain.”
“That year was special,” he recalls. “It wasn’t an undefeated season by any stretch. There was a lot of adversity thrown our way, but through teamwork and perseverance, we made it to the Grey Cup. Having my family there—and knowing I can one day show my son my name on the Grey Cup—makes that achievement even more special.”
From CFL to FireFit: A New Challenge
When his football career came to an end, Matt faced the daunting question of what would come next. “I had no idea what I wanted to do.” Matt says. To explore post-pro football options, he met with retired CFL players, many of whom had transitioned into careers like real estate or finance. “I met one CFL alum who had become a firefighter and the more I learned about firefighting, the more I thought, ‘Why haven’t I considered this before?’” Matt recalls.
It wasn’t an easy path. With just 22 spots available for a class of over 2,000 applicants, Matt approached the process with the same intensity that defined his football career. “I treated getting a firefighting job like a full-time job,” he explains. After two years of steady time, energy, and patience—balancing certifications, training courses, and part-time strength and conditioning work—he officially joined Brampton Fire in 2021.
It was here that Matt discovered FireFit, something he describes as “the toughest two minutes in sports.” Originally developed as a fitness test for firefighters, FireFit has grown into a competitive event made up of practical fireground tasks like stair climbs, hose drags, and victim rescues. “It’s fireground tasks that have been combined into a competitive race,” he says.
After a couple of years at Brampton, Matt moved to a specialty hall where he was invited to train by fellow firefighters Katie Ross and Jay Woodford. Both highly accomplished FireFit athletes, they recognized Matt’s potential and encouraged him to join them. “I thought I was in shape from my football days, but FireFit humbled me,” he admits. “It gave me a challenge and something new to train for.”
Competing in FireFit
Matt began competing in FireFit in mid-2023, starting with the mixed relay team before transitioning to individual events. “Nationals in Sarnia was my first taste of running the entire course on my own,” he says. “It was a completely different experience from the relay, where you split the tasks with your teammates.”
In 2024, Matt completed his first full FireFit season, dedicating six months of training to a full season of regional events and Nationals in Kamloops. “It’s been amazing to be part of the Brampton team,” he says. “Katie and Jay are both incredible firefighters, I'm just trying to be a solid member of the team.”
Among Matt’s standout moments was a gold medal finish in the mixed relay at Nationals. “We were up against a really strong Strathcona team,” he recalls. “With just three of us, we had to push the pace to compete against teams with four or five members. But the three of us set out with a goal to be first place, and we achieved it.”
His individual performance was equally impressive, earning him a spot among the top 12 competitors at Nationals. “My goal was to break 1:25, and in my last race of the season, I hit 1:23.97,” he shares proudly. “Having my wife and son there to support me made it even more special.”
While he’s proud of the improvements he’s made on his time, Matt is continuing to push himself. “I’ve started to reach those elite times, but there’s still so much more I want to accomplish”
Lessons from the Grey Cup to the Firehouse
“Whatever your role is, try to be the best at it,” Matt says. “In firefighting, I’m still very new in my career and have a junior role on my crew, but I take pride in doing my job to the best of my ability. Over time, you grow, and that same mindset served me well in football.”
Early mornings, dedication, and a continued focus on improvement shaped his training. “The time and dedication it takes to be good at a sport—it’s something I’ve always embraced,” he shares.
Reflecting on his Grey Cup experience, Matt adds, “What sticks with me now is what it takes to be a champion. I was a small cog in a big machine, but if you want a championship outcome, every level of that organization has to be performing at their best, and no role is too small.”
“A lot of people see the athlete on the championship day or game day, but they don’t see the hours that go into it behind the scenes,” he explains. “That’s something I love—the behind-the-scenes work, when the cameras are off.”
Fueling Success: Teaming Up with Blonyx to Train for FireFit
As a lifelong athlete with a background in kinesiology and years spent in strength and conditioning, Matt knows a lot about supplements. “As a CFL athlete, I had to adhere to strict testing standards, so clean supplements were always important to me,” he notes.
Matt discovered Blonyx through CrossFit athlete Brent Fikowski's posts about Beet It Sport Nitrate 400. After bringing it to Kamloops with him, Matt was hooked. “With most supplements, it takes a bit of time, but when I tried Beet It Sport, I noticed a difference right away,” Matt recalls. “I felt great. I felt like I had more endurance in my race. It just felt like I had a boost to my conditioning.”
Following his positive experience with Beet It Sport, Matt integrated other Blonyx products into his regimen. While recovering from injuries after the 2024 FireFit season, he took Blonyx HMB+ Creatine. “Creatine really helped me maintain a lot of my strength, speed, and endurance while I was taking time off from intense training,” he shares. As he prepares for the 2025 season, Matt has added Blonyx Beta Alanine to his routine, along with Hydra+ mixed with HMB+ Creatine, which he takes religiously after every workout.
Beyond the performance benefits, Matt values Blonyx's research driven and athlete focused approach. “One of the main things I liked about Blonyx is that it’s not like a million products; it’s a few products, and they’re done really well,” he says. “The clean, straightforward products are right up my alley, and I really appreciate the well-thought-out user guides—they’re simple, to the point, and tell you exactly how to use the product and what to expect.”
Looking Forward: The Road to the 2025 FireFit Championships and Beyond
For Matt, 2024 was the season that solidified his passion for FireFit. “2024 was the season that really got me hooked into this sport,” he says. “For 2025, I know how to train for this sport, I know the amount of work that's required to be at the elite level of it. So now it's about putting in the consistent work and the consistent effort, and I've got a great support system. I’ve got a great group of training partners—those Hamilton guys I mentioned and, of course, my Brampton teammates.”
Matt has ambitious goals for the year ahead, starting with the Canadian Championships in St. Catharines, Ontario, and extending to his first experience competing in the United States at the Firefighter Combat Challenge in October.
His focus for the Canadian Championships is clear: breaking the 1:20 mark on the course. As he explains, “The top five men's under 40 competitors are all running under 1:20. If you want to have a sniff at the podium, you have to be under 1:20. That’s definitely on my radar.”
In the U.S., Matt is preparing to adapt to a slightly different course. “Their course is basically the same, but there are a few slight differences,” he says. “The Canadian course is considered a bit faster just because the surface you run on is a little bit different. When I run in the U.S. next year, I’m just looking to get my feet wet, get a taste for it, and see what I can do.”
Balancing Firefighting, Family, and Fitness
Balancing a demanding career, high-level competition, and family life is no easy feat, but Matt is committed to prioritizing what matters most—doing his best in every role he takes on, whether as a firefighter, athlete, or husband.
For Matt, that balance wouldn’t be possible without his wife. “In the fire service, we’re chronically sleep-deprived, and we have a lot of training demands—we take our jobs very seriously,” he shares. “My wife has grown into an amazing mother, taking care of our son. She’s my support system. My family lives across the country, so she’s really all I have. She’s the most important person in my life and makes everything possible.”
“You don’t find the time; you make the time,” he says. “When you prioritize training and taking care of your body, mind, and spirit, everything else gets a little better.”
You can follow Matt Webster on Instagram @mattqweb and follow the Brampton Firefit team @bramptonfirefit to stay up to date on their journey and upcoming events.
That’s all for this week! If you enjoyed reading Thomas' story, head over to the Blonyx Blog for more stories of athletic ambition.
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