Tanya McMahon served as the head coach for Team NB’s gymnastics team at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in P.E.I. This past Winter marked Tanya’s sixth appearance at the Canada Games with her first appearance being at the 1995 Games in Grande-Prairie Alberta as an athlete. Since then she has had one other appearance as an athlete and now four as a coach.

When talking about her experience at this year’s Canada Games, Tanya mentioned that one of her biggest takeaways from P.E.I. is that there’s so much more to multi-sport Games than just the competition. She had this to say when discussing the overall Canada Games experience: “There is more to the experience than just the competition. It is so important to enjoy the experience, meet athletes from around the country and take part in different activities and sporting events. Make memories that will last a lifetime!”.

Tanya has a long history in gymnastics, particularly with her club in Moncton – “Beausejour Gymnastics Club” – where she has coached since she was a teenager. Tanya began coaching at her club after 15 years as an athlete. Her positive experiences with her coach growing up motivated her to share her passion and give that same experience to younger up-and-coming athletes.

Tanya’s coaching philosophy centers around encouraging learning and growth in her athletes – both in and out of gymnastics. In doing so, she hopes to teach athletes to set, work towards, and reach goals that they may have never thought were possible. She finds the most joy in helping athletes discover their hidden talents.