ADAPTIVE RECORD ATTEMPT
Level Up: Two World Records
Kanen’s first goal was to see how far he could throw. After setting a wheelchair distance world record, he came back two months later with a completely different challenge: throwing far enough for Sailor to make the catch.
RECORDS ATTEMPTED
U16 Boys Wheelchair Distance and Wheelchair Distance to Canine Catch
THE OPPORTUNITY
Give Kanen a record that was his to chase.
Kanen and I started working together around a straightforward challenge: how far could he throw a flying disc from his wheelchair?
There was a clear target, but getting there meant figuring out what worked best for him. We experimented with technique, worked on generating more distance and kept using each throw as information for the next one. His personal theme was “Level Up,” which fit the process perfectly. The goal wasn’t to suddenly become a world-record holder. It was to keep finding the next improvement.
The attempt also became something Kanen’s family and community could get behind. His parents, Tyler and Candace, his brothers and many others supported him through the process, and the record attempt became an opportunity to raise money for CP Kids & Families as well.
What began as an individual throwing challenge was already becoming something bigger than the number we would eventually measure.
THE ATTEMPT
The first record created the next challenge.
On May 24, 2026, Kanen made his first official WFDF world record attempt at Rundle College in Calgary. His best throw travelled 15.84 metres — 52 feet, establishing the U16 Boys Wheelchair Distance world record.
The attempt was the culmination of the work that had gone into improving his throw, but it also became a community event. His family was there, people came out to support him, and the effort raised approximately $600 for CP Kids & Families.
That could easily have been the end of the story. Instead, Kanen and his dad reached out to me with another idea.
Kanen loves dogs, and his family doesn’t have one of their own, so he wanted to try a record with Sailor. The challenge immediately gave him something new to work toward. This time it wasn’t only about how far he could throw. He had to put the disc in a place where Sailor could track it, run it down and make the catch.
On July 27, 2026, at Eric Harvie School in Calgary, Kanen and Sailor attempted the Wheelchair Distance to Canine Catch world record.
Kanen threw the disc 13.1 metres — 43 feet — for Sailor to catch, establishing his second WFDF world record.
What I like about the second attempt is that it came from Kanen and his family. After experiencing the first record, they were already looking for the next challenge. Two months later, Kanen took the skills he had been developing and applied them in a completely different way.
WATCH THE STORY
Kanen & Sailor’s Record Day
WHAT IT CREATED
Success became a reason to ask, “What’s next?”
What I like about Kanen’s story is that the first record didn’t become a finish line.
It became evidence.
He had learned that he could prepare for a difficult target, make measurable progress and eventually achieve something he couldn’t do when we started. Once that happened, the question changed from “Can I set a world record?” to “What else could I try?”
The second attempt also required something new from him. Throwing for maximum distance and throwing for a dog to catch are not the same challenge. With Sailor involved, distance still mattered, but so did control, placement, timing and trust between athlete and dog.
And once again, the experience extended beyond Kanen himself. His parents, brothers and community came out to support the attempt, while Sailor became part of the pursuit alongside him.
That progression captures an important part of World Record Mindset™ for me. A meaningful target gives you something finite to pursue, but achieving it can change your understanding of what is possible. The personal best becomes a new starting point.
Kanen calls it Level Up. That might be the simplest way to describe exactly what happened.
The first record proved what was possible. The second asked what else might be.
YOUR NEXT RECORD
What could your next record be?
Whether it’s a world record, an organizational record or a personal best, the first step is identifying a target worth changing for.