Programs Women in Sport Science (WiSS) LEAD High Performance Certification (HPC) Area of Focused Competence

About High Performance Certification (HPC)

The High Performance Certified (HPC) membership  comprises the qualifications and competencies required for sport scientists to uphold standards and enhance the daily training environment (DTE) of high performance sport in Canada.  The certification is designed to ensure that the system employs skillful, qualified practitioners who deliver safe and effective service to athletes and coaches.  A central goal of the Certification is to develop, attract, and retain exceptional practitioners in Canada.

The HPC is obtained through a competency-based evaluation at three levels of the practitioner pathway (Practitioner, Senior, Leader).

The HPC is a Sport Scientist Canada program under the leadership of Own the Podium, developed in consult with our Canadian sport partner organizations. 

The HPC and associated standards are recognized by the Sport Scientist Canada Management Group consisting of representation from Sport Canada, Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Institute Network (COPSIN), Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and Own the Podium (OTP).

HPC supports the Canadian sport system by:

  • Providing validated credentials across all sport science disciplines
  • Promoting clarity through the use of common language and standards across the network
  • Increasing effectiveness of practitioners working in high-performance sport
  • Defining the career pathway which describes the development required to meet expected standards in HP Sport 
  • Increasing sport science community engagement, knowledge translation, and connection as a benefit of membership
  • Providing valuable audit information to allow the system to monitor and enhance the development of sport scientists in Canada
  • Providing professional development tool for practitioners and their employers

For the purpose of this program, HPC adheres to the following principles

  • Certification is a voluntary process by which a nongovernmental entity grants a time-limited recognition to an individual after verifying that he or she has met predetermined and standardized criteria
  • To become certified, an individual must meet eligibility requirements and pass an assessment 
  • Certification is voluntary and the individual does not need to be certified in order to engage in a given occupation
  • The certification assessment may cover a broad area of knowledge and skill at entry, specialty, or advanced levels
  • Certified practitioners will have ongoing requirements to maintain their certifications, such as continuing education and retesting 

ELIGIBILITY

The HP Certification is available to scientific practitioners working for a National Sport Organization (NSO) in Canada, or for the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute (COPSI) Network.   

The following scientific disciplines are certifiable:

  • Athletic Therapy
  • Biomechanics 
  • Chiropractic
  • Data Science 
  • Engineering
  • Massage Therapy
  • Medicine 
  • Nutrition
  • Physiology
  • Physiotherapy
  • Mental Performance & Mental Health
  • Strength & Conditioning

 The 3 levels of HPC align with the practitioner career pathway 

  • Practitioner
  • Senior
  • Leader


For more information about pre-requisites, application materials and processes, please click here