About Para Sport Development

This page is designed to provide direction, materials and information to assist you in advancing your Paralympic sport practitioner skills. Content has been organized and developed by the HPAC Paralympic Sport Committee. 

Committee Members:

  • Bryan Yu (Chair) - Canadian Sport Institute Calgary
  • Kayla Dodson - Canadian Sport Institute Pacific
  • Tessa Gallinger - Canadian Paralympic Committee
  • Dr. Andy Marshall - Canadian Olympic Committee
  • Dr. Sommer Christie - Wheelchair Rugby Canada
  • Dr. François Prince - University of Montreal
  • Patricia Roney - Athletics Canada
  • Dr. Steve Dilkas - Canadian Sport Institute Ontario
  • Heather Hynes - Canadian Sport Institute Saskatchewan
  • Melissa Lacroix - Canadian Sport Institute Ontario

Our Purpose

Sport Scientist Canada provides a Para Sport Practitioner Development Program that supports professional development opportunities for high performance sport scientists working with Paralympic sport in Canada. This is achieved through the development of practitioner skills and competencies underpinning the application of knowledge specific to Paralympic sport. 


Goals

  1. Create professional development and educational opportunities to enhance the knowledge and learning experience for sport scientists in Canada working in high performance Paralympic sport.
  2. Promote our Paralympic practitioner competencies through national collaboration and sharing of best practice within our sport science networks.
  3. Increase the scientific body of evidence by contributing to Paralympic sport research publications, and create resource materials designed to support the implementation of evidence -based work.

Network Opportunity

Did you know we have a Paralympic Sport Professional Development Group?  We use the Basecamp platform to communicate, collaborate and share resources amongst practitioners working with Paralympic athletes in Canada. The platform includes dynamic discussions on documents, articles, presentations, and research covering topics such as IST, SPIN, health and performance, and Major Games. You must be an SSC Member to participate. 


Events

SSC events page

Click Here

Sport Innovation (SPIN) Summit

Click Here

Vista Scientific Conference

Click Here

Resources

For access to the Knowledge Hub or SSC modules you must be logged in as an SSC member.

Reminder: when accessing Knowledge Hub resources, use the 'Topics' filter - Paralympic

Knowledge Hub Resources

Webinar and workshop recordings, athlete handbook, consensus statements, scientific articles, SPIN posters and presentations.

Access Here

Paralympic Sport Modules

E-learning resources to develop foundational knowledge in Biomechanics and Physiology applied to Paralympic sport

Access Here

Recommended webpages

Classification & Eligible Impairments

Best Practice

Sport Analysis and Rules


Meet the experts 

Want to connect with the experts? See example biographies below. Join the Paralympic Sport Professional Development Group to pose questions and learn about career paths in Paralympic sport. 

François Prince, PhD
 
Title: Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Montreal

Expertise, area(s) of interest, research: Sport Biomechanics, High Performance Analysis, Equipment design and evaluation, Concussion assessments (coordination, balance)

Sports: Para Badminton, Para Shooting, Para Canoe-Kayak, Boccia

Heather Hynes, MSc, RD, CSSD

Title: Sport Dietician, Sessional Lecturer - University of Saskatchewan

Expertise, area(s) of interest, research:  Masters in carbohydrate requirements during aerobic exercise of athletes with a physical impairment. Interested in all para sports (teams and individual sports)

Sports: Various provincial and national athletes at Canadian Sport Centre Saskatchewan, varsity programs at the University of Saskatchewan
Sommer Christie, PhD

Title: Mental Performance Consultant

Expertise, area(s) of interest, research: Sport Psychology, Neurofeedback and Biofeedback
 
Sports: Wheelchair Rugby, Rugby Women’s 7s and 15s teams, Individual Olympic and Paralympic athletes
Kayla Dodson, MSpSc, ASCA Pro Coach

Title: Strength & Conditioning Coach, CSIP

Expertise, area(s) of interest, research: Eccentric training in athletes with Cerebral Palsy, team dynamics and cohesion in parasport, able-bodied mountain bike strength & conditioning. Research in training load and competition results in Para Alpine ski racers.

Sports: Para Alpine Ski, Ski Cross


Tessa Gallinger, MSc

Title: Paralympic PSRI Advisor, CPC

Expertise, area(s) of interest, research: Strength & Conditioning, Paralympic Games, Training for individuals with Cerebral Palsy, spasticity, amputations, Spinal Cord Injury

Sports: Para Swimming, Para Ice Hockey, Wheelchair Rugby, Para Triathlon, Goalball, advising all summer and winter Paralympic sports

Kim Coros, MD

Title: Sport Medicine Physician (Physical Medicine & Rehab)

Expertise, area(s) of interest, research: Pre-participation physical exams, brain/neurologic injury, para-sport medicine

Sports: Athletics, CSIO registered athletes

Melissa Lacroix, MSc

Title: Lead, Physiology, Canadian Sport Institute Ontario

Expertise, area(s) of interest, research: Physiology of athletes with a SCI, Heat acclimation and cooling strategies

Sports: Wheelchair Rugby Canada, Para Canoe/Kayak Ontario & Canada, Ontario Para Alpine Ski