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

Women in Sport Science (WiSS)

The Women in Sport Science (WiSS) Mentorship Program has been designed to provide women sport scientists, particularly in disciplines where there is currently a lack of gender equity, the opportunity to engage with mentors in order to advance their career development and gain industry knowledge that will contribute to Canada's high-performance sport environment.


Committee Members:

  • Lauren Vickery (Chair) - Canadian Sport Institute Calgary
  • Alayne Hing - Canadian Sport Institute Calgary
  • Elizabeth (Liz) Johnson - Canadian Sport Institute Pacific
  • Seth Lenetsky - Canadian Sport Institute Pacific

Our Purpose

The WiSS Mentorship Program aims to provide women sport scientists in high performance sport with opportunities to: 

  • Build a support network
  • Broaden their understanding of sport science leadership  
  • Learn from others’ experiences, challenges, and successes 
  • Develop a career plan, identify personal strengths and areas for improvement
  • Contribute to the advancement of women sport scientists in the Canadian sport system

Eligibility

Participants are selected based on their desire to advance their careers and their leadership opportunities, as well as their current and future contributions to the Canadian high performance sport system.

Eligibility criteria are as follows:

  1. HP Certified or Professional member with Sport Scientist Canada.
  2. Be a woman in good standing with relevant certification body for a sport science or sport medicine discipline in Canada.
  3. Be a practitioner working on, or towards, a leadership role in the Canadian high performance sport system
    • Employed or contracted by COPSIN, NSO, or MSO
    • Working with a pool of Olympic, Paralympic or *NextGen athletes
  4. Committed to advancing their career in the Canadian sport system in the future.
  5. Priority will be given to women in sport science & medicine disciplines where there is currently a lack of gender equity, especially at a leadership level. These include, but not limited to strength & conditioning, biomechanics, and data science.
  6. Be comfortable reading, speaking, and learning in English.

* NextGen definition:  athletes identified by the NSO using their validated Podium Pathway who are 5-8 years away from achieving a performance required for a podium result at a subsequent Olympic/Paralympic Games.


Application Deadlines

January 30th, 2023: Program members are confirmed, and all applicants are notified of their status


Program Structure:

Mentees accepted into the program will be intentionally paired with a mentor in the field of sport science and grow their professional network alongside other mentees and mentors.


Program Dates

January 2023 

  • Mentee/Mentor pairings confirmed (via email)

February/March 2023 

  • February 27th - March 1st kickoff event at Sport Scientist Canada Week in Calgary (in-person, mandatory for all mentors and mentees)

June 2023 

  • Mentees will participate in Taking the Stage®, a program run by The Humphrey Group, dedicated to sharing the tools necessary for women to communicate a leadership identity through both vocal and physical presence (virtual)
  • Session 1: June 6th, 2023, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST
  • Session 2: June 13th, 2023, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST
  • Session 3: June 20th, 2023, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST
  • Coaching: June 23rd 2023, 30 min/participant
  • Session 4: June 27th, 2023, 1:00pm-2:30pm EST

March 2023 to December 2023 

  • Ongoing mentorship and mentee-mentor pair calls (virtual)
  • Facilitated mentor and mentee training sessions (virtual)

December 2023 

  • SPIN Summit - Wrap-up and post program debrief (in-person, recommended for all participants)

How much does it cost?
There is no fee for WiSS

APPLICATIONS CLOSED

Interested in Becoming a Mentor? We are building a pool of mentors!

The Women in Sport Science program is designed to support mentees in advancing their careers, building their support network, learning from others’ experiences, and to further their development in high performance sport in Canada. Your support is appreciated.

  • Mentors must be members of Sport Scientist Canada.
  • Mentors must complete the CONNECT module prior to beginning the program.
  • Mentors will be paired with a mentee in the field of sport science and meet with them regularly throughout the program (bi-weekly or monthly).
  • Full participation in all online programs is required.
  • Attendance at the in-person kick-off event at Sport Scientist Canada week is mandatory, and attendance at SPIN is recommended.

Expressions of interest are accepted year round. If you are a potential match for a selected mentee, you will be contacted in January 2023 to gauge availability and interest.

Express Your Interest - Click Here

Testimonials: 

“Being a mentee has allowed me to be more confident in my current role, set higher objectives for myself and has helped me discover opportunities that I was not previously aware of. My mentor helped me by guiding me in ways to enhance my toolset which increased my confidence when put in challenging situations, helped me broaden my professional network and is someone who I can get insight from when dealing with an unfamiliar situation. The mentee experience is something that I am truly grateful for and has allowed me to become a better professional in my current role.” 

-Tiffany Hunting, IST Medical Lead and Head Therapist for Judo Canada, Cohort 1 Mentee

“I applied several times before I was selected as a mentor for WISS. The wait was completely worth it. I learned so much from my mentee and the group at large in such a short time. My self-confidence has grown. I know that I can lead with my authentic voice to cultivate deeper and more impactful relationships and do work that aligns with my values in High Performance Sport.” 

-Sharleen Hoar, PhD, CMPC , CSI-P, Cohort 3 Mentor

Frequently Asked Questions

Mentors can be men or women with a passion for contributing to the advancement of women sport scientists in Canadian high-performance sport. The individual may work for an NSO or the COPSI network but may also be external to the Canadian sport system, and have valuable knowledge or skills to impart. Mentors are selected on an individual basis and evaluated on characteristics, experience, and/or attributes that complement the goals and development needs of the specific mentee. If you are interested in applying to be a mentor, please express your interest here.

“Being a mentee has allowed me to be more confident in my current role, set higher objectives for myself and has helped me discover opportunities that I was not previously aware of. My mentor helped me by guiding me in ways to enhance my toolset which increased my confidence when put in challenging situations, helped me broaden my professional network and is someone who I can get insight from when dealing with an unfamiliar situation. The mentee experience is something that I am truly grateful for and has allowed me to become a better professional in my current role.”  

-Tiffany Hunting, IST Medical Lead and Head Therapist for Judo Canada, Cohort 1 Mentee


“I applied several times before I was selected as a mentor for WISS. The wait was completely worth it. I learned so much from my mentee and the group at large in such a short time. My self-confidence has grown. I know that I can lead with my authentic voice to cultivate deeper and more impactful relationships and do work that aligns with my values in High Performance Sport.” 

-Sharleen Hoar, PhD, CMPC , CSI-P, Cohort 3 Mentor

“The WiSS program was a unique opportunity to build a strong network of sport scientists and a durable relationship with an awesome mentor. It was also the occasion to hit pause on a busy professional life to ask important questions: why am I working as a sport scientist, where am I going, what do I need to develop to get there, etc.”

-Myriam Paquette, PhD, Exercise Physiologist, Cohort 2 Mentee
 

Link coming soon