Women in Sport Science
WiSS

Women in Sport Science

  • New Role: Practitioner Development Programs Lead

    This leadership role will be responsible for Sport Scientist Canada’s two practitioner development programs.  There will be a new alternating schedule (each program running every 2 years).

    • Women in Sport Science Mentorship Program (odd years)
    • LEAD Leadership Program (even years)

    Remuneration, deliverables, and role hours can be found in the application information.

    Please read Application Information here. Fill out the online application form.

    DEADLINE: Sunday, May 11th, 2025 11:59pm PST

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.

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. Identify as 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.
    1. Employed or contracted by COPSIN, NSO, or MSO
    2. 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.

Committee Members:
  • Lauren Vickery (Chair) – Canadian Sport Institute Alberta
  • Alayne Hing – Canadian Sport Institute Alberta
  • Elizabeth (Liz) Johnson – Canadian Sport Institute Pacific
  • Seth Lenetsky – Canadian Sport Institute Pacific
Facilitators:
  • Judy Riege – Mentoring Mentors
  • Megan Foster – Mosaic Engagement
Application Information:
Applications are now closed.

WiSS will now run every 2 years. Program timing and application information coming this Summer 2025.

Program Structure:

The WiSS program is a 6-month mentorship program designed to help women sport scientists build a support network and broaden their understanding of sport science leadership. Mentees will be paired with a mentor with the aim of building a career plan and identifying personal strengths and areas for improvement. The program provides a guide for the mentee/mentor pairing including facilitator presentations and guided discussions both in-person (at the kickoff event) and online throughout the 6-month period. While the program will provide a general guide, the mentee is expected to drive their own experience with their mentor and take ownership of individual outcomes or goals they wish to accomplish while in the program.

Please note the WiSS Mentorship Program is not meant to provide sport science discipline-specific content, training or mentorship. We routinely encourage mentees to be paired with a mentor from another sport science discipline to broaden their experience and understanding of the Canadian High Performance Sport System.

Date Topic Format
December 2024 Mentee/Mentor pairings confirmed Via Email
February 3-5, 2025 WiSS Kickoff Event In-person (Toronto, ON) – mandatory for participants
February – June 2025
  • Ongoing mentorship and mentee-mentor pair calls.
  • Facilitated mentor and mentee training sessions.
 Virtual
Tuesday, February 18, 2025 Lead with confidence Virtual Session #1 (1:00 – 3:00 PM ET)
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 Conflict management Virtual Session #2 (1:00 – 3:00 PM ET)
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 To be determined Virtual Session #3 (1:00 – 3:00 PM ET)
Tuesday, May 13, 2025 Work/life rhythm & creating energizing workdays Virtual Session #4 (1:00 – 3:00 PM ET)
May to June 2025 1x 30 min call per individual to be booked in May/June with Megan Foster (optional for mentees). Live, 1-to-1 online session
May 2025 Optional WiSS Social Gathering at SPIN 2025 In-person (Optional)
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
  • Reflection & wrap-up
  • Followed by a post program debrief survey (via email)
 Virtual Session #5 (1:00 – 2:30 PM ET)

As a mentee in the WiSS program I began to develop tools for leading, and skills for engaging in healthy conflict within a community that strives for growth and values vulnerability.

Lauren Milatz, MSc., CSCSStrength and Conditioning Coach, CSI Pacific

Participating in WiSS as a mentor has shifted my professional perspective. Female leadership is critical for developing world leading practice in sport science and sport medicine.

Sharleen Hoar, PhD., CMPC, HPC (Senior Practitioner)Mental Performance Lead, CSI Pacific

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 HuntingIST Medical Lead and Head Therapist, Judo Canada

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
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 is mandatory, and attendance at SPIN is recommended.
  • Mentors will receive an honorarium in recognition of their commitment to the program.
Expressions of interest are accepted year-round. If you are a potential match for a selected mentee, you will be contacted directly to gauge availability and interest.
Express Your Interest Here
Frequently Asked Questions