2022 Concussion in Sport SymposiumCheck out the Concussion in Sport Symposium 2022 materials, including video recordings and presenter slides. |
 |
Session 1: Keeping our athletes safe
Keynote
Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, Four-time Olympic Gold Medalist & Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
No presentation slides
Video not available
Sport Sector Update: Freestyle BC
- Cameron Smith, Sport Development Manager, Freestyle BC
- Josh Dueck, Executive Director, Freestyle BC
- Michael Apps, Head Coach BC Park and Pipe Team, Freestyle BC
Research: Return to play post concussion: Are your athletes psychologically ready? What you need to know
Jeffrey Caron, PhD, Assistant Professor, Université de Montréal
Presentation Slides
Presentation: Volleyball Canada: Using an evidence-informed approach to managing concussions
- Kathryn Schneider PT, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Calgary
- Kerry MacDonald, PhD, Director of Performance Sciences, Research & Innovation, Volleyball Canada
Sport Sector Update: Canadian Concussion Network
Keith Yeates, PhD, RPsych, ABPP, FCAHS, FRSC, Chair, Canadian Concussion Network
Presentation Slides
If you are a concussion patient, their caregiver or family member, or a healthcare professional who treats concussion, phase 2 of this project has just been launched. It hopes to narrow down the list of summary questions based on what you feel is of the highest priority to be answered by research.
Sport Sector Update: Sport Mental Health Recognition Tool (SMHRT) – free for anyone to access and use
Margo Mountjoy, MD, PhD, CCFP(SEM), FCFP, FACSM, Dip Sport Med., Regional Assistant Dean – Waterloo Regional Campus, McMaster University
Presentation Slides
Session 2: Best practices; concussion education, evaluation, and policy implementation
Athlete Voice
Jon Cornish, Calgary Black Chambers, Canadian Football Hall of Fame
No presentation slides
Panel: Improving concussion education, evaluation of programs and policy implementation
Moderator – Amanda Black, CAT(C), PhD, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology, Certified Athletic Therapist, University of Calgary
Jeremy Haluschak, Manager Business Operations, Hockey Alberta
Presentation Slides
Kendra Isaak, Director Sport and Competitions, Special Olympics Canada
Presentation Slides
Marcia Morris, Executive Director, Ottawa Sport Council
Presentation Slides
Sport Sector Update: Parachute Canada
Stephanie Cowle, Director, Knowledge Translation, Parachute Canada
No presentation slides
Showcasing Canadian Leadership: Sport Related Concussion Protocols & Policies
- Debra Gassewitz, President and CEO, Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC)
- Brynna Kerr, PhD student, Research Assistant, Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC)
Speaker Bios
Jeff Caron, PhD, Université de Montréal
Dr. Jeff Caron is an Assistant Professor of Sport Psychology in the School of Kinesiology and Physical Activity Sciences at Université de Montréal. He is also a researcher within the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation of Greater Montreal.
Jeff’s research program focuses on exploring psychosocial aspects of sport-related concussions. His research seeks to provide a detailed understanding of concussed athletes’ lived experiences with the recovery and return to sport process.
Jeff’s interest in sport psychology and concussions stems from his time as an ice hockey player in the NCAA, QMJHL, and USports. He also works with athletes and coaches in his capacity as a Mental Performance Consultant to help them maximize their enjoyment, well-being, and performance in sport.
Jon Cornish, Calgary Black Chambers, Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Jon Cornish is a Canadian Football Hall of Famer who spent a legendary 9 years playing for the Calgary Stampeders. After a college football career at the University of Kansas, where he set the single season rushing record, formerly held by Gale Sayers, Jon was drafted by the Calgary Stampeders in 2007. With the running back typically not a position Canadians would play, Cornish broke through the glass ceiling and earned the starting job in 2011 then proceeded to break the Record for rushing in a season by a Canadian in 2012, held by the honorable Normie Kwong for 56 years. The following year in 2013, Jon broke his own record finishing with 1813 yards, 4th all time in CFL rushing. For that performance, Jon was awarded the CFL Most Outstanding Player and received the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete for 2013. Jon won the CFL Most Outstanding Canadian 3 consecutive times and is a 2 time Grey Cup Champion, most recently winning the cup in his home town of Vancouver in 2014.
Jon has always maintained a strong presence in the community, volunteering over 400 hours for the Alberta Children’s Hospital and Foundation and dedicating time to support the arts having supported the Alberta Ballet’s 50th season and performed at the Jubilee in both the Opera and the Ballet. Jon founded the Calgary Black Chambers which provides mentorship advocacy, scholarships, and fellowship to foster the next generation of black professionals and entrepreneurs. The CBC has raised over $100,000 and funded 15 scholarships.
While playing, Jon started working at a major financial institution in 2012. After 8 years in wealth management, he is a Chartered Financial Analyst and runs an investment advisory practice with his wife Kiran at RBC Dominion Securities.
Josh Dueck, Freestyle BC
A pioneer in Para alpine sit skiing, two-time Paralympian Josh Dueck reached the highest levels of his sport and remains an influential figure off the field of play. Born in Kimberley, British Columbia, he loved being on the snow and was a freestyle skier before an accident on the hill forced him to change his plans. Instead, he turned his attention to Para alpine skiing. Six years later, he was competing – and winning – when he made his Paralympic debut in his home province, suiting up for Canada at Vancouver 2010, where he won a silver medal in the men’s sitting slalom race. Josh is now a two-time Paralympian, having represented Canada at Sochi 2014, as well as a two-time X Games competitor in 2010 and 2011. In 2012, Josh became the first sit-skier to complete a backflip on snow, earning him worldwide notoriety. In Sochi, he added a silver and gold in the Men’s downhill sitting and Super G portion of the Men’s combined sitting. As the Chef de Mission for Canada’s Paralympic team at Beijing 2022, Josh looks forward to ‘creating opportunity from the unknown.’
Kathryn Schneider PT, PhD, DipManipPT
Kathryn Schneider is an Associate Professor and Clinician Scientist (Physiotherapist) at the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. Her research focuses on the prevention, detection and treatment of sport-related concussion. Her work has identified a large treatment effect using multimodal physiotherapy and vestibular rehabilitation. She is a Clinical Specialist in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapists and has expertise and certification in vestibular rehabilitation. She was recognized by Avenue Magazine as “Top 40 Under 40” in 2012 and was the recipient of the Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA) Champion of Vestibular Medicine Award in 2015. She has been involved as an Expert Panelist at the 4th and 5th International Consensus Conferences on Concussion in Sport and Scientific Committee member and led/is leading the methodology informing the 5th and 6th International Consensus Conferences on Concussion in Sport. Invited speaking highlights include the 4th, 5th and upcoming 6th International Consensus Conferences on Concussion in Sport, International Olympic Committee (IOC) medical meetings at the Sochi, Rio and PyeongChang Olympic games, and many additional International and National sport meetings. Her clinical practice focuses on the treatment of recreational to elite/professional athletes with ongoing symptoms following sport-related concussion. Over the past 8 years, she has worked with many local, provincial and national sport organizations and health care teams to develop and implement evidence-based concussion protocols and processes. She is a member of the Federal Government Working Group on Concussion in Sport and is the co-lead of the integrated Knowledge Translation and Patient and Stakeholder engagement committee of the Canadian Concussion Network.
Kendra Isaak, Special Olympics Canada
Kendra has spent her career working in sport having held staff or volunteer positions at 7 multi-sport games, including Olympic & Paralympic Games, Canada Games and the Invictus Games, prior to joining Special Olympics Canada (SOC) in 2018.
In her role at SOC, she is responsible for sport development (rules, officiating, new and existing sports, policies, etc.), planning and execution of all National and International Games and competitions and developing partnerships with NSOs and MSOs. She also oversees the development and implementation of SOC’s concussion policy, protocols, resources and tracking mechanisms as part of the safe sport portfolio.
Kerry MacDonald, PhD, Volleyball Canada
Kerry MacDonald holds a Masters Degree in Coaching Studies from the University of Victoria and a PhD from the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre at the University of Calgary. Although he is a longtime volleyball coach at the community, collegiate and international level, for the past 3.5 years Kerry has been the Director of Sport Science, Sports Medicine and Innovation for Volleyball Canada. One of the key initiatives that he has undertook in this role is the establishment of injury prevention initiatives across the volleyball disciplines (beach, indoor, sitting) and from community to national team levels of play.
Marcia Morris, Ottawa Sport Council
Marcia fundamentally believes that sport at all levels is an integral building block of healthy communities and provides an overwhelmingly positive contribution to society. She believes in the power of sport to motivate and empower youth and adults alike. It is that belief which forms the basis of her work leading the Ottawa Sport Council in the role of Executive Director.
After a successful career in the high-tech sector, Marcia transitioned into the world of sport. Throughout her experience in sport, Marcia has had the privilege to work with International Sport Federations (FIFA), a National Sport Movement (True Sport) and Community Sport Organizations (Ottawa Carleton Ultimate Association and the Ottawa Sport Council). Through this work, she has developed an in-depth knowledge of the provincial and national amateur sport system, of multi-sport games and an extensive understanding of community sport and how it provides opportunities for social inclusion.
Marcia holds a Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering from Queens University in Kingston Ontario. She has been fortunate to live and work in both Wales, United Kingdom and Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. On a personal front, Marcia is an avid runner, swimmer and cyclist. Marcia’s other passion is travelling and hiking with her family and has successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro, completed Nepal’s Annapurna Circuit and Switzerland’s Haute Route, trekked the Inca Trail to Machu Pichhu and hiked throughout England, Wales, Europe and Canada.
Margo Mountjoy, MD PhD, McMaster University
Dr. Mountjoy is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster University Medical School and Regional Assistant Dean of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University.
She is also a clinician scientist – collaborating with several International Sports organizations in the field of sports medicine including the International Olympic Committee (IOC Games Group), the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (Chair- ASOIF Medical and Scientific Consultative Group), FIFA (Scientific Advisory Board), the International Golf Federation (Medical Committee), World Rugby (Anti-doping Advisory Committee), and for the World Anti-Doping Agency (Deputy to the Foundation Board). She is a retired elite artistic swimmer.
One of her areas of expertise is the field of athlete mental health. She is a co-author on the IOC Consensus in Mental Health and Disorders in Elite Athletes (BJSM 2019), and is a member of the IOC expert working group on mental health in sport.
Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser, Four-time Olympic Gold Medalist | Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
Dr. Hayley Wickenheiser is considered one of the best female hockey players in the world. Seven world championships, six Olympic appearances, five Olympic medals — she is a titan of sport and a leader both on and off the ice. Wickenheiser now sits on the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes Commission, is the Vice Chair of the Calgary 2026 Bid Committee, and is the Senior Director of Player Development for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Beyond sport, she is a community leader, doctor, and businesswoman who inspires audiences to give their best in everything they do.
In her 23 years as an Olympic athlete, Wickenheiser led her team to four gold medals and one silver medal, and served as Canada’s official flag bearer at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. She also won seven gold and four silver medals at Women’s World Hockey Championships as part of the Canadian Women’s National Team. Wickenheiser made hockey history as the first female player to notch a point in a men’s professional game, and as the first woman in history to have played in/coached at four NHL development camps with the Philadelphia Flyers, the Edmonton Oilers, and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In 2019, Wickenheiser was inducted into Canada’s Hockey Hall of Fame. She has also been named one of Sports Illustrated’s Top 25 Toughest Athletes in the World; has been twice-named to the “Power 50 in Sports”; was among the QMI Agency’s “Top 10 Greatest Female Athletes in the History of Sports”; and is a member of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, Canada’s Top 40 under 40, and Canada’s Walk of Fame. In 2014, she was awarded Canada’s highest honour when she was appointed to the Order of Canada for her achievements as an athlete and for her contributions to the growth of the women’s game.
Wickenheiser’s passion for sport is paralleled by her desire to give back to the community through her work with dozens of philanthropic organizations, including Lace ‘Em Up, Jumpstart, KidSport, Project North, and Right to Play. She is also the founder of the world-renowned personal and athletic development weekend, The Canadian Tire Wickenheiser World Female Hockey Festival, which provides mentoring and growth opportunities for young athletes around the world.
Wickenheiser holds several honourary degrees from institutions across Canada, as well as a Masters in Kinesiology from the University of Calgary, where she also studied medicine. In 2021, Wickenheiser completed her studies and became a medical doctor. She also published her first book Over the Board: Lessons from the Ice, available in October 2021.
Jeremy Haluschak, Hockey Alberta
As manager at Hockey Alberta for the last ten years, I have been passionate about improving the experience of our participants and building the capacity of those that influence the game. I believe in the power of sport and believe that every participant deserves to have a positive experience while enjoying the game. Over the last decade I have worked with numerous experts to created resources for our members in how to navigate conflict, manage injuries, and create a safe environment for the participants with the goal of creating a positive experience that will ensure our participants enjoy hockey for life.
Keith Owen Yeates, PhD, University of Calgary
Keith Owen Yeates, PhD, ABPP, FCAHS, FRSC, is the Ronald and Irene Ward Chair in Pediatric Brain Injury, Professor and Head of the Department of Psychology, and Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Calgary, in Alberta, Canada. He has a 30-year track record of funded research focusing on the outcomes of childhood brain disorders, especially traumatic brain injury, and has published 359 peer-reviewed journal articles, 46 book chapters, and 6 edited or co-authored books. A recent published bibliometric analysis indicated he has authored more of the top-100 cited papers in pediatric TBI than any other researcher. Dr. Yeates was co-lead author of the report of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Expert Panel on Acute Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury among Children and Adolescents, is the inaugural Chair of the Canadian Concussion Network, and will be an invited expert panel member at the 6th International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport. He was previously Associate Editor of the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society and is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Neuropsychology. Dr. Yeates has served as President of the Society of Clinical Neuropsychology (Division 40 of the American Psychological Association) and as President of the International Neuropsychological Society. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and the Royal Society of Canada. He has been ranked as one of the top 10 most influential neuropsychologists in North America over the past 50 years.
Knowledge Keeper Monique Manatch
Monique Manatch is a member of the Algonquins of Barriere Lake. Monique is a Knowledge Keeper working closely with Algonquin Elder Albert Dumont. Currently, Monique is a student at Carleton University taking a doctorate program in Anthropology focusing on the impact, use and creation of digital arts in the Indigenous community. Her Master’s Degree is in Indigenous and Canadian Studies with a specialty in Digital Humanities. Monique also holds a post-graduate diploma in Indigenous Policy and Administration.
In 2004, Monique became Founder and Executive Director of Indigenous Culture and Media Innovations (www.icmi.ca). ICMI is dedicated to the skills development of Indigenous women and youth through the production media and arts. Monique has facilitated Indigenous artists and community members throughout Ontario and Quebec.
Over the past 20 years Monique has produced several video documentaries about Indigenous issues. Monique also facilitated the production of videos and community radio programming with women and youth from Kitigan Zibi Anishnabeg, Barriere Lake, Moose Factory and the Indigenous community in Ottawa.
Stephanie Cowle
Stephanie Cowle has spent more than a decade working in the area of injury and trauma prevention. Stephanie is the Director of Knowledge Translation at Parachute, a national charity focused on preventing serious and fatal injuries through evidence-based solutions that advocate and educate. Stephanie leads Parachute’s national projects to improve concussion prevention, recognition and management across Canada, including the publication of the first-ever Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport. Stephanie has worked with more than 50 national sport bodies as well as government, health, and education stakeholders at national and provincial levels. She is a member of the Federal-Provincial/Territorial Work Group on Concussion in Sport and the Knowledge Translation Coordinator for the Canadian Concussion Network-Réseau Canadien des Commotions.