As advocates from across Canadian sport use their platforms to call for positive change in every sport domain (community, provincial, university, national and professional), it is crucial that the root causes of harm and corruption in sport are exposed. From there, we can bring the structures, systems, behaviours, and processes into alignment with the true values of sport: excellence, friendship, respect. Equally important is a positive vision for sport – something to fight for, not just fight against.
For Episode 23 of our Sport Leadership and Social Change webinar series hosted by Dr. Jennifer Walinga, we welcome five young leaders in sport driving positive change.
- Samantha Heron has a history with Rowing as an NCAA athlete and varsity and next-gen coach. She is a recent graduate of the MA in Conflict Analysis and Management, and studying how to better leverage and deliver para sport in Canada.
- Andrea Burk, a silver medalist at the 2014 Rugby World Cup, Andrea is a recent graduate of the MA in Leadership. She recently conducted a study on what the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network can learn from COVID about operational and cultural excellence.
- Natasha Watcham-Roy is an Olympic bronze medalist in Rugby Sevens and a recent graduate of the MA Leadership. Her research focused on the role of psychological safety in the Rugby Canada environment.
- Jane Gumley is a former national team rower and current graduate student in the MA Leadership program. Two time ‘coach of the year’, Jane’s crew recently won the Canadian University Rowing Association championship banner. Jane is exploring how to recover and rebuild culture in a team environment so as to impact the broader national environment of a sport.
- Danielle Cyr is a graduate of the MA Professional Communication degree and is currently conducting their doctoral research on performance sport for leadership and community development as a conduit for safer sport experiences. Danielle created the Leadership Development Program within the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s Female Apprentice Coach Program.