Powering Podiums is a series of high performance sport technical oriented workshops geared toward BC’s provincial and disability sport organizations. The aim of these workshops is to provide the sport sector relevant information to improve sport excellence in BC and achieve BC government benchmark of athletes on national teams. A wide variety of topics will be sourced based on feedback and observations from provincial sport organizations. Workshop sessions are typically 2 to 4 hours depending on the topic.
Powering Podiums is a joint program created by Canadian Sport Institute Pacific and viaSport
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Powering Podiums – International Perspective on High Performance Athlete Development
Fortius
Monday, June 25, 2018 (1:00pm to 2:30pm)
Proposed outcome: To take advantage of international practices used to develop high performance athletes.
- What can we learn from other sport-centric nations to better develop our Canadian athletes?
- What are the major similarities and difference between how Canada structures it’s sport system compared to other leading nations?
Previous Powering Podiums Sessions
View content from previous Powering Podiums sessions:
Born in Vancouver, Canada, Sean Hayes was a competitive ski racer in his early teens. He brought his love of sports to the streets, where he picked up a skateboard and landed his first sponsor at 16. Sean traveled the world competing and doing demonstrations, as well being featured in many magazine interviews and cover shots. His keen interest in sports led him to enroll in the Sports Science program at Douglas College while recovering from a surgery. During this time he also took on the role Team Manager for DC Shoes (canada). 
Danelle holds a PhD in Social Psychology and an MA in Sport Psychology from The University of Ottawa, as well as BSc in Psychology and a BA in French from the University of Washington. For her doctorate, Danelle looked at how coaches and athletes communicate about training in endurance sport and how such communication affects athletes’ self-determined motivation. 
Currently In her fourth year as the Canadian Sport School Victoria Lead Coach, Jennifer has a strong coaching background that involves working with athletes at various levels: Youth, NCAA, CIS, Professional, and Olympic including a NCAA and World Champion. She has a BA from the University of California at Berkeley where she double-majored in American Studies and French while competing in NCAA Division I Track & Field. Her passion is working with high school and young elite athletes to help give them a strong foundation for success at the next level.
Sharleen has been supporting elite and aspiring performers through her work as a mental performance consultant for 20 years. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from University of Waterloo and a Masters of Science in Applied Sport Psychology from University of Idaho before completing her Doctorate in Sport & Exercise Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Sharleen is a professional member of the Canadian Sport Psychology Association.
Ethan Carmichael Denum, 19, of Coquitlam, BC, passed away surrounded by family and friends on Saturday January 7, 2017, after a year-long battle with cancer. As a baby, he was eager to make an appearance and entered the world seven weeks early on January 29, 1997, at Royal Columbian Hospital. He had a short, but meaningful and accomplished life. If he wasn’t at the pool playing or refereeing water polo, he could be found travelling the world with his family, playing his favourite video games, eating or cooking in someone’s kitchen, or filling screens with an endless number of witty posts on social media. Perhaps his most notable accomplishment was the network of good friends he nurtured, many of whom the Denums consider family. We will miss his extra big hugs, fierce loyalty, positive attitude, and his unlimited capacity to love – this, above all, was his greatest gift.
Rebecca graduated from the Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics program at Monsah University (Melbourne, AUS) in 2010, and following this successfully completed the Sports Dietitians Australia course in 2011. Rebecca is also a graduate of the International Olympic Committee Diploma of Sport Nutrition. Following her education, she completed a 2 year sports nutrition fellowship at the Australian Institute of Sport from 2014 to 2016, and it was after this that Rebecca brought her expertise to Canada.
Melissa is a graduate of Mercyhurst University of Erie, Pennsylvania where she completed her Masters in Exercise Science and Athletic Therapy. While completing her Master’s, she led the Division I Mercyhurst University women’s ice hockey team throughout her four years. During her graduate studies she worked as an assistant athletic therapist for a variety of varsity teams at the University including: Division II Men’s Basketball, Women’s Field Hockey, and the Men’s and Women’s Rowing Crews.
After spending 13 years as a competitive short track speed skater and seven years as a competitive soccer player, Natalie is no stranger to the world of high performance sport. In addition, she also has experience in the world of athlete career transitions. With a Master’s Degree in Athletic Counselling as well as several years of field and firsthand knowledge, Natalie brings a winning combination of personal passion and professional expertise to Game Plan.