Canadian Sport Institute Calgary (CSI Calgary) Director of Strength and Conditioning Matt Jordan recently received the Dr. Gord Sleivert Young Investigator Award at the 10th annual SPIN Summit held in Toronto.

The SPort INnovation (SPIN) Summit, hosted by Own the Podium, is a symposium for professional development in the areas of applied sport science, sports medicine, and innovation. The conference aims to bring experts together with the goal of achieving Olympic and Paralympic success.

To be considered for the award, PhD candidates were asked to submit abstracts and create posters highlighting their research. The research posters were displayed at the conference to encourage discussion and generate ideas among the attendees. The top five students, chosen by a judging panel, were then asked to present five slides in five minutes at a conference social. Based on the presentations, three students were selected to receive the award as well as $1000 towards their educational pursuits.

Jordan’s innovative PhD research is focused on functional neuromuscular assessment in alpine skiers with knee injuries. His goal is to develop tests to be used as part of a long-term study to identify modifiable risk factors for knee injuries. After working directly with the Canadian Alpine Ski Team, Jordan theorized that alpine ski related injuries often occur when the athlete is fatigued, especially if there is a quadriceps versus hamstring muscle imbalance. The results of his studies could lead to reduced injuries in Canadian alpine ski racers, increasing the amount of time that they are able to train and compete.

The award-winning data that Jordan presented at SPIN came from the fourth of five studies that he is doing over the course of his PhD. Jordan is writing up the fourth study with the intent of getting it published. He will then work toward the fifth project and expect to complete it in the fall of 2016.

Jordan has high expectations for his research. Ultimately, he hopes to take on graduate students at the University of Calgary and continue with the momentum generated in the CSI Calgary strength and power lab.

CSI Calgary supports the cutting-edge concepts being generated by the members of their team. In total, CSI Calgary presented 8 posters on new and applied innovation projects focused on helping athletes succeed. In addition, former Biomechanics Consultant Luciano Tomaghelli was one of the five finalists for the Gord Sleivart Young Investigator Award for his research on kinetic factors associated with performance during the pull start in elite Canadian Luge athletes.

Matt Jordan's SPIN Poster

Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary
Written by Brittany Schussler: @BSchussler
Photo by Dave Holland: @csicalgaryphoto

Media release

Calgary to host inaugural athlete recruitment event Nov. 14

OTTAWA, October 30, 2015 – Are you #PARATOUGH? Interested in becoming a Paralympian? Here’s your chance to find out what it takes.

The Canadian Paralympic Committee, in collaboration with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network and Canada’s national sport organizations, is pleased to announce the launch of Paralympian Search, an exciting new program designed to identify the next generation of Paralympic athletes.

Paralympian Search is a series of one-day events offering Canadians with a disability the chance to test their abilities and discover which Paralympic sports they are best suited for.

The first Paralympian Search event is coming up Nov. 14 in Calgary and is open to people with a physical disability or a visual impairment, aged 14 to 35. Registration is free. Participants will have the chance to meet Matt Hallat, a three-time Paralympian in alpine skiing.

WHERE: Canadian Sport Institute Calgary, WinSport Markin MacPhail Centre, 88 Canada Olympic Road SW, Calgary
WHEN: Saturday, November 14, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
REGISTER: paralympic.ca/paralympian-search

“I’m thrilled to be involved in the launch of Paralympian Search’s first event,” said Hallat, who had his right leg amputated at age five, due to bone cancer. “I was very lucky to discover my ability and passion for alpine skiing when I was eight years old and begin a journey that led me all the way to the Paralympic Games. I’d like to encourage Canadians to take advantage of the opportunities in this great new program, to enjoy the benefits of sport and who knows – some may go on to win medals for Canada. I’m looking forward to meeting all the participants in Calgary.”

Additional Paralympian Search events will be held in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

For more information and to register, visit paralympic.ca/paralympian-search.

“The purpose of the program is to support the identification of Canada’s next generation of Paralympic stars,” said Catherine Gosselin-Després, Executive Director, Sport at the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “In order for Canada to be a world-leading Paralympic nation, we need a targeted approach to athlete identification, to ensure the right people are in the right sports with the greatest chance for success. There is a sport for everyone, and we want to help people find out what it is.”

“We are proud to collaborate and host the first event of this very exciting initiative,” said Jason Poole, Director, Performance Services at the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary. “The event will be a great opportunity for athletes to meet coaches, learn about different sports and know how to get involved. Athletes will go through basic physiological, strength and endurance testing as well as receive advice on proper hydration and nutrition.”

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 25 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee's vision is to be the world's leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian high performance athletes with a disability and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations. For more information, visit www.paralympic.ca

About the Canadian Olympic & Paralympic Sport Institute Network

The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSI Network) is a partnership between the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, and the Canadian Sport Institute Network which is made up of seven Sport Institutes and Centres across Canada. The aim of this partnership is to strengthen and align Canada’s high performance sport system through a shared vision, areas of collaboration and new funding opportunities. The COPSI Network supports Canada’s world-leading Olympic and Paralympic podium performances by providing world-class, multi-sport daily training environments to high performance athletes, coaches, and sport organizations through expert leadership, programs, and sport science and sport medicine services.

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Annie Gagnon
Manager, Communications
Canadian Sport Institute Calgary
Phone: 403.202.6815
Cell: 613.262.9644
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Vancouver-born Matt Hallat does not have your typical inspiring athlete story. His is more powerful.

After having his right leg amputated at age five due to Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, Hallat’s parents enrolled him in a ski program for people with a disability. His dad had skied as a child and, after digging his 20-year-old ski boots out of the closet, he put them on to take his son to the hill. The old boots promptly fell apart. Despite the setback, father and son found another pair and made it out to the ski hill. They loved every minute of it, and the rest is history. Hallat has become a decorated para-alpine skier, three-time Paralympian, and has a World Championship bronze medal to his credit.

Hallat has now become an ambassador of para-athletes. He will be supporting the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) onsite at their first ever athlete identification event, to be held on Saturday, November 14 at the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary. Paralympian Search is open to Canadians aged 14 to 35 with a physical disability or visual impairment, offering them the chance to test their physical capabilities and discover which Paralympic sport may be best suited to them. Participants will get to meet Hallat, see his medal, and hear his story.

Hallat says that the role of athlete ambassador is important to him because, “The road to becoming a Paralympian helped shape the person that I am today. It shaped where I lived, the people I met, the challenges I set out to overcome, and the goals I set within and outside of skiing. Setting the goal to become a Paralympian has impacted every aspect of my life to date and I am thankful for that. Getting to be a Paralympian was icing on the cake.”

Catherine Gosselin-Després, Executive Director, Sport for the CPC, says that Paralympian Search is an opportunity to reap the same benefits from sport that Hallat has experienced. She notes, “By testing people’s potential in various Paralympic sports, we are looking to identify a future generation of champions with the potential to win medals for Canada. Not everyone will end up going to the Paralympic Games, but everyone can enjoy the benefits of being placed in an appropriate sport programs tailored to develop and hopefully maximize their potential.”

For those who are thinking of taking part but are nervous about their abilities, Hallat is already giving out advice. He emphasizes that all participants should “simply enjoy the experience. The participant is in the driver’s seat. There is no telling where it may go, but the choice is theirs and the day should be a lot of fun.”

As registration is free, there is nothing to lose for potential participants. Every test will be adapted for each participant’s specific needs and they will be in control of how hard they push themselves. So, come out to Paralympian Search on November 14 and find out if you are #PARATOUGH.

For more information and to register, visit paralympic.ca/paralympian-search.

The Canadian Sport Institute Calgary (CSI Calgary) recently witnessed a boost of youthful energy as members of the Slopestyle team made use of the facilities for a training camp.

The team took advantage of a wide range of CSI Calgary services, including physiology testing, mental performance training, nutrition workshops, medical assessments and a Game Plan presentation.

National team athlete Mark Hendrickson found great value in the experience. He said that his highlights were “learning healthy recipes that even someone who is not skilled at cooking can whip up. We also worked with strength and conditioning coach Jamie McCartney. He taught us skills and techniques to improve our dryland training. I enjoyed his approach because of his experience in various sports.”

Olympic Champion Dara Howell also utilized the CSI Calgary services in conjunction with the WinSport facilities. She credits the training facilities for being a component to her Olympic success, saying, “Calgary has always been a great spot for me! Coming into the Olympic year, the training facilities that were open to me were amazing. It’s really neat to see the CSI Calgary and WinSport taking slopestyle under their wing.”

Leading into the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, the younger generation will likely be able to gain even more from the facilities. There are promising discussions about offering a fully integrated training base for Canadian slopestyle athletes in Calgary. The advantages to this type of relationship are evident, with WinSport providing an ideal facility, the WinSport Academy contributing technical and tactical coaching, and the CSI Calgary contributing to the athletes’ training, sport science and medical requirements.

Adrian King, Director of Sport Science and Medicine for the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, emphasizes that this partnership would be a big win for his team. “We want to link as closely as possible with the CSI Calgary because of the professional expertise. They are major players with respect to sport science services. This is complimented by the terrain at WinSport, which is ideal for slopestyle.”

Hendrickson agrees, saying, “I love the idea of having WinSport as our home training facility. The features on the hill keep getting bigger and more precise year after year. Having all the resources in one place such as physiotherapy, strength training and trampolines make it an amazing place for our athletic development. I am stoked to be able to utilize these resources."