Their bags are packed and they’re READY to go! On Friday August 5, Team Canada will be participating in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies at 5pm MT. Three hundred and thirteen athletes, 98 coaches and 107 support staff from 37 sports make up Team Canada. Eighty one per cent of the Canadian athletes competing in Rio are affiliated with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute (COPSI) Network.
CSI Calgary is proud to extend a special farewell and good luck to 21 CSI Calgary affiliated athletes in athletics, basketball, cycling, rowing, rugby sevens, shooting, soccer, swimming, volleyball (beach and indoor) and wrestling. Each athlete heads to Rio with their CSI Calgary “Team” beside them in spirit.
“I’m very excited,” says Mathieu Bilodeau, competing in the 50km race walk event. “It’s my first Olympics”. Originally competing in triathlon and swimming, Bilodeau made the switch to race walking two years ago.
Kelly Drager, CSI Calgary Performance Dietitian is also looking forward to her first Olympic experience as she travels to Rio with Wrestling Canada Lutte for testing and collecting data. In weight class sports, there are unique nutritional components that can make or break an athlete’s performance. “I’m thrilled to have this opportunity to see the work we’ve done with the athletes at CSI Calgary over the last four years come together at the Olympics,” says Drager.
Jasmine Mian, female wrestler in the 48kg event, is one of those athletes. "I relocated to Calgary in 2012 with hopes of making the Rio 2016 Olympic team. I always had an Olympic dream, but CSI Calgary helped me turn that dream into a reality,” says Mian. “The CSI staff combined their expertise in wrestling, strength and conditioning, nutrition and mental performance to help me become the best version of myself. I feel very prepared and hungry to reach the podium. I can't thank CSI Calgary enough for helping me realize my podium potential."
A special send-off to two-time Olympic wrestling medalist and CSI Calgary Next Generation coach Carol Huynh, in her role as Assistant Chef de Mission for Team Canada. Carol’s contribution to sport in Canada and her work with the International Wrestling Federation make her a good fit for this role. “It’s a great opportunity for me to be on Team Canada in a totally different way. I can bring my different experiences to the table,” says Huynh.
The CSI Calgary, is proud to support Canadian athletes training in Alberta in preparation for the Olympic/Paralympic Games. “We are excited for all Canadian athletes travelling to the Games,” says Dale Henwood, President and CEO of CSI Calgary. “We will all be watching them with such pride.”
CSI Calgary would like to thank our funding partners for enabling us to deliver our wide array of leading-edge services to athletes and coaches. We are grateful for their support: Sport Canada/Own the Podium, Canadian Olympic Committee, Alberta Sport Connection, Coaching Association of Canada, Canadian Paralympic Committee, WinSport and the University of Calgary.
They have fire in their hearts and ice in their veins.
Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary
Photo by Dave Holland: @csicalgaryphoto
03/08/16
A historic landmark in the Norwegian consciousness, the Holmenkollenn ski park in Oslo embodies more than a century of legendary Nordic skiing competitions. For one special day in 2016, it also embodied a historic result for Canada’s men’s biathlon relay team, who took home a first ever bronze medal in the 4x7.5km team event behind the Norwegians and Germans at the World Championships.
The four-man crew, comprised of brothers Scott and Christian Gow, Brendan Green and Nathan Smith, is now being recognized for that feat at the upcoming Alberta Sport Awards, hosted by CSI Calgary partner, Alberta Sport Connection, winning the 2016 Team of the Year award.
“It was an amazing day for us,” says team veteran Nathan Smith. “Oslo is the big mecca for Nordic skiing and we were racing in front of huge crowds.” He says that although Norway took the win, it was fun to be in the battle for beating the home team. “The atmosphere around the medal was almost better than the medal,” he jokes.
Smith was tagged for doping control before the end of the race and was forced to watch the end play out for his team from indoors. He says it was nerve-wracking to see the finish but was elated when the team’s anchor skier, Brendan Green, crossed in third for the bronze medal.
For all four team members, it was a very special race and a very special day. “Winning the bronze was kind of unbelievable,” says Scott Gow. “We knew it was possible but it takes all four guys having a perfect race on the same day and we managed to do it at the World Championships.”
“These individuals and teams are Alberta’s best. We’re proud of what they’ve achieved and honoured to recognize them for their outstanding contribution to sport in our province,” says Andrew Ference, Chair of Alberta Sport Connection. “They have reached higher, dug deeper, led by example, and made our sport system better.”
The bronze medal, along with an individual silver won by Smith in 2015, has given the team an element of belief and confidence they didn’t have before. In a sport that is typically dominated by a handful of European countries, breaking through to the podium has help shift the attitude on the team.
“As a team we’ve reached a turning point,” says Gow. “Up until a few years ago, in the back of our minds there was a mental block but once the precedent is set it helps the whole team believe.”
Belief in what’s possible is what fuels the team forward as the next winter Olympics looms large in 2018. The team had its ups and downs during the season following the bronze medal performance, but is looking forward to building on the momentum it provided.
Gow says it’s a fond memory from that year, but with another a whole season completed since then they are looking to improve on it. “This coming season we are focused on our training, getting fitter and faster. The biggest factor is team positivity and confidence in both the relay and individual races,” he says.
Smith is recovered from a lingering mono-like virus that prevented him from competing most of the 2016-17 season. He has started training early this season in preparation for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang is 2018. The setback was difficult but Smith says it’s giving him extra motivation to overcome the obstacle.
For now, at least, there’s a chance to revel in the memory of the historic medal once more, before focus returns to the future. Biathlon is a lesser-known sport in Canada and Gow says this award is means a lot to the team. “It’s always really nice to win an award and be recognized,” he says.
Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary
Written by Kristina Groves: @kngrover
Photo by: Dave Holland @csicalgaryphoto
19/04/17
Mingling with ambitious female leaders over lunch while gaining valuable skills and insight into how to increase professional development sounds like a dream afternoon for many women. For that reason, the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary has partnered with the Alberta Sport Connection to host a series of women's empowerment and leadership workshops presented by the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS).
The first workshop in the series, centered on Effective Communication, took place at the University of Calgary Campus on October 21. Led by 1996 Olympic Silver Medallist Dr. Cari Din, the workshop attracted fifteen local women who were eager to collaborate on how to improve personal development both in and out of sport. Created for all women, the CAAWS workshops series offers value for anyone looking for methods of career development, not just athletes.
Facilitator Cari Din raved about the success of the first workshop, saying it was "a fun, up-to-date workshop aimed at giving women insight and practical skills they can implement immediately. Women told me they enjoyed the opportunity to talk with and learn from women from a variety of sport and activity organizations."
World-class wrestler Erica Wiebe echoed Din's sentiments, proclaiming, "Initially, when I signed up I thought oh man, this is going to be a long 3 hours, but it turned out to fly by! It was very informative and felt like a very safe space for people to talk and share ideas."
After seeing CAAWS presentations and their subsequent results, the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary's Erin Wamsteeker and Jason Sjostrom initiated contact with the program, believing that elite athletes could benefit from the impactful messages that were being communicated. Not wanting to let the opportunity pass anyone by, they have opened up the workshops to staff members as well as any women who feel that they could use professional empowerment and encouragement from strong, independent women.
The CAAWS facilitations have been added to a full repertoire of life services workshops that aim to improve elite athletes' performance both on and off the field of play. Already featuring workshops geared towards skills such as self-marketing, social media, and public speaking, the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary prides itself on offering educational opportunities that athletes' would not normally be provided. The CAAWS workshops were a natural and seamless fit into the workshop catalog.
After the success of Din's Effective Communication workshop, there have already been three more workshops added to the calendar. The next three CAAWS experiences on the schedule are titled Conflict Management (taking place on November 18), Influencing Change (taking place on December 9), and Effective Communication (taking place on January 6).
To learn more about the CAAWS Workshops, and to register, go to http://csialberta.ca/en/events/icalrepeat.detail/2014/10/21/634/-/caaws-effective-communication-yyc
Stay in the loop!
Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary
Writer Brittany Schussler: @bschussler
Photo Credit: Dave Holland @csicalgaryphoto
CAAWS: www.caaws.ca
Les dindes ont envahi l’Institut canadien du sport de Calgary! Heureusement, c’est pour une bonne cause.
L’ICS Calgary est ravi de participer au défi #YYCTurkeyChallenge de la banque alimentaire de Calgary : chaque semaine jusqu’à Noël, l’ICS Calgary publiera sur Tweeter la photo d’un athlète déguisé en dinde. Lors de chaque gazouillis, l’ICS Calgary invitera un de ses partenaires et l’organisme national de sport de l’athlète à relever le défi et à faire un don à la banque alimentaire. À l’interne, l’ICS Calgary a également mis au défi ses employés de verser 2 000 $ en dons.
La banque alimentaire de Calgary est un organisme à but non lucratif dont la mission est de recueillir et de distribuer des denrées alimentaires d’urgence aux gens dans le besoin. La banque ne peut compter que sur l’aide de la communauté pour remplir sa mission. Au cours de la dernière année, 141 271 personnes ont reçu l’aide de la banque alimentaire. Le défi #YYCTurkeyChallenge aura des conséquences importantes sur les efforts de la banque : l’organisme peut en effet distribuer l’équivalent de cinq dollars de denrées pour chaque dollar recueilli.
La campagne de cette année est déjà bien entamée : Patinage de vitesse Canada et THE Downtown Sports Clinics ont accepté, le 24 novembre dernier, de relever le défi lancé par le quadruple médaillé olympique Denny Morrison. Le 1er décembre, c’était au tour de Manuel Osborne-Paradis, vétéran de trois Jeux olympiques, de mettre au défi Canada alpin et Alberta Sport Connection.
Le sympathique défi #YYCTurkeyChallenge a vu le jour en 2014, lorsque Scott Schroeder de EFW Radiology a imaginé le concept et convaincu le Dr Jan-Willem Henning d’y participer. Le Dr Henning a porté le costume de dinde lors de ses rondes au Tom Baker Cancer Centre, tandis que Dave Kelly de Kelly Brothers Productions et Jim Button de Village Brewery ont mis en scène une mission de sauvetage de dindes surgelées. Leurs efforts ont permis d’amasser des dons d’un montant de près de 30 000 $ et la banque alimentaire de Calgary a pu renflouer ses stocks de denrées à un moment critique.
Keoma Duce, coordonnatrice du développement des dons d’entreprise pour la banque alimentaire, est ravie de la participation de l’ICS Calgary. « L’ICS est la première organisation à relever le défi en 2015 », a-t-elle déclaré. « Nous sommes emballés par la perspective de promouvoir la banque alimentaire et d’amasser des dons, mais nous sommes aussi fiers de faire rayonner l’ICS Calgary et les athlètes. C’est important pour nous que les efforts des athlètes soient reconnus. Nous espérons que d’autres organisations suivront l’exemple de l’ICS Calgary et se joindront à nous. Qui n’aime pas voir un adulte dans un costume de dinde? »
Restez aux aguets parce qu’on ne sait jamais où surgira la prochaine dinde! Pour faire un don à la banque alimentaire de Calgary, rendez-vous sur la page de l'ICS Calgary de la banque alimentaire.
Video de Denny Morrison
Video de Manuel Osborne-Paradis
Institut canadien du sport de Calgary : @csicalgary
Rédigé par Brittany Schussler: @BSchussler
Photo de Dave Holland: @CSICalgaryPhoto
Des rencontres avec des leaders féminines accomplies durant le dîner, tout en acquérant de précieuses aptitudes et connaissances sur le perfectionnement professionnel, pourraient sembler inespérées pour de nombreuses femmes. C'est pourquoi l'Institut canadien du sport de Calgary a conclu un partenariat avec l'organisme Alberta Sport Connection afin d'organiser une série d'ateliers sur l'habilitation et le leadership à l'intention des femmes, ateliers présentés par l'Association canadienne pour l'avancement des femmes, du sport et de l'activité physique (ACAFS).
La station de ski Holmenkollenn à Oslo, lieu historique ancré dans la culture norvégienne, représente plus d’un siècle de compétitions de ski nordique légendaires. Lors d’une journée spéciale en 2016, elle a également été le théâtre d’une victoire historique pour l’équipe masculine de biathlon relais canadienne, qui a remporté sa première médaille de bronze lors de l’épreuve par équipe de 4 x 7,5 km, derrière les Norvégiens et les Allemands aux championnats du monde.
L’équipe de quatre hommes constituée des frères Scott et Christian Gow, de Brendan Green et de Nathan Smith sera reconnue pour cette victoire en étant nommée équipe de l’année 2016 lors des prochains Alberta Sport Awards, qui seront organisés par Alberta Sport Connection, un partenaire de l’ICS Calgary.
« C’était une journée extraordinaire pour nous », mentionne Nathan Smith, le vétéran de l’équipe. « Oslo est l’endroit par excellence pour le ski nordique, et une foule énorme assistait à la course. » Il ajoute que même si la Norvège a remporté la victoire, participer à l’épreuve contre l’équipe locale était amusant. « L’atmosphère entourant la médaille était presque meilleure que la médaille elle-même », plaisante-t-il.
Nathan a dû subir un contrôle antidopage avant la fin de la course et a été forcé de rester à l’intérieur et de regarder son équipe terminer l’épreuve. Il mentionne que regarder la fin était stressant, mais qu’il a été soulagé lorsque le skieur de dernier parcours de l’équipe, Brendan Green, a franchi la ligne d’arrivée pour remporter la médaille de bronze.
Pour les quatre membres de l’équipe, ce fut une course et une journée très spéciales. « Gagner la médaille de bronze était incroyable », dit Scott Gow. « Nous savions que c’était possible, mais pour y arriver, il fallait que les quatre membres de l’équipe réussissent une course parfaite pendant la même journée, et nous avons réussi à le faire lors des championnats du monde. »
« Ces individus et ces équipes sont les meilleurs de l’Alberta. Nous sommes fiers de ce qu’ils ont accompli et nous sommes honorés de reconnaître leur contribution exceptionnelle au sport de notre province » dit Andrew Ference, président de l’Alberta Sport Connection. « Ils ont atteint de plus hauts sommets, ont persévéré, ont donné l’exemple et ont amélioré notre système sportif. »
La médaille de bronze, ainsi que la médaille d’argent individuelle gagnée par Nathan en 2015, a donné à l’équipe de l’espoir et une confiance qu’ils n’avaient pas avant. Dans un sport dominé essentiellement par quelques pays européens, atteindre le podium a permis de modifier l’attitude des membres de l’équipe.
« En tant qu’équipe, nous avons atteint un point décisif, » dit Scott. « Il y a quelques années, nous avions un blocage psychologique, mais avoir gagné pour une première fois aide toute l’équipe à espérer. »
Croire que tout est possible encourage l’équipe à persévérer à l’approche des Jeux olympiques d’hiver de 2018. L’équipe a eu des hauts et des bas au cours de la saison après avoir remporté la médaille de bronze, mais elle est enthousiaste à l’idée de tirer profit de la force conférée par cette victoire.
Scott affirme qu’ils gardent de bons souvenirs de cette année-là, mais qu’ils souhaitent s’améliorer après la saison entière qu’ils ont passée depuis. « Nous mettons l’accent sur notre entraînement pour être plus en forme et plus rapides à la prochaine saison. Le facteur le plus important est l’esprit positif et la confiance de l’équipe, à la fois pour le relais et les courses individuelles, » dit-il.
Nathan s’est remis d’un virus persistant semblable à la mononucléose qui l’a empêché de participer aux épreuves pendant la majorité de la saison 2016 – 2017. Il a commencé son entraînement tôt cette saison en prévision des prochains Jeux olympiques d’hiver qui se tiendront à Pyeongchang en 2018. Cette expérience a été difficile, mais Nathan affirme qu’elle lui a donné un surplus de motivation pour remonter la pente.
Pour le moment, il a au moins une occasion de se réjouir au souvenir de cette médaille historique une fois de plus avant de se concentrer sur l’avenir. Le biathlon est un sport méconnu au Canada, et Scott affirme que ce prix a beaucoup de valeur aux yeux de l’équipe. « C’est toujours très plaisant de recevoir un prix et d’être reconnu, » dit-il.
Institut canadien du sport de calgary: @csicalgary
Rédigé par Kristina Groves: @kngrover
Photo crédit: Dave Holland @csicalgaryphoto
19/04/17
Working with para athletes requires more than just the knowledge of sport specific training and physiology, it demands a special creativity. Tessa Gallinger and Bryan Yu are two CSI Calgary Strength and Conditioning Coaches working with para athletes, adapting their training environment where necessary to meet individual requirements.
Pursuing her MSc., Gallinger is specializing in muscle length changes with sport-specific velocity training in young adults with cerebral palsy. Having worked with adaptive sports for almost six years, she stresses that keeping it simple is paramount to creating adaptive programming.
“Coaches working with para athletes need to have a good understanding of sport and the type of impairment they are working with, but it doesn’t need to be complicated.” Gallinger explains. “You don’t need fancy equipment, you just have to be creative in applying your knowledge and adapting it to meet individual needs.”
Yu adds, “There is a lot of thought that goes into making small changes. Coaches need to understand how the impairment affects athlete performance.” He finds training with smaller, diverse groups and developing organic solutions and adjustments is a welcome challenge. “I love the creative element required in adaptive programming – I have to be thinking outside the box.”
Pro Stergiou, CSI Calgary Biomechanist and Performance Analyst uses technology for the assessment of athletic performances in para sports. Over the years he has worked closely with goalball, para-swimming and sledge hockey. He enjoys working with para athletes and the wide range of adaptations that can be made to fit individual needs. “Working with para athletes is very rewarding,” says Stergiou. “With small changes in either training or technique, you can make big differences.”
Gallinger, Stergiou and Yu are hosting a workshop in the CSI Calgary on March 25 as part of the 2017 Adapted Physical Activity (APA) Symposium put on by Mount Royal University, The Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement and sponsored by the Alberta Sport Connection.
This third semi annual Symposium is a unique opportunity for stakeholders involved in sport and recreation for persons with disabilities to meet and share best practices, common challenges and ways to address them. “We are thrilled to have the CSI Calgary expertise for the Symposium,” says David Legg, Professor at Mount Royal University and Chair of the Organizing Committee. “CSI Calgary adds a significant level of knowledge as one of the leading international sport science institutes for Paralympic athletes. Delegates will have unique access to some of the most innovative thinkers in adaptive sports and will have the opportunity to see techniques being implemented up close with Paralympic athletes.”
What do the CSI specialists want workshop participants to come away with? They want people to understand that training para athletes doesn’t need to be flashy or complex. Working towards a high performance goal, the optimal training program takes into consideration individual requirements and makes as few adaptations to the program as possible.
For more information on the 2017 Adapted Physical Activity Symposium March 23 – 25 www.apasymposium.com.
Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary
Written by Lisa Thomson
Photo by Dave Holland: @csicalgaryphoto
01/03/17
Turkeys are popping up everywhere at the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary! Fortunately, it is all for a worthy cause.
The CSI Calgary is delighted to be taking part in the Calgary Food Bank’s #YYCTurkeyChallenge, tweeting a picture of an athlete dressed as a turkey every week prior to Christmas. With each tweet, CSI Calgary is challenging both the athlete’s National Sport Organization and a CSI Calgary partner to donate to the Food Bank. Internally, the CSI Calgary is also challenging its own employees to donate with a goal of raising $2,000.
The Calgary Food Bank is a non-profit organization dedicated to gathering and distributing quality emergency food to those in need and relies solely on the support of the community. In the past year, 141,271 people came to the Food Bank for assistance. #YYCTurkeyChallenge will have a significant impact on these efforts as the Food Bank is able to distribute five dollars worth of food for every dollar that is donated.
The challenge has already started, with four-time Olympic medallist Denny Morrison successfully challenging Speed Skating Canada and THE Downtown Sports Clinics on November 24. On December 1, three-time Olympian Manuel Osborne-Paradis challenged Alpine Canada and Alberta Sport Connection.
The unique #YYCTurkeyChallenge began in 2014, when Scott Schroeder from EFW Radiology came up with the concept and engaged Dr. Jan-Willem Henning in the project. Henning wore the turkey suit on his rounds through the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, while Dave Kelly of Kelly Brothers Productions and Jim Button from Village Brewery staged a frozen turkey rescue. Their efforts raised almost $30,000 in donations towards the purchase of food at a critical time for the Calgary Food Bank.
Keoma Duce, Development Coordinator for Organizational Giving at the Food Bank, is enthusiastic about the CSI Calgary’s participation. She says, “So far CSI Calgary is the first organization to grab on to the Turkey Challenge in 2015. We are excited about the prospect of raising awareness and donations, but we are also looking forward to raising the profile of the CSI Calgary and the athletes. It is important to us that the athletes receive recognition for their efforts. We hope that other organizations see what CSI Calgary is doing and join in the fun. Who doesn’t like to see a grown up in a turkey suit?”
Keep your eyes peeled because you never know where a turkey will pop up next! To donate to the Calgary Food Bank, visit the CSI Calgary Food Bank Page.
Denny Morrison Video
Manuel Osborne-Paradis Video
Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary
Written by Brittany Schussler: @BSchussler
Photo by Dave Holland: @csicalgaryphoto
