
Hosted by The Athletic Perspective · EN

Maji Shaikh is a doctoral candidate in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa. His primary area of research is in exploring positive youth development through sport and recreation. His expertise lies in trauma-sensitive practices, program evaluation, and knowledge translation within the sport context. In this episode, Maji joins Mike to discuss his work with youth sport organizations and community programs. In this, he looks to develop their capacity for evaluation and explores ways to integrate ongoing evaluation practices within the fabric of their programming. Rethinking what constitutes data, Maji provides concrete examples that listeners can take away and apply within their own organizations! [podcast_subscribe id=”484″]

Kurtis is a Ph.D. candidate and assistant football coach at the University of Alberta. He previously worked with the Edmonton Canadian Football League team in mental skills and sport science. In this episode, he joins Mike to discuss his research in the area of mental health, coaching, and knowledge translation (making research accessible). Kurtis has completed two Mitacs research fellowships. These projects explored psychosocial aspects of professional sport, mental health in the CFL, and mental skills development among NHL players. Listen in as Kurtis shares some of the skills and characteristics that have helped professional athletes succeed in their respective sports! [podcast_subscribe id=”484″]

Caleb Smith is an elementary school teacher in Niagara Falls and has been instrumental in the development and growth of youth flag rugby in Canada. He helped develop the first intermediate elementary school flag rugby league in North America in 2004 and junior elementary school flag rugby league in North America in 2011. Smith has been honoured by Trent University with their Spirit of Trent leadership award and the city of Niagara Falls awarded Caleb with the George McPhail award for outstanding contributions to recreation in the Niagara Falls region. In this episode, Caleb and Mike talk about sport for all and the importance of grassroots recreational sports initiatives like flag rugby.[podcast_subscribe id=”484″]

Christina Picton is an elite Para-Athlete that has been involved in Para Ice Hockey since 2004, playing at the local, provincial and national levels. She is currently the captain of the Canadian Women’s National Para Ice Hockey Team, was the first female sledge hockey player in Canada to try out for Hockey Canada’s Senior (Men’s) National Para Ice Hockey Team, and in 2019 she began competing in Para-Nordic Sit Skiing and Biathlon. Christina joins Mike to discuss her experiences training and competing at the elite level as well as her work as an advocate for ParaSport around the world! [podcast_subscribe id=”484″]

Andrew “Q” Quattrin joins Mike to talk about his experience transitioning to professional rugby. He currently plays for the Toronto Arrows (MLR) and recently represented Team Canada at the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Mike and Q discuss the mindset he had during his university rugby career as he set his sights on professional rugby and the decisions that set him up for success. This episode is full of personal stories, motivations, and advice for players, coaches, and any fans of the sport. [podcast_subscribe id=”484″]

After a series of knee injuries left her unable to continue to play stand-up sports, Danielle DuPlessis turned to ParaSport (wheelchair basketball) and quickly rose to the national team level. She was selected to the women’s national team in 2019 and participated in international tournaments in the United States, Germany, France, and Japan. Her rookie season was capped off with a Paralympic qualification for Tokyo 2020 (now 2021) and a gold medal win at the Para Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru. Outside of basketball, Danielle is working towards a Master’s in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Toronto. In this episode, Danielle shares her athletic journey transitioning to ParaSport. In addition, Mike and Danielle discuss the postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic/Paralympic Games and the implications for athletes following the Covid-19 pandemic.[podcast_subscribe id=”484″]

Katie is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education at Wilfrid Laurier University. Her research is focused on the effects of postural control and training experience on visual perception across the athlete spectrum. She completed an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology at Laurier, a certificate in Athletic Therapy at Mount Royal University, and a master’s in Physical Therapy at Queen’s University. Katie has presented her research at several conferences including the International Society of Posture and Gait Research (ISPGR) Congress and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting. Her clinical practice is specialized in concussion, vestibular, and orthopaedic conditions. She is also the lead therapist for Sledge Team Ontario and has worked with Rugby Canada and Canadian university sports. [podcast_subscribe id=”484″]

Before Kristine honed her skills as an elite coach, she was an athlete on Canada’s national volleyball and beach volleyball teams, and a 2001 inductee into the University of Toronto’s Sports Hall of Fame. Named Ontario Volleyball coach of the year, 3M National High-Performance coach of the year, as well as OUA coach of the year nine times – we are beyond excited to explore the world of effective coaching philosophy, team culture, and how to harness the lessons on the court to improve our daily lives. Whether you are a coach, an athlete, or holding down a cubicle – Kristine drops knowledge that we can all use towards improving our day-to-day.[podcast_subscribe id=”484″]

Steph and Mike are joined by Registered Dietician and Sport Nutritionist, Katie Jessop to discuss how nutrition fuels performance. Katie is a Masters swimmer and endurance cyclist who works with elite athletes. This episode includes a Q+A segment where Katie answers questions sent in from our listeners. Other topics include behaviour change, gut biomes, bodily cues, caffeine intake, and more! This episode is packed with information and strategies for athletes at all levels of competition, you will not be disappointed! [podcast_subscribe id=”1228″]

Graham is an M.Sc. student at the University of Toronto and a former professional baseball pitcher. In this episode, Mike and Graham discuss topics around elite baseball. These topics include performance metrics, pattern recognition, the psychology of a pitcher, baseball culture, and head impact risk for catchers. Graham also shares personal stories about his athletic development and insights into the MLB and the 2019 World Series. [podcast_subscribe id=”1228″]