Specialists in social networks, leadership and conflict management, among others, spoke to 180 female athletes and coaches who came to learn how to improve their performance during training and competitions.
The summit EmpowerHerof which this was the fourth edition, was founded by Reid Brodie, to give young female athletes the means to flourish. I think athletes are under extra pressure right now.
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Reid Brodie is the head coach of the University of Calgary Dinos women’s Volleyball team. She became one of Volleyball Canada’s coordinators earlier this year.
Photo : - / Terri Trembath
[Les jeunes athlètes féminines] also face many additional distractions, including social media and cell phones
she adds. Moreover, one of the themes concerns the impact that cell phones and social networks have on concentration.
We were therefore able to call on sleep specialists. We have social media research specialists. We have someone talking about leadership. Another talks about conflict management. This year we have a complete program for female coaches.
The balance between pleasure and performance
In a sporting world where the expectations of young athletes have never been higher than now, she highlights the importance of balancing expectations and enjoyment in sport.
If we are able to control the controllables and start implementing great habits in all aspects of our lives and learn balance and how to manage it, I think that’s something that could improve significantly the success rates and performances of athletes, but also their enjoyment of sport.
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Larissa Mills founded The Mental Game Academy program to address potential problems that arise from modern technologies like cell phones.
Photo : - / Terri Trembath
One of the guest experts, Larissa Mills, an educational behavior consultant who has coached athletes in a variety of sports over 25 years, spoke about the impact of cell phones on brain chemistry.
If we can help them manage their phones, because we’re not going to take them away from them, we need to give them the tools to manage them themselves, that’s the best thing we can do.
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Vicky Chen attended the EmpowerHer Summit this weekend.
Photo : - / Terri Trembath
Vicky Chen, a volleyball player in Calgary, believes that the conferences she attended helped her better understand the impact of technology on athlete performance.
I feel like the summit itself gave me a better understanding of the development of women’s sports and how technology or outside distractions can affect our game, focus and skills as a whole
she believes.
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Karma Singha, 16, is a volleyball player for the Junior Dinos, an affiliate team of the University of Calgary.
Photo : - / Terri Trembath
Karma Singha, another volleyball player, found the explanations about the impact of cell phones on the brain very enlightening. It was really interesting to hear the why behind it instead of just not doing it for whatever reason.
Women’s sport more present
A new team from the WNBA in Toronto, the LPHF which continues to sell out, Summer McIntosh who continues to accumulate gold medals in swimming, 2024 has been a very good year for Canadian women’s sport.
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The interest generated by women’s sports has greatly increased over the past year.
Photo: Photo montage: Ève Brosseau
For Karma Signha, last year marked a shift in interest among sports fans.
Hearing that stereotypes are changing and women in sport are being viewed in a new way has really empowered me.
A sentiment shared by Reid Brodie.
Women have never stopped making efforts in the field of sport. It’s just that they are finally recognized for their passion for competition, for the quality of the athletes who come out of women’s sport.
With information from Terri Trembath
