Written by: Trevor Cottrell
The Ontario Regional CSCA Conference was hosted by Laurier University on May 3. It was a sold-out event with 75 attendees and featured six speakers along with several student research presentations.
Josh Vandeweerd of Laurier University opened the day with a presentation that provided a structural model for implementing effective and integrated return-to-play strategies for football. He emphasized the cross-collaboration required to harness the concurrent strengths of therapy and strength teams in delivering effective rehabilitation plans and offered metrics to guide stages of healing and progression of activity.
Alena Luciani followed with a presentation highlighting how the strength coach–athlete relationship goes beyond sets and reps. Although the catchy title hinted at how AI can’t replace coaching jobs, the key takeaway was a focus on strategies for building strong coaching relationships that inspire athletes to return and be willing to suffer in the pursuit of excellence.
Dr. Rob Winslow then presented on the assessment and management of hamstring injuries. He elevated the audience’s understanding of hamstring injuries by detailing the injury risk and recovery profiles of each of the four hamstring muscles, along with testing strategies for determining the stage of healing. Perhaps the biggest takeaway was the recommendation that coaches treat hamstring strains as a “check engine light” indicating deeper issues in the lower quadrant may be the issue.
Leading into lunch, Usama Mujtaba and Kris Robertson of the Toronto Argonauts presented on managing in-season speed development for football athletes. They challenged the conventional wisdom that in-season speed gains are difficult to achieve. Their approach balanced individualized load monitoring with periodized programming. They captured attention with their creative terminology “Air Benders” and “Earth Benders” to describe runners who use spring vs. power strategies to build speed.
Following the onsite lunch, where attendees and vendors had the chance to connect, the graduate student presentations took place, followed by Dr. Brent Wakefield. In his presentation he introduced a novel approach to managing low back and sciatic dysfunction through loading. He challenged conventional therapeutic norms, encouraging coaches to discard the theraband in favor of heavier loading strategies. Using a combination of research and experiential evidence, he proposed simple solutions for managing pain in the general population, with an emphasis on maximal effort activities that target the root causes of recurring biomechanical pathologies.
Closing out the day was Chris Chapman, who delivered Part 2 of his “History of S&C” series. He explored the evolution of technology in the field, focusing on his personal journey from coach to scientist and back again while working alongside the tech sector. His main message was to never stop learning, and always be a critical thinker. Stand on the shoulders of those who came before you, learn from the past, and evolve with technology and not because of it.
The day concluded with a well-attended pub social where attendees caught up with old friends and made new contacts. Special thanks go to Sam Eyles-Frayne and her team for hosting an excellent event, and to Luke Vanderheyden and Kevin Iwasa-Madge for their behind-the-scenes work to make the conference a success.
Don’t forget to support our sponsors, Vald Performance and Dotmar Fitness. They represent product lines we use daily in our industry, and their continued support of the CSCA is vital to our success.
