Dear CSCA Supporters,
As the CSCA continues to grow and evolve, I am excited to announce our new Board of Directors (BOD) and Executive as we navigate through many important milestones in 2022.  Our BOD is composed of seven members; Shauna Forsyth, Sam Eyles-Frayne, Samantha Pritchard, Steve Lidstone, Marcello Campanaro, myself, and CSCA Founder and Inaugural President Sheldon Persad who will continue to serve as an Advisor to the Board.  I will be serving in the President role for this year, along with Shauna Forsyth as Vice President, and Sam Eyles-Frayne serving dual roles as Secretary and Treasurer.  This will be a big year for our organization as we introduce our membership offerings, professional liability insurance, new stakeholder educational programs, host our annual conference, and push for greater representation across the provinces. 

In this year, it is our intention to roll out membership offerings in two phases.  Phase 1 will be a general membership, open to anyone, and will allow those members to participate in CSCA events, access job boards, access specialized educational modules and professional liability insurance.  The plan is to launch this product in concert with our annual conference in May.

Phase 2 of the membership services will be a professional membership which recognizes those with specific expertise in the development of athletic performance.  A series of criteria will be created to grandfather in existing professionals, and a mentorship and learning program will be created to develop new and aspiring strength and conditioning coaches. It is hoped that we can launch this product by the end of the year. 

We will be hosting our second annual national conference in May and despite our original intentions to offer it in a hybrid online and face-to-face format, we are conceding to the realities of our situation and will likely deliver it completely online.  We plan to have some novel headline speakers as well as representation across Canada, along with opportunities to network with others across the country.  At this conference we will present our membership strategy and provide opportunities for feedback amongst the participants.

We have secured an insurance provider for professional liability insurance that is more affordable and comprehensive then most existing professional insurance policies.  This provider will allow members to select from a variety of levels of coverage and has options for business and capital equipment coverage as well.  They have fantastic customer service, and it is a Canadian provider that allows for a monthly payment plan.  We are excited to offer these improved products, and rates, as liability insurance can be a significant annual cost in our profession.

As the leading authority on strength and conditioning in Canada we must set the standards for education and professional practice.  In addition to our ongoing publication of articles, we intend to develop learning modules that can be used by new professionals and educators for the basic instruction of strength training techniques.  Our major focus is on assisting physical educators in their delivery of strength training to high school students.  In addition, we will have modules that assist in the job search process and the establishment of a new business.  We will continue to grow these offerings as part of our membership services.

As we approach close to 1000 subscribers, we hope to be able to convert many of these to memberships.  As a group, we could have a significant impact on our profession nation-wide.  But we need help.  We need representation from all provinces and territories.  We need help from people of all backgrounds and experiences.  Please reach out to info@canadianstrengthca.com to let us know your interest in participating.  Apply annually to become a member of our Advisory Team.  Volunteer to serve on committees and present at our conferences.  The more we work together, the better outcomes there will be for coaches across Canada.

I look forward to this year, and to hearing from many of you on how we can grow our profession. 

Take care of yourselves and stay strong.

Sincerely,
Trevor Cottrell, PhD
CSCA President