2024 National Conference

Click to download the 2024 National Conference Schedule

Click to download the 2024 Session Descriptions

Click to download the 2024 Speaker Bios

 

VIRTUAL SESSIONS (Monday, January 22)

Click to download the Virtual Conference Schedule and Session Descriptions

Discussing the Rule of Two as per the Responsible Coaching Movement
Frances Priest, Coaching Association of Canada
2:00-3:00pm (PT) / 5:00 – 6:00pm (ET) 
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A safe sport environment ensures that all participants including coaches, staff and administrators apply the Rule of Two. The Responsible Coaching Movement – the Rule of Two increases safety and security of sport participants while protecting those involved. Do you and/or your sports organization practice the Rule of Two? Join us to explore and discuss how you can implement the Rule of Two. Frances Priest – Manager, Sport Safety with Coaching Association of Canada will be on hand to answer questions.

Coastal Rowing in Canada 2024
Adam Parfitt, Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Rachel Wolff, Iain Wilson
3:30-4:30pm (PT) / 6:30 – 7:30pm (ET)
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Learn more about what is to come in 2024 related to coastal development and performance including high performance updates, opportunities to compete in Canada and how you and your club can be part of contributing to the growth of coastal development in Canada. This virtual session will be focused on Beach Sprints and will be relevant to anyone interested in competing and having a role in developing coastal rowing in Canada.

 

KEYNOTE & PLENARY SESSIONS 

Balancing the Delicate Art of Modern High-Performance Coaching 

Marc-André Duchesneau, Coaching Performance Advisor 

Coaches will understand the best principles that underpin the careers of serial-winning coaches.  Learn the importance of self-reflection on your own career path for a sustainable coaching journey ahead. Coaches and club personnel will be able to identify the type of environment that exists at their own rowing club and its impact on the development of resilient athletes.

Exploring the Connection between Invitation & Innovation

Nouman Ashraf, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream within the Organizational Behavior area at the Rotman School of Management

During this interactive keynote, delegates will make connections between how their stance impacts the culture of equity and inclusion within their respective teams and organizations. They will leave with a deeper understanding of their role as stewards of inclusion. Effective leadership at all levels requires continued practice, reflection, and re-evaluation. The session will establish the foundation for this continued iterative approach.

Evidence and Insights from a National Survey of Rowing Club Capacity and Growth 

Katie Misener, PhD, University of Waterloo 

This plenary presentation provides an overview of findings from a Canada-wide project designed to profile the landscape of club rowing in Canada and its capacity for growth. Data were collected through focus groups and a national survey of clubs to identify current strengths and challenges of club capacity and priorities for growth in local rowing clubs. Strategies for effective club growth will be discussed in light of the particular challenges and issues that stand in the way of rowing clubs delivering vibrant sport opportunities in their communities. The presentation provides actionable insight that will enhance RCA stakeholders’ knowledge and connection to pertinent rowing club issues and trends.

State of Sport presented by Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities 

Stuart McReynolds, Associate Vice-President Programs & Advocacy, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities 

This session will provide an overview of the data and findings from Jumpstart’s recent State of Sport report, in addition to highlighting opportunities and promising practices designed to ensure all kids have equitable opportunities to participate in sport and play now, and in the future. 

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ROWING FOR ALL STREAM

Learn about diversity and inclusion best practices from industry leaders and rowing clubs that have deepened their connection with their local community, by embracing diversity and inclusion and applying innovative thinking to their program design. This stream will build on your knowledge of conventional rowing programming and inspire you to apply new learnings and ideas, so rowing is welcoming for everyone in 2024 and beyond. The content and learning outcomes of this stream have been designed to support Community Sport For All Initiative leaders however anyone at the conference is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Community Sport For All Initiative – 2024 and Beyond

RCA Member Club Leaders

Prepare for your 2024 Community Sport For All Initiative program by learning from club leaders who have successfully delivered programming. We will cover topics such as how to create partnerships with equity deserving populations and how to grow and sustain programming beyond the first year.

Navigating Inclusivity Waters: Empowering CSAI Leaders to Expand Rowing Programs with Confidence

Erin Davis, award-winning expert dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace 

In this session we will support CSAI leaders navigating the dynamic landscape of rowing programs. Whether they’re embarking on new initiatives or expanding existing ones for Equity-Deserving Populations (EDPs), our focus is on ensuring leaders feel supported in their journey of engaging with diverse communities and provide CSAI leaders with confidence and the necessary tools to create a lasting impact.

Para Rowing Fire Side Chat

Taylyr Dickinson, RCA Para Rowing Lead

Join RCA’s Para Rowing Lead, Taylyr Dickinson to engage in conversation around the current para rowing landscape and reimagine what bringing adaptive programing to your club means. Meant for those looking to start out on their para rowing journey, as well as anyone currently engaging in para rowing who want to grow and learn more. We will explore the topics of language and education, athlete identification and retention, barriers to participation/adoption, as well as resources and supports available.

Uncovering the Makeup of Collaborators

Nouman Ashraf, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream within the Organizational Behavior area at the Rotman School of Management.

Sustaining an equitable organization and team relies on our ability to foster a regular and consistent feedback and radically candid culture inside and outside the places we operate. To understand if our organizations and teams are meeting the needs of all stakeholders, we must understand the experience of others. This workshop will equip delegates with tools to help them shift from a perspective of mere accommodation to meaningful engagement that advances inclusivity in all aspects of their domains. 

Systems and Resource Development to Support the Future of Diversity and Inclusion Programming

This is a roundtable discussion so Community Sport for All Initiative leaders can inform future work on areas such as registration practices and resource development to enhance the experience of participants in CSAI and similar programming. Registrants of this session will be provided questions ahead of the session to enable them to prepare to contribute to the discussion.

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THRIVING ORGANIZATIONS STREAM

This stream will have sessions on topics to enhance club sustainability and how to embrace and develop in areas that are considered a top priority for Canadian sport. Areas such as Safe Sport, Grant Writing and Inclusive Leadership will be addressed. This stream is particularly applicable to leaders of rowing organizations (board members, program administrators, etc).

Show Me The Money! Principles and practical guidance for writing grants.

Jen Fitzpatrick, RCA Director of Partnerships and Sport Development

In recent years RCA has been a successful recipient of several grants and special funding opportunities. Learn from our successes – and mistakes – as we provide an overview of principles to grant writing and key elements that you should aim to include in your grants and proposals, both large and small.

Pulling Together to Thrive: Building Rowing Club Capacity for Growth

Alison Doherty, PhD, Western University / Kaleigh Pennock, PhD, University of Waterloo

This workshop will provide delegates with opportunities to discuss key findings from a national survey of rowing club capacity and growth. The workshop will focus on action steps for club leaders and other stakeholders to build capacity in key areas of human resources, finances, infrastructure, planning and development, and partnerships. In breakout groups and open discussion, delegates will be invited to reflect and discuss how club capacity challenges can be addressed to build sustainable and thriving clubs.

Uncovering the Makeup of Collaborators (Continued)

Nouman Ashraf, Associate Professor, Teaching Stream within the Organizational Behavior area at the Rotman School of Management.

This session is a continuation of the workshop. Sustaining an equitable organization and team relies on our ability to foster a regular and consistent feedback and radically candid culture inside and outside the places we operate. To understand if our organizations and teams are meeting the needs of all stakeholders, we must understand the experience of others. This workshop will equip delegates with tools to help them shift from a perspective of mere accommodation to meaningful engagement that advances inclusivity in all aspects of their domains. 

Building Stronger Communities Through Sport

Stuart McReynolds, Associate Vice-President Programs & Advocacy, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities

This session will dig deeper into participation trends among Canada’s children and youth and highlight specific areas of need and opportunity. This future focused session will provide delegates with data, insight and ideas for consideration as Canada redefines what winning looks like for kids in community sport.

 

Safe Sport – What does it look like in action?

Lisa Roddie, RCA Safe Sport Review Coordinator/Row Ontario Member Services Manager

How do leaders of local rowing clubs implement safe sport? What does Rule of Two look like in different settings and club activities? Questions like these were common in the feedback received through the recent RCA Survey on Safe Sport – come get answers, ideas, and practical resources to better implement safe sport policies and practices in your club. The goal is to translate the vast information and language used in Safe Sport material into practical explanations and tips for situations that rowing clubs encounter on an ongoing basis.

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COACH STREAM

Every athlete is unique and arrives at your rowing club at a variety of stages in their development. This presents a challenge to the coach’s knowledge, skills and delivery of their existing rowing programs while providing the opportunity to innovate and do things differently. This interactive stream will be presented by coaching leaders in our community, National Team Coaches and Sport Science Experts. Coaches will gain insight and access tools to further develop and bring out the best in each athlete with innovative training, monitoring and testing protocols required for positive athlete engagement and optimal development.

Strategies for Delivering the Canadian Rowing Model Technique

Tom Morris, Performance Manager, RCA / Katie Bahain-Steenman, NextGen Coach, RCA

Coaches will learn how to implement the Canadian Rowing Model Technique in a sequential process while navigating barriers in their daily training environment. Learn how to assess competencies relative to the technical model and RCA performance standards.

Athlete Preparation to Technical Proficiency

Katie Szabo, Sport Therapist, RCA / Anneke Winegarden, Physiologist, CSI Pacific

Coaches will learn some key techniques for increasing robustness and preparing athletes for competition at higher levels. This presentation will focus on developmental readiness, training assessment, injury prevention and return to row protocols following extended pause, injury or illness.

Advancing Coach Impact

Tom Morris, Performance Manager, RCA

Coaches will develop an understanding for how to specifically teach motor-skills to athletes and how to effectively lead teams to support peak performance and increase their impact in short time spans or campaigns.

This two-part presentation will provide some interesting background into the foundation for coaching skill acquisition to assist delivering a technical model. As a second component, coaches will acquire some useful steps for both leading and managing teams with clarity and purpose.

Developing People First Coaches

David Robertson, High Performance Pursuit Advisor, OTP

Leadership is not solely about technical knowledge and skills, but also about fostering self-awareness, effective communication, emotional intelligence, and overall personal development. Own the Podium’s Pursuit initiative is designed to “support and enhance Canada’s high performance coaches and technical leaders in their inspired Pursuit of excellence in Olympic and Paralympic sport”. This session offers conference participants an immersive experience, with a focus on creating a psychologically safe space for learning and development. It puts the coach in the center of the model. Rooted in a person-first approach to development, this program prioritizes the personal growth and self-discovery of coaches, empowering them to become exceptional people-first leaders.

Creating a Healthy Coach-Athlete Relationship

David Robertson, High Performance Pursuit Advisor, OTP / Katie Bahain-Steenman, NextGen Coach, RCA

Using tools from Pursuit program, coaches will learn how to reflect on their own development and learn how to engage athletes in meetings and conversations. Understand how to set boundaries, manage conflict and reach performance goals in a training environment built on trust, respect and the wellbeing of athlete and coach.

Exploring Strategies to Elevate your Coaching Practice

Joe Rochon Head Coach, Montreal Rowing Club / Mary Rao, Head Coach Brock University Rowing Club / Katie Bruggeling, Head Coach Queens University / Scott Anderson, Varsity Men’s/Lwt Men’s Coach Brock University Rowing Club/St. Catharines Rowing Club

The RCA Made in Canada coach program candidates will share their own reflection and insights on their professional development over the past year. Understand the strategies this team has implemented to elevate their personal coaching pathway through feedback, skill development and mentorship. Coaches will learn how to build a plan and deliver on their own goals to achieve results where they need it most.

ACT NOW to secure your vending space at the 2024 Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) National Conference taking place January 26 to 28, 2024. Vending space will be allocated to interested businesses on a first-come, first-served basis. The deadline to register as a vendor is January 5, 2024. Please contact Rachel Wolff for more information and to reserve your space.

 

THE CONFERENCE

The annual RCA National Conference is an opportunity for passionate individuals from all facets of the Canadian rowing community to come together to network and gain skills for developing rowing across the country. 

 

The conference provides a platform for delegates to learn from and engage with world-leading experts via keynote presentations, workshops and panel sessions. We expect the conference to welcome approximately 200 coaches, club managers, and umpires from across Canada and abroad.

THE VENUE

The 2024 RCA National Conference will be held at the Hilton Quebec (Innvest REIT DBA Hilton Quebec City) in Quebec City. The Hilton provides well-positioned vending space within the coffee and registration area.

THE SCHEDULE 

The conference sessions run on Friday, January 26 and Saturday, January 27, 2024, with the RCA Semi-Annual Meeting taking place on Sunday, January 28. The RCA Excellence Awards dinner will be held on the Saturday evening. Vendor set-up will take place on Friday, January 27 from 6:00-7:00am ET with vendor take-down taking place on Sunday January 28 from 10:00am – 12:00pm ET.

VENDOR PACKAGES

There are three levels of vendor package available to choose from: 

 

Gold – For vendors who want to be on-site interacting with conference delegates. Gold benefits include website and social media promotion. Also included are tickets to evening events and daytime conference catering. Gold level vendors can attend all plenary sessions. They can also bring an additional representative for a fee. 

 

Silver – For vendors who want to be available to interact with delegates in person but would prefer to opt out of the conference plenary sessions. Silver vendors have the option to purchase tickets to evening events. 

 

Bronze – For vendors who cannot be at the conference in person but want to send promotional material for distribution.

	Gold	Gold add’l rep	Silver	Bronze
Display table, chair and required space for 2.5 days (Friday-Sunday)	X		X
Half table for display of pamphlets or other material				X
1 conference delegate pass (includes access to all plenary sessions)	X	X
Coffee and lunch catering Friday and Saturday	X	X	X
Tickets to Thursday social event and Saturday Awards dinner	X	X
Opportunity to purchase social event tickets			X	X
Complimentary Wi-Fi	X	X	X	X
Logo placement before and during conference on the RCA website, conference app and PowerPoint slides	X		X
Advanced promotion through RCA communications (for example, on social media)	X		X	X
Moderator recognition of vendors before sessions	X
Opportunity to include something in virtual and/or physical swag bag	X		X
Inclusion in a post-event survey asking attendees for permission to pass their contact information on to vendors	X		X

To discuss options to further your business’ presence at the 2024 RCA National Conference through sponsorship, please contact:

Jennifer Fitzpatrick 

jfitzpatrick@rowingcanada.org 

For questions regarding the vendor package and vendor registration, please contact:

Rachel Wolff 

rwolff@rowingcanada.org 

Travel

We are thrilled to share exciting news for participants of the upcoming 2024 Rowing Canada Aviron National Conference from January 26-28, 2024, at the Hilton Québec, located on Parliament Hill and steps away from old Québec. Rowing Canada Aviron has successfully secured an exclusive group booking discount with Air Canada to make your travel experience even more convenient and affordable.

To take advantage of this special offer, simply use the provided promo code when booking your flights with Air Canada. This discount is a token of our appreciation for your commitment to the rowing community and your participation in this significant event.

Details of the Air Canada Group Booking Discount and Applicable Rules:

• Promo Code: PRFMVQB1

• The booking is to be made to the following city: Quebec City, YQB (CA)

• The travel period begins Friday, January 19, 2024 and ends Sunday, February 04, 2024.

• For North America 5% applies on standard fares, 10% on flex fares & higher. For International Travel 10% on standard fares & higher.

• Terms and conditions apply, please see Air Canada’s website for more.

Please note that this exclusive offer is available for a limited time, so we encourage you to book your flights early to ensure availability and the best possible rates.

Accommodation

The 2024 Rowing Canada Aviron National Conference will welcome the nation’s rowing community from January 26-28, 2024 to Québec City, Québec at the Hilton Québec. 

Rowing Canada Aviron has secured an exclusive group rate for accommodations at the Hilton Québec hotel for the upcoming event. By booking through our dedicated link below, you can enjoy the comfort and luxury of Hilton Québec at a special discounted rate. 

• Book your stay here: Rowing Canada Aviron Hilton Québec Group Booking Link
• Reservations can also be made by phone at 418-647-6500 or toll free 1-800-447-2411. Group code is GRCAV.
• Please note Group rate is available until January 4, 2024. Space is limited.