Overview

Own the Podium supports the development of coaches, high-performance directors, and sport science and sport medicine practitioners—because people are the foundation of a strong, sustainable high-performance sport system.

OTP’s approach is personalized, rigorous, and grounded in the evolving needs of Canadian high-performance sport. Whether someone is early in their journey or leading at the international level, we provide meaningful growth opportunities that help leaders perform at their best—on and off the field of play.

Coaches & Technical Leaders

Own the Podium offers tailoured development experiences that help coaches and technical leaders improve their skills and prepare for the pressures of international competition. Here are some of the ways we support coaches and technical leaders in their continued development.

Individual Learning Journeys: Leaders receive support to reflect on their strengths, identify growth areas, and take meaningful steps toward personal and professional improvement. This could involve developing technical or tactical expertise, enhancing leadership behavior, or expanding strategic thinking.
Multi-Sport Collaboration: Leaders from across Canada’s sport system come together to learn from one another, gain cross-sport perspectives, and tackle shared challenges. These collaborative experiences build leadership depth and strengthen the network of high-performance professionals across the country.
Team-Based Development: We work with national sport organizations to strengthen leadership across entire performance teams. These customized workshops align staff around common priorities and support leadership growth over the Olympic and Paralympic cycle.
Mentorship: Experienced leaders are paired with emerging coaches and technical leaders to offer guidance, share lessons learned, and help navigate complex challenges. These mentorships support long-term growth and build leadership continuity across the system.

Sport Science and Sport Medicine Practitioners

Own the Podium also helps grow and retain exceptional practitioners who play a critical role in enhancing training, recovery, and performance environments. Here are some of the ways we support practitioners in their development.

Practitioner Pathway: Sport scientists follow a multi-stage development journey based on experience, qualifications, and demonstrated competencies. We support this pathway with clear standards, learning tools, and targeted development opportunities.
High Performance Certification (HPC): Certification helps ensure the system is supported by qualified, effective practitioners. It sets a national benchmark for excellence and promotes safe, evidence-informed practice in the daily training environment. The certification framework also supports career progression and talent retention across the system.
Areas of Focused Competence (AFCs): Practitioners can be recognized for developing expertise in key areas—such as para sport or data literacy—that directly strengthen their applied work with athletes and coaches.
Leadership and Mentorship: Programs like LEAD equip sport scientists with leadership strategies to influence the training and competition environments. Women in Sport Science (WiSS) provides mentorship and career support to help close gender gaps in the field and elevate the next generation of women leaders in sport science.

Across all roles, we are focused on developing skilled, confident, and connected leaders who can help build the environments where high performance thrives.