Living up to its hype, the Legacy Gala was a fantastic time for all attendees. Raising $130,000 towards funding and grants in support of developing local athletes, the Gala included a star-studded line up of chefs, '80s bands, and Olympic athletes.

As a follow up to the 2013 Super Hero themed event, the Legacy Gala showcased everything that the 1980s had to offer and more. Kaylin Irvine, 2014 Olympic Speed Skater, summed up the experience, claiming "it was the bombdiggity! The '80s theme was like, totally clutch. From the costumes to the food to the concert, the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary and WinSport put on an outrageous event. It was such a great opportunity to mingle with corporate Calgary; I wasn't even alive in the 1980s but the theme instantly gave everyone something in common."

Beginning the night with a reception for sponsors including aclaro softworks inc., THE Downtown Sports Clinic, CBRE, Tourism Calgary and EFW Radiology, athletes showcased their Olympic hardware with the esteemed guests while they sampled food and beverages from 17 of Calgary's top chefs who had donated their time to the fantastic cause. Chefs whose talents were on display that evening included Michele Aurigemma from Q Haute Cuisine, Brian Diamond of Il Sogno, and WinSport's Executive Chef Ronnie Gillman. Intermittent raffles and live auctions were held throughout the evening, offering amazing prizes to the winners while keeping the '80s action going.

Once satiated by the overabundance of food and drinks, athletes and guests moved on to the concert floor where the fun continued with a three-hour Lost '80s Live concert. Retro performances of hits from bands such as Men Without Hats, Wang Chung, and Berlin kept the crowd moving and engaged while funds continued to be donated to amateur sport in Alberta, combining fun with philanthropy in a most spectacular manner.

After the incredible success of this year's fundraiser, and the enthusiasm that the crowd felt for the 1980s theme, the only challenge left is coming up with a concept for next year's event!

A sincere thank you goes out to all of the chefs, bands, athletes, and sponsors who donated their time and skills to this amazing and successful event.

Stay in the loop!
Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary
Writen by Brittany Schussler: @bschussler
Photo by Dave Holland: @csicalgaryphoto
WinSport: www.winsport.ca

On September 15, 2014, the Canadian Sport Institute Network launched the Game Plan™ program to kick off the next phase of elite athlete development and success in Canada. Initiated in collaboration with the Canadian Paralympic Committee, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and Sport Canada, the life services initiative aims to enhance performance while simultaneously preparing athletes for life after sport.

Game Plan’s main goal as Canada’s athlete career transition program is to support and empower high performance athletes to pursue excellence during and beyond their sporting careers. Taking a proactive approach to life and career planning, the program is designed to help athletes navigate change and focus on performing when it matters most. Supporting athletes under the pillars of career, education, and personal development, the program uses a customized approach to ensure that athletes’ specific needs are being met.

The goal of the Career Advisors who are implementing the program is to incorporate their approach into the yearly training plans with the support of athletes’ coaches, high performance directors, and mental performance consultants. This will ensure performance excellence during an athlete’s career by empowering them with the feeling that they can make decisions during their sporting career and beyond. By providing athletes with the peace of mind that their lives will be on track for success even after they are finished competing, Game Plan will allow for optimal performances to occur throughout every stage of an individual’s athletic career.

Kristina Groves, 4-time Olympic medallist in speed skating, knows first hand the benefits of life services programs such as Game Plan. Now retired, she recalls, “As an athlete it can be difficult to imagine or consider life after sport, but resources like career planning available from the CSI… can be a worthwhile experience for all athletes.  I took the career planning workshop when I was a young athlete and still had many years of sport still ahead of me. Even though I ended up pursuing something altogether different when I actually retired, it was the process of evaluating my life's goals and the skills I learned to do so at various points in my career, and now post-sport life, that I found most valuable.  It's a worthwhile endeavour at any stage of an athletic career and I'm thankful I had the opportunity to explore options and learn more about what I truly wanted to do with my life after sport.”

From a different perspective, 20-year-old Development Team speed skater Heather McLean sees extreme value in utilizing the Game Plan program during the beginning stages of her career, saying “As an upcoming athlete in the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary, Game Plan will give me the confidence to focus on my goals during training and competition, knowing that I will have support to help make the transition from being an athlete into having a career after sport!”

The first e-learning module, based on Career Planning, is set to launch on Game Plan’s homepage in January 2015. What better way to start off a new year than with a fresh life goal in mind?

For more information on the Game Plan program at the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary, please contact Cara Button at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Stay in the loop!

Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary
Written by Brittany Schussler: @bschussler
Photo by Dave Holland: @davehollandpics
Game Plan: mygameplan.ca
Game Plan on Twitter: @gameplandematch
Heather McLean: @leeotardsmclean

The Calgary Flames are well prepared for their upcoming season, thanks in part to their work with members of the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary. The Flames began their 2014 training camp at the WinSport Performance Training Centre at Canada Olympic Park on September 11, 2014. Assessments commenced with annual medicals and fitness testing using the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary's world-leading sport science and sport medicine teams. On ice workouts began the following day, drawing public crowds anxious to assess the team's potential for the 2014-15 season.

The players had all systems firing during their fitness testing, where intense competition combined with good camaraderie could be heard throughout the building. The Flames' support staff have continued their testing largely because of their long-standing relationship with the Canadian Sport Institute's Sport Science Director Dr. David Smith, which has enabled the team to amass years' worth of physiological testing data. The data allows for veteran Flames players to monitor their physiological improvements over time, as well as helping the coaching staff determine the fitness and strength of new players.

Ryan Van Asten, strength and conditioning coach for the Calgary Flames noted that the players and staff of the Flames organization are appreciative of the facilities, saying, "The Canadian Sport Institute is truly state of the art. It is a place an athlete can go to meet all of their physical preparation needs including performance testing/monitoring, physical fitness, recovery, nutrition, and rehabilitation. We are fortunate to have this world leading institute right in our own backyard." Van Asten's sentiment resonates with many of Canada's best sports federations, which has resulted in the Flames becoming just one of many elite sports teams that does their training and testing at the new facility. Similar testing protocols are utilized amongst many of the country's best amateur athletes including members of the Canadian Wrestling, Bobsleigh, Skeleton, Alpine, Luge, and Speed Skating teams.

In addition to the benefits provided in the sport science realm, coaches and team staff were able to use Winsport's complex to its full advantage by meeting in conference rooms overlooking the ice rinks while the players used off the ice facilities. Over the course of September, the players could be seen throughout the Centre doing weightlifting sessions, shuttle runs, bike workouts, and yoga classes.

The Flames' organization has also taken advantage of the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary's world-leading biomechanical analysis team, led by Pro Stergiou. During their past season, the team's support staff members worked with the biomechanical team to determine the amount of force placed at the ankle joint using state-of-the-art sensors, cameras, and techniques, to gather information and help bring players back from injury in a safe and expedient manner.

The Calgary Flames begin the regular season on October 8 with a home opener against the Vancouver Canucks. Be there to witness the final product of the team's astounding off-season efforts.

Stay in the loop!
Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary
Writen by Brittany Schussler: @bschussler
WinSport: www.winsport.ca

This Stampede season was not only used to celebrate cowboys. This year, Alberta-based company Secure Energy Services hosted the "Secure Stomp." The event was an annual fundraiser in support of local charities combined with a celebration of the company's success. This summer, the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary had the privilege of being one of two charities selected for Secure's philanthropy.

Olympic Heroes including Jesse Lumsden, Jeff Christie, Sam Edney, Gilmore Junio, Alex Gough, and Justin Kripps partook in the afternoon event, which raised an astonishing $35 000 for the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary. A selection of Canadian Sport Institute Calgary staff members were also in attendance at the Secure Energy Services Stampede party, which was held at downtown Calgary restaurant National.

Funds were raised quickly during the afternoon event, indicating that employees and attendees were eager to contribute to the chosen charities. As per their promise, Secure Energy Services then generously matched the funds raised at the party by giving an equal amount of money to their other chosen charity, KidSport.

Cara Button, Manager of Life Services, said that the event was a huge success. She specified that "the money raised from Secure Stomp 2014 will go a long way to helping us with program delivery – working with athletes one on one to take a proactive approach to life and career planning designed to enhance performance. Each athlete has very specific needs depending on their age and stage of development and this money helps allow us to address the individual's needs as opposed to offering a one size fits all program." She added that the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary's life services programs which will benefit from the finances include personal counseling, career exploration, MBTI/Strong testing, tutoring support, as well as workshops for developing skills such as public speaking or sponsorship engagement.

Bobsleigh Canada team member and two-time Olympian Justin Kripps was one of the many athletes who had a great time participating in the Secure Stomp. He admitted that the Stampede atmosphere at the event was an exciting way to raise funds, saying, "Secure Stomp was an awesome event. We need the support of companies like Secure Energy Services and what better way [to raise money] than on a hot rooftop patio with cold drinks in the middle of stampede?"

The Canadian Sport Institute Calgary and its athletes depend on the support and generosity of companies such as Secure Energy Services and events like the Secure Stomp. Keep an eye out for details on next year's Secure Stomp. After this year's reviews, it is an event that you do not want to miss!

For more information on how to be a partner or supporter of the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary, please contact Cara Button at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Stay in the loop!
Canadian Sport Institute Calgary: @csicalgary
Writer Brittany Schussler: @bschussler
Secure Energy Services: www.secure-energy.com