RCA ANNUAL MEETING 2021 ELECTION

CANDIDATE STATEMENT: Jennifer Walinga

Four years ago, in my original application to the RCA Board, I shared my goals for RCA and vision for board membership:

I am passionate about the ideals of sport and believe strongly in the positive power of sport to transform and inspire communities. I believe has a unique potential to lift and galvanize people. In a country as large and diverse as Canada, the key to leveraging the power of our sport will be communication… I was fortunate to have been coxed by for many years and she steered us to several medals through the late 80’s and early 90’s. Much like a board, as coxswain, Lesley was the conduit for the coaches’ knowledge and principles - ensuring that the overall goal of our gold medal standard was visible and kept in focus, that the vision of our unique group of athletes pulling with a whip like rhythm was sustained, and that the daily rituals and process goals for each workout were upheld to the level that our gold medal standard demanded… Like our coxie Lesley, the RCA board can be a conduit of knowledge, goals, standards, and vision for the many levels and kinds of programming within the RCA domain. Lesley’s proximity to and familiarity with our efforts enabled her to provide continuous feedback on our personal and team goals – thus a board needs to be accessible and connected to the various programs that comprise RCA and design channels of communication that enable a continuous, two way flow of information.

As I apply for another three year term on the board, I want to reflect back on these original goals, report on our progress as a board, and share my contributions as a board member for your consideration:

What a thrill to watch Kit lead our women's to the same success we enjoyed in 92, and how wonderful to hear them incorporate the legacy threads of such women as Carol Love, Tricia Smith,

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1.877.722.4769 / [email protected] / 321 – 4371 Interurban Road Victoria, BC V9E 2C5 / ROWINGCANADA.ORG

Kathleen Heddle, Marnie McBean and their coach Michelle Darvill into their unified performance - "stronger than the sum of the parts."

Communication: During my first two years on the board I focused on supporting the enhancement of communication across Canadian Rowing. The more channels for connecting and sharing information that our organization can develop and foster, the greater our potential for learning and development. During my second term, the pandemic made communication palpably crucial to the survival and success of RCA. RCA was nimble, accessible, and courageous in embracing communication tools and processes for keeping their membership informed, engaged, and equipped to sustain rowing across the country. The result was the adoption of a whole suite of interconnectivity possibilities including a ‘hybrid’ conference model for greater accessibility, a regular educational program via webinars, a resource hub, and award winning campaigns for covid preparedness and response. My 25 year experience working in a blended online/on campus university environment has enabled me to participate in and support RCA's educational initiatives.

Organizational Development: These past years, I supported gender and BIPOC equity initiatives across RCA including mentorship programming, and the Canadian Women and Sport Gender Playbook pilot. I will continue to support justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts locally, regionally, and nationally through my research, writing, media, webinar, and podcasting work. I supported the strategic planning process by sharing frameworks and models from my professional experience to guide the consultation, presentation, and feedback loops that make for an engaging, responsive, and relevant strategic planning process. I attended all of the focus groups in order to stay attuned to the voices and interests of our members and I believe the 6 priorities identified and shared are truly representative of the broad cross section of members and clubs, are practical, realistic yet also aspirational like all good sport strategy should be, and I provided multiple webinars on club and sport culture.

Community Building: My goal is always to see and experience as many clubs as possible but also to meet with people and listen to their needs, concerns or questions in order to carry these back to the RCA board and CEO. At the annual conference, I meet with anyone who wishes and encourage the board practice of joining many tables to become familiar with provincial realities and concerns. For example, I encouraged the lightweight contingent to form a working group to support the RCA staff as they envisioned a future for lightweight rowing in Canada. I believe growing rowing in Canada involves strengthening relationships by engaging and supporting our current members so that they become ambassadors of the sport, and by working as a partner within the sport network across Canada. These past two years, I increasingly channeled my research and consulting into building a culture of excellence in Canadian sport – excellence in all ways including performance, coaching, leadership, communication, health, development, access, inclusion, equity, and relationships. I have been working across the sport system on mentoring and leadership development programming, partnering with other sport collectives across Canada, and supporting a team of graduate students in their sport development projects in rowing and beyond. I shared much of this learning through Rowing BC webinars that were accessible across RCA and through my Sport, Leadership and Change webinar at RRU.

This past year, along with a crew of national team alumni, we formed the RCA national team alumni association (RCA NTAA) in order to connect former national teams, support reunion rows and racing, foster mentorship for current teams, and develop education, promotion, and fundraising opportunities. We are looking forward to launching this initiative at the January conference.

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Coach and Athlete Development: Rowing has been my most important education. I have been very fortunate to belong to various clubs– Peterborough, Brock, St. Catharines, South Niagara, Western, Hanlan, Argos, Dons, London, Burnaby, Vic City, Gorge, Westshore, and to be coached by over 30 amazingly influential and supportive individuals. I am devoting a great deal of my time ensuring that sport remains a safe and brave space to be one’s self, challenge, learn, and contribute, and ensuring sport remains a vehicle for human and social development and optimization, not commodification or privilege. During my tenure, I have acted as a conduit for individuals with Safesport concerns, directing them to the progressive and up to date resources, processes, policies, and third party support system available through RCA. But policies are only safeguards. Years ago, I worked with Colleen Miller on a progressive RCA rowing handbook by contributing socio-emotional practices for coaches, athletes, sport leaders, and parents. Prevention of abuse and harm is key and therefore proactive governance, leadership, and coaching practices are the key to a truly high performance environment, one that upholds athletic excellence in all ways: success, community, safety, health, and respect.

I wish to continue to serve rowing in Canada. Going forward, I will continue to press for open communication channels; community building; regular, transparent information flow; and creative, collaborative storytelling, sharing, and learning opportunities. I want to continue to promote and develop our communication networks, mechanisms, processes, and channels in order to leverage our diversity while unifying us as Canadian rowers. I also want to support and challenge RCA in two other areas of interest: equity in sport and ‘good sport’ (Safesport, clean/true sport, and leadership development through sport). As a board member, and like a good coxswain, I believe it is my responsibility, along with the board team and CEO, to ensure we are doing our best to hold our course and live up to our principles and priorities together.

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