Peak Hosts First Ever Female Athlete Summit

Peak Athletic Training in Chatham is running their first ever Female Athlete Summit, a two-day event April 29 and May 6, focusing on developing the body and mind, while building confidence in young female athletes.

According to owner Bob Vandersluis, the event came to be through discussions with others in the sports community, and a recognition that girls were dropping out of sport, and not meeting physical activity requirements, compared to their male counterparts.

“The Female Athlete Summit originated from a conversation I had with Derek Quigley, and the topic of female sport participation dropping off in staggering numbers in their teenage years,” said Vandersluis.

“There are also a number of other alarming statistics that I’ve found through some research. Only 8% of girls age 12-17 are getting enough physical activity according to the Canadian physical activity guidelines, compared to 14% of males. Only 19% of Canadian women participate in sport compared to 35% of men. These gaps, along with the number of severe injuries I’ve seen in young women and girls over the years, was enough to think that there is a need for some information and support to help break through some of the issues.”

The summit, which features presenters including Team Canada Basketball member Miah Langlois, Team Canada track athlete Kelsey Balkwill, and a variety of local athletes including Andrea Crow, Keely Baggio, Logan Kucera, Jana Kucera, Darby Barnard, Dr. Colin Goodreau, and Vandersluis himself, aims to educate on topics including warmups, strength development, nutrition, injury management, stress and recovery, and developing a strong mindset.

Vandersluis believes this type of event, and promoting active participation in sport and fitness, can go a long way to helping young female athletes.

“We wanted to provide a glimpse into the benefits of being active through sport and fitness, so girls have the confidence and mindset to continue participating.”