January 30, 2013 (Montebello, QC) – Fast and Female is inviting female cross country ski enthusiasts ages 7 to 19 to attend an afternoon activity of inspiration on February 9 led by 2010 Olympian Madeleine Williams as part of the Canadian Ski Marathon.

Williams, an accomplished cross country skier and runner as well as a current Law student at McGill university will join the girls for an inspirational presentation followed by a personal development exercise on attitude as well as fun dance and yoga sessions. The event will take place at Château Montebello – one of the largest log-built hotels in the world – from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm on Saturday, February 9.

“I’m very excited to be leading the Fast and Female event at the Canadian Ski Marathon because this event is one of our country’s premiere ski events,” said Williams. “This is a great opportunity to reach an audience of racers and recreational skiers alike. Inspiring girls to stay in sport is important to me because sport teaches so many vital life lessons and encourages lifelong health,” concluded the retired World Cup cross country racer who still competes in cross country running.

As a two-day event, the CSM features 160 kilometres of skiing divided into 5 sections each day, with an average of 16 km per section. Skiers of all ages and abilities are welcome to participate and can do so safely. There are checkpoints at the end of each section providing food, first, aid an other services, as well as shuttle buses that run between accommodation and checkpoints throughout each day. The CSM alternates its direction each year, from East to West one year and then West to East the next – between Gatineau and Lachute.

Unlike most ski events, there are no winners or losers in the Canadian Ski Marathon. Each skier can select his/her own level of challenge and try to achieve it. One can ski as little as 12 km or up to the maximum of 160 km over the weekend.

“Chandra Crawford, Madeline Williams and the Fast and Female team have brought an inspiring energy to the 2013 Canadian Ski Marathon,” said Bill Syrros, CSM President “We recognize and respect the level of empowerment and encouragement they’re offering to CSM youth; to ski and to be the best that they can be.”

Fast and Female is a non-profit organization launched in seven years ago by Chandra Crawford – 2006 Olympic gold medalist and honorary president for this year’s edition of the Canadian Ski Marathon. The organization’s mission is to support, encourage and motivate girls to stay in sports. It is believed that girls are six times more likely to drop out of sports than boys by the time they reach 14 years old.

“I’m super pumped that we are able to bring the Fast and Female message of joy for sport to the girls taking part in the Canadian Ski Marathon,” said Crawford who is in Europe for the remainder of the World Cup season. “The CSM is a tremendous event for participants of all ages and abilities to push their limits in a fun and supportive environment. This is extremely in line with Fast and Female’s values of inspiring all girls to follow their passions for sport and continuously challenge themselves to improve as athletes and as human beings. I’m sure all the girls attending the Fast and Female activity will learn a lot from Madeleine’s presence and her lessons on perseverance and determination.”

The February 9 Fast and Female activity in Montebello is open to female youth Canadian Ski Marathon participants as well as non participants from the area.

The cost for the events is $25 for youth and includes a Fast & Female t-shirt, a healthy snack, a magazine subscription (Pedal or SkiTrax) and an autographed poster. Online registration is open until February 8 at lunch time HERE or at www.fastandfemale.com.

As a complement to the event, Fast and Female and the Canadian Ski Marathon are also partnering to run a Marathon Girl Contest. As part of the contest, girls ages 7 to 19 registered in the Canadian Ski Marathon are invited to submit a short paragraph on what makes them exemplary Fast and Female Marathon Girls. Ten young women will be selected as part of this contest and will be rewarded with a free Fast and Female Buff. Entries in the contest can be sent to info@fastandfemale.com.

For more information about the Canadian Ski Marathon and to register, click HERE.

December 27, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – Want to make a difference in the lives of girls in sports? Fast and Female is seeking an Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for the efficient and effective management and oversight of the organization’s global operations, including finances, budgeting, programming, marketing, communications, merchandising, fundraising, and staffing. The Executive Director shall ensure that all operations are consistent with the standards set by the Board.

ABOUT FAST AND FEMALE
Fast and Female is a not-for-profit society started in 2005 by Chandra Crawford, 2006 Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing. The organization’s mission is to ensure that girls remain supported, motivated, inspired, empowered to stick to sports and the healthy lifestyle. Fast and Female fulfills its mission of “Empowerment Through Sport” by hosting fun-filled, non-competitive initiatives all across North-America aimed at exposing young female athletes to inspiring female Olympians and elite level athletes. The young girls who attend Fast and Female events today will lead in the future, may it be as athletes, coaches, volunteers, parents, and community leaders. For more information about Fast and Female, visit www.fastandfemale.com

ROLE
Executive Director (reports to President and Chairman of the Board)

ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategy/High level planning
– Oversee the short and longer term planning of Fast and Female programming (events, web-based programming, target groups ¡V youth, coaches, parents, ambassadors).
– Interfaces with Fast and Female Founder and Board to map out a short-term and long term strategies.
–  Plans out strategic initiatives and ensures optimal alignment with the interests of all Fast and Female stakeholders (participants, sponsors, donors).
– Develops strategic relations with key NSOs for the development and execution of programming.

Governance
– Plan out annual calendar of meetings.
– Prepare board meeting agendas and compile minutes.
– Prepare board meeting documents (management review, financials).

Finances
– Develops and maintains annual organizational budget as well as event-based budgets.
– Tracks and monitors all income and expenses on a daily basis.
– Issue cheques for invoices due.
– Interfaces with accountant to produce quarterly financial statements for internal purposes with the Board.
– Maintain appropriate relations with third party financial services (Moneris, PayPal, Eventbrite) for the collection of funds.

Programming
– Manage annual programming calendar.
– Establishes key contacts with local event hosting stakeholders.
– Effectively lead the planning, execution and debrief of Fast and Female events.
– Oversee the work of contractors involved in event planning, execution and debrief in other jurisdictions. (USA, Australia, Eastern Canada…) to ensure programming quality and consistency.

www.fastandfemale.com
– Develop, deliver and maintain web-based programming (Fast and Female TV, Fast and Female Facebook page, Fast and Female Power Hour, Fast and Female e-Newsletter, Fast and Female Amazing Tips Seminars for Parents and Coaches, Fast and Female Ambassador program).
– Track programming impact assessment (survey monkey, testimonials…).

Communications, Marketing and Media Relations
– Maintain communications and marketing strategy for the organization as a whole and for the specific programming components (events, Fast and Female TV, Fast and Female Facebook page, Fast and Female Power Hour, Fast and Female e-Newsletter, Fast and Female Amazing Tips Seminars for Parents and Coaches, Fast and Female Ambassador program).
– Manage and optimize communications channels (website, Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube Channel).
– Ensure consistent usage of the Fast and Female brand guidelines.
– Develop and produce all marketing collateral (posters, logos, cards…).
– Develop and broadcast press releases relating to the organization and its programming.
– Develop and execute a strategy to ensure optimal media exposure for the organization and its supporters.

Fundraising
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful execution of the retail merchandise program (online and event sales, inventory management, product replenishing, supplier relations, pricing strategies…).
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful execution of the sponsor-raising and sponsor-retention program (maintain and update sponsor pitch documents, lead pitching initiatives, maintain relations with sponsors, identify prospective sponsors, ensure all contractual agreements with sponsors are fulfilled).
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful execution of the donor-raising and donor-retention program (maintain and update donor pitch documents, lead pitching initiatives, maintain relations with donors, identify prospective donors, produce reporting documents to meet donors¡¦ needs and expectations).
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful execution of in-king supplier contributors.
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful execution of event-based fundraising initiatives (Sports Day in Canada, VIP cocktails, silent auctions…).
– Develop a strategy and oversee the successful application on grants.

Office and Operations
– Interface with third party to secure office space.
– Oversee resource management for contractors when necessary (computers…).
– Interface with key stakeholders for ensuring that the organization maintains appropriate insurance for events, retail program, and other.
– Ensures appropriate insurance coverage is in place for the organization’s activities.
– Keeps abreast of legal and other liability issues that concern the organization.

DESIRED KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS
– 3-5 years of progressive management experience
– Academic background in sports management/ communications/marketing/business/special events
– Strong events planning and hosting experience
– Strong sport background (either as an athlete, coach, or as an event planner)
– Strong comprehension of the sports system
– Strong computer skills (Internet, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, website content management, social media platforms)
– Strong interpersonal/people skills
– Strong communication skills (ability to speak in public in front of large crowds)
– Knowledge of legal and liability issues as they relate to event and brand management
– Basic accounting
– French/English bilingualism a strong asset
– Must be willing to travel
– Must be will to work on weekends and week nights

DESIRED WORK STYLE
– Extremely passionate about girls and sports
– Strong ability to work independently
– Self-directed
– Team Player
– Attention to details
– Can-do attitude
– Flexible mindset
– Highly flexible time commitment
– Honest
– Dependable
– Visionary
– Positive attitude
– Engaging leader

COMPENSATION
– Contract position
– 4 days of work per week (32 hours per week)
– 2 weeks paid vacation
– Salary $40,000 per year (paid out on the 15th and last day of each month = $3,333 per month / $1,666 paid out every second week)

WORK LOCATION
Ideally Canmore, Alberta but open to other locations.

APPLICATION PROCESS
Please submit your resume and cover letter in complete confidence to board@fastandfemale.com prior to January 7, 2012 at midnight.

Salary Range: 40,000 per year

Full job description HERE (PDF).

December 20, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – The Board of Directors of Fast and Female announces the departure of Marie-Hélène (M&H) Thibeault following more than four years of dedication to the program as Executive Director.

M&H, alumni of the Canadian alpine ski team, started with the organization in 2009. At that time, Fast and Female’s program consisted of a single event in cross country skiing reaching 150 young women.

“It is with mixed emotions that I’m stepping down from my role of Executive Director,” said M&H. “The last four years have been extremely enriching for me and definitively surpassed all my expectations with regards to where this fantastic program could go! Much of this awesomeness was achieved thanks to the amazing ambassadors, colleagues, sponsors, donors, volunteers, and supporters who have all contributed in different ways to helping us empower girls through inspiring programming. I’m extremely proud of where the program is presently and I know it’s in a fantastic position to continue growing and reaching more young women.”

In 2012, Fast and Female hosted more than 25 events in Canada, the US and Australia in a broad variety of sports and impacted more than 1,500 young women and their families. In addition to expanding its signature events for young women ages 9 to 19, Fast and Female’s programming has also grown to feature online content such as Fast and Female TV on You Tube and the Fast and Female Facebook page – all of which are intended to support the retention of young women in sports. A new programming element was recently launched called the Fast and Female Power Hour, which hopes to encourage local clubs to host their own small Fast and Female activities to help support the athletic and personal development of their young female members.

“M&H’s work has been impressive on all fronts, but Kikkan and I feel that her rock-solid prioritization of making a difference in the lives of our participants has been amazing,” said Fast and Female President and Founder, Chandra Crawford. “Her passion for empowering young women through sport has brought our programming to thousands of young women. She brought so many great ambassadors and sponsors on board and grew our community. Her deep caring has always kept us in line with the values that matter most,” added the 2006 Olympic gold medalist in cross country ski racing who launched Fast and Female in 2005 out of a need to see more girls stick to sports.

As an MBA graduate, M&H hopes to return to the corporate world in the Calgary region to apply her skills in marketing, communications, brand and culture development, as well as program management. She also hopes to take advantage of the next months to spend time with her family which includes two young children – Thomas (age 4) and Zoe (age 1).

The Fast and Female Board has launched a global search for a new Executive Director and hopes to have a new person in position by mid to late January.

“As the Board of Directors looks ahead, we are looking to bring on board a new Executive Director who can harness Fast and Female’s inspiring message and empower another generation of girls committed to the healthy lifestyle,” said Ted Kalil, Fast and Female Board member and lead on the recruitment process.

The complete job description can be found HERE. The deadline to submit a résumé and cover letter is January 7, 2013.

“While M&H leaves some highly energetic, well-qualified boots to fill, we are excited about the hiring phase and have a lot of support from our Board of Directors as we search for a new force to keep blazing the Fast and Female trail,” concluded Chandra.

M&H will remain in part-time position until a new Executive Director is in place in January.

November 13, 2012 – I’m about to board my second of four flights taking me from home in AK to Northern Finland, “Munio.” It’s hard to see on this map but it’s to the left of “Lappi” …. you may notice this is WAY above the Arctic Circle. Don’t worry, I packed some neon to keep things bright and happy….

My favorite wax tech helping me travel wax skis. I had this pic on Facebook earlier and many people are surprised by the number of skis I have.  Reality is, everyone has this many to be competitive at the international level.  Each one is for different conditions… different cambers, stiffnesses, grinds, etc.

Fast and Female Anchorage (last weekend) is deserving of its own post. I’ll try to write an update later. Basically, it was AWESOME and we had over 200 girls. Thanks so much to everyone who pitched in and helped out!

After the main event we took the opportunity to get a bunch of Alaskan women influential in sports together for a social/pow-wow. Women shared incredible personal stories and also gave updates on the programs they are currently involved in. We had everyone from Nina Kemppal (4x XC Ski Olympian) to Deedee Jonrowe (30x Iditorod sled dog racer) to Margaret Timmerman in charge of Tuesday Night races to Joey Caterinichio – US Ski Team Nordic Program Director, Rosey Grundwaldt – 2006 Torino Bronze Medalist, etc, etc. I wish I had had a tape recorder on the conversation because it was amazing.

Rob dropped me off at the airport last night. Always hard to say goodbye. He’s my biggest supporter. (Thanks for the help babe!)

Opp! They’re calling my name to board! Next flight to Frankfurt, then to Helsinki, then to Rovanemi & finally, a drive to Munio. I have a long road ahead!

More soon!
Holly 😉

The day before my departure I got this in the mailbox. I’m excited to be writing an international column for the statewide Nordic Skier Newspaper. In case you live outside of Alaska or don’t receive the paper, I’ve included my article below….

From Alaska to Europe & Back
by Holly Brooks

Eight years ago I moved to Anchorage because I wanted to live in a ski town. After growing up in Seattle, I craved a place where roller skiers weren’t considered freaks and I could see snow outside the kitchen window. I was ecstatic to find friends who knew of Swix Extra Blue and a spider web of fabulous trails throughout the city, complete with lights for skiing at night. I made my rounds of the local ski scene working at Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking, serving as the head coach for West High, spent six years as a coach for the Alaska Junior Olympic team and finally, five years as a fulltime junior and master’s coach for the APU Nordic Ski Center.

I started out racing in the local Anchorage Cup series; the Hickok, Pia’s Classic, the Sven, the Oosik, the Tour. Then, in 2009, I entered the American Birkebeiner and “lost” the race by what some called a “toenail” in a photo finish. In many ways, that race was one of the defining moments that inspired me to focus on skiing at a new level. Luckily my commitment and hard work was rewarded when this past May, I was named as an official member of the US Cross Country Ski Team.

Last winter I unexpectedly spent almost five consecutive months in Europe racing the World Cup. Needless to say, this was quite the jump from the Alaska community racing scene where I frequented the coastal trail, had a “handful of skis” thrown into the back of my Subaru or spent Tuesday nights doing intervals at Hillside with my friends. In all, I traveled to & raced in ten different countries and accumulated 26 World Cup starts. There were highlights such as my contribution to the best women’s 4x5k team relay finish in history and there were certainly low lights as well. Christmas night I was running on an icy road, fell & broke my wrist just four days before the start of the infamous “Tour de Ski” stage race. (I foolishly competed anyways!) This winter promises to be full of more tales and adventures. I’m by no means a seasoned veteran of the World Cup but I’m not a rookie either.

As you may know, three of the six US Ski Team girls reside and train in Anchorage including Kikkan Randall, Sadie Bjornsen and myself. We represent the USA, the State of Alaska and APU Nordic Ski Center on the International stage. This year World Championships will be in Val di Fiemme, Italy and in less than two years we hope to be “toeing the start line” at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

When driving up the serpentine roads to the racing venue in Slovenia or landing a chartered plane on an obscure military base in Russia to compete it’s easy to feel far from home and far from the people, specifically the Alaskans, that helped us reach the World stage. Realizing that, I’m excited to be writing a monthly column for the Nordic Skier that will attempt to bring stories from the World Cup into your hands. While I may not spend much of the winter in Alaska anymore I spend the spring crust skiing at Portage, the summer running in the Chugach and the fall roller skiing at Kincaid. While I love being on the road, my heart is always at home. I hope you’ll join me for the adventure that is the 2012-2013 World Cup season

If you would like to follow Holly’s ski adventures on a more regular basis, check out her blog @ www.hollyskis.blogspot.com

October 19, 2012 – Here is your CAAWS Newsletter for the month of October. “CAAWS” stands for “Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity”. CAAWS provides leadership and education, and builds capacity to foster equitable support, diverse opportunities and positive experiences for girls and women in sport and physical activity.

1. CAAWS PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE
CAAWS would like to thank you! – As part of its strategic planning process, CAAWS invited key stakeholders to complete an online survey to ultimately ensure that our programs and services meet the needs of girls and women in sport and physical activity. CAAWS would like to thank all those who responded to the survey. The findings will be analyzed and presented to the CAAWS Board of Directors at their upcoming Board Meeting taking in place in Ottawa next month.

Moving, Mentoring, Motivating Mothers – With funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, CAAWS will be offering a total of 15 incentive grants to groups and/or organizations interested in increasing physical activity and sport participation among Ontario mothers and their families. Through this opportunity, CAAWS is excited to announce the following recipients:
Project Amik Residents Committee (Toronto); West Nipissing Community Health Centre (Sturgeon Falls); Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte (Tyendinaga Territory); Community Living Brant – Ontario Early Years Centre: Brant (Brantford); Ontario Early Years Centre: Thorncliffe Neighbourhood Office (Toronto); Flemindgon Neighbourhood Services (Toronto); Odawa Native Friendship Centre (Ottawa); Township of Tyendinaga (Shannonville); Oil Heritage District Community Centre (Petrolia); Centre des services communautaires Vanier (Ottawa); Grandir Ensemble (Ottawa); Sioux Lookout Mothers in Motion (Sioux Lookout); Terrace Bay & Schreiber Mothers in Motion Committee (Terrace Bay); and, Moms in Motion (Toronto).

For more information on CAAWS’ Mothers in Motion project, visit the website HERE.

Keeping Girls in Motion – CAAWS Executive Director, Karin Lofstrom, had an opportunity to sit down with Saskatchewan in motion – re:activity host Lisa Peters and talk about getting and keeping girls active. To see what Karin had to say, click here. re:activity is a multi-media memo to parents regarding physical activity. And the message? Your kids aren’t as active as you think they are. But the good news is that it doesn’t take a super hero to make physical activity the easy choice. To see more stories, advice and practical tools to re:activate your family, click HERE.

2. CAAWS IS LOOKING FOR THE MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN IN SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN 2012
CAAWS wants your help to identify powerful and influential women in sport and physical activity. Next month, CAAWS will be seeking your input for its Most Influential Women in Sport and Physical Activity List for 2012.

Who is an influential woman? She is a powerful woman who is influencing sport or physical activity in 2012. She may be a podium athlete who has achieved national and/or international recognition, or has had to overcome challenges but lead by example. Perhaps she is a volunteer or a Mission Staff team member who’s donated countless hours to coaching or organizing. She may be making a significant impact in physical activity. Or she is an executive who has led an organization or team with a clear defined vision. It may even be someone in the print or broadcast media who influences coverage of girls and women at the Games.

Women previously named to the list may be nominated again. A panel established by CAAWS will review all nominations. They will develop the final list of the Most Influential Women in Sport and Physical Activity for 2012. See our past lists for info. CAAWS will be accepting nominations starting November 2012 – stay tuned for more details!

3. NEW CAAWS PROJECT – MAKING HEALTHY CONNECTIONS IN RACIALIZED COMMUNITIES: GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN’S EXPERIENCES WITH SPORT, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTHY LIVING
The Making Healthy Connections in Racialized Communities project is designed to enhance capacity at the community, regional and provincial levels to increase healthy living opportunities for girls and young women from ethnic communities. The project was funded through the Healthy Communities Fund of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and builds on On the Move, CAAWS’ national initiative to increase opportunities for inactive girls and young women ages (9-18) to participate in sport and physical activity.

Earlier this year, CAAWS hosted focus groups with ethnic girls and young women, and practitioners involved with sport and physical activity programs and services for this target group. The focus groups provided the foundation for a new report that discusses the sport and physical activity needs, interests and experiences of girls and young women from ethnic communities, shares successes and challenges from an organizational perspective, and provides recommendations to enhance program and service delivery. Available November 2012; email caaws@caaws.ca to request a copy.

In addition to the Report, the project also involves the training of 10 women as workshop facilitators, and the delivery of 20 workshops across the province. Workshops are half-day, interactive, issue-based sessions that provide an overview of the project, share focus group findings, discuss the complexities of race and multiculturalism in an increasingly diverse society as they apply to sport, physical activity and healthy living, and provide tips and recommendations to increase the participation of girls and young women from ethnic communities.

Applications to become a workshop facilitator and/or to host a workshop are now available on the CAAWS website – the deadline is November 30, 2012.

For more information about the project, click HERE.

To download the facilitator application form HERE (download PDF).
To download the workshop host application form HERE (download PDF).

4. ACTIVELY ENGAGING WOMEN AND GIRLS – CALL FOR SUCCESS STORIES
To support work to enhance the Canadian Sport and Physical Activity system and build on the Canadian Sport for Life movement, CAAWS is seeking success stories from national, provincial/territorial and community organizations that have increased opportunities for women and girls to participant and/or lead. These could include targeted Learn to Play programs, codes of conduct to make your team more inclusive, female-only coach certification opportunities, mentorship initiatives, and more. Send a description of your success story to Sydney Millar, CAAWS’ National Program Director, via snmillar@caaws.ca.

To download CAAWS’ CS4L resource, Actively Engaging Women and Girls: Addressing the Psycho-Social Factors and targeted supplements for NSOs, P/TSOs, Coaches, Program Leaders, Educators and Parents, click HERE.

5. ACTIVE LIVING AFTER SCHOOL RESOURCES NOW AVAILABLE!
PHE Canada has just launched its Active Living After School (ALAS) initiative as part of the Canadian Active After School Partnership (CAASP) funded by Public Health Agency of Canada. Developed to assist after school program administrators in delivering high quality programs that involve increased access and opportunity to engage in physical activity and healthy living, the ALAS initiative includes a How-to-Guide and an equipment Activity Kit to help administrators in support of their programs. PHE Canada has partnered with Canadian Tire Jumpstart to provide qualified after school programs with the ALAS resources at no cost. For more information on this initiative, click HERE.

Be sure to also check out CAAWS’ Active After School Programs for Girls and Young Women Resources which were developed to ensure after school programs are positive and inclusive environments for girls and young women: On the Move Top 10 Success Factors, Success Stories from Five Friendship Centres, and Policy and Recommendations. These resources were released by CAAWS as part of their involvement in CAASP. To view and/or download these resources, click HERE.

6. IAPESGW’s 17TH WORLD CONGRESS 2013
The International Association of Physical Education and Sport for Girls and Women (IAPESGW) 17th World Congress 2013 will be held April 10-13, 2013 in Havana (Cuba). The conference will bring together interested scholars and practitioners from across the globe, who are working to improve the position of girls and women in the fields of physical education, sport, dance and physical activity. Sessions will include keynotes, symposia, workshops, oral and poster presentations aimed at facilitating the sharing of research and practice through exchange of knowledge, networking, discussing and creating new possibilities for the benefit of girls and women globally.

Deadline to submit an abstract is December 1, 2012. For more information, visit the conference website HERE.

7. NEW WEBSITE ON LGBT ISSUES IN SPORT
Sport, as an institution, has historically been behind the times when it comes to issues related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. But a growing push for social justice in sport has begun to transform cultural attitudes. A new website, LBGT Issues in Sport: Theory to Practice, was recently launched by Drexel University’s Goodwin College.

The website will provide public access to research focusing on LGBT issues in sport, with the goal of turning theory into practice in order to make sport more inclusive for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. The site will also serve as a resource for sharing research that has been vetted through peer-reviewed processes to facilitate a greater awareness of work being done in this field, and connect researchers and activities in order to impact public policy and education.

For more information, visit the website HERE.

8. UPCOMING EVENTS
While CAAWS is not hosting any workshops and/or presentations in the coming weeks, the following events may be of interest:

The 4th Conference on Recent Advances in the Prevention and Management of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity – Taking place Oct. 24-26 in Halifax NS, this conference brings together an interdisciplinary group of professionals and policy makers working in the field of childhood and adolescent obesity. Specifically, the conference will showcase examples of the best and promising practice across Canada, and across multiple settings. >From provincial level policies to school and community level interventions, and through practice-based management programs targeting multiple behaviours that are associated with obesity, the conference seeks to promote a solution-oriented approach to obesity prevention and management. For more information and program updates, click HERE.

Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Sportif – From November 8th to 10th, Canada’s sport elite will gather in Montreal, Quebec. The country’s top coaches and sport scientists will join senior leaders from our national sport organizations to analyze, discuss, network, and learn from each other in powerful sharing sessions. You will be educated, motivated and inspired. For more information or to register, click HERE.

9. CELEBRATIONS
Congratulations to Chantal Petitclerc on being named Canada’s chef de mission for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Active Healthy Kids Canada names Jennifer Cowie Bonne as Chief Executive Officer. Synchro Canada names Meng Chen as head coach to lead the senior national team in this new era leading to the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.

Marion Lay, CAAWS Founding Mother and former Chair, is being inducted into the Canadian Sport Hall of Fame in Calgary.

Congratulations to the following four women on being named Ontario Apprentice Coaches for the 2013 Canada Summer Games Coaching Apprentice Program: Jenny Trew (Cycling) and Helen Orton (Canoe Kayak) have been selected for the Women Apprentice program; Ohsweken Apprentice Coaches, Tiffany Van Every (Canoe Kayak) and Kathryn Hill (Softball) have been identified for the Aboriginal Apprentice program.

In the Loop celebrates women’s accomplishments in the sport and physical activity community. Send career notices, changes, awards and recognitions to CAAWS c/o sparker@caaws.ca to be included in the next issue.

Get Social!
Did you know you can connect with CAAWS to find out the latest news? Become a fan of CAAWS on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter for another way to stay “In the Loop.”

www.caaws.ca

October 09, 2012 – Happy Canadian Thanksgiving everyone! Ok, now the blog post can begin. The Fast and Female event in Park City was officially AWESOME. As per my usual, I got to lead the dancing/endurance station, where we keep moving the entire time and each girl gets to add a dance move of her own to the group dance. The dance gets longer and longer and by the last group of the day I’m always working so hard to try and remember which move comes next! But it’s so much fun. Anne Hart was my dance station partner and we had a blast although by the end we both had jelly legs and were wiped out.

For me the coolest thing is seeing each girls face light up as the entire group does the dance move SHE got to add. It’s fun to make each girl be the star for 10 seconds!

And now… the National Nordic Foundation’s Drive for 25.

I realize that there are a ton of fundraisers going on this fall. And my personal fundraiser, the Chilkoot Cafe dinner in Stillwater, is going on this fall as well, on November 10th. But, I’m putting this up because the National Nordic Foundation directly helps me as well as many other junior, senior and U23 athletes looking to take the next step in international racing. NNF lowers trip costs for World Juniors/U23′s, and help pay for World Cup expenses. NNF also helped the US Women’s team travel to Sweden to train with some of the best in the world and improve.

So!

If you cannot come to Stillwater, MN on November 10th but are a friend of mine and/or Nordic Skiing and want to help out, this fundraiser is the best way to do it. I’ve linked my fundraising page below, and my goal is to get 20 people to donate $25. All the fundraiser information is on the link – even if you do not want to donate, please check out the NNF and their mission – the stories, pictures and race blogs are well worth looking at. Thanks for your time!

Jessie’s Drive for 25 page HERE.

March 08, 2012 (Ottawa, ON) – In celebration of International Women’s Day, the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS) announces the publication of Actively Engaging Women and Girls: Addressing the Psycho-Social Factors, a new resource designed to increase opportunities for women and girls as both participants and leaders in the Canadian sport and physical activity system. The publication is a supplement to the Canadian Sport for Life (CS4L) foundation document, and complements other Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) resources. A valuable resource for everyone involved in sport and physical activity, it will support and guide those working with women and girls so they engage in, and maintain, healthy and active lifestyles.

“Women and girls are still less active than men, are less visible in leadership roles, and tend to drop out of sport and physical activity earlier. Lower rates of participation have serious implications for the health of women and girls, and a lack of female leaders decreases the quality of the sport and physical activity system”, said CAAWS Executive Director Karin Lofstrom (Ottawa, Ontario). “The purpose of this resource is to increase awareness about the experiences of women and girls, and provide recommendations to address the psycho-social factors that influence female athlete development, leadership and life-long participation in sport and physical activity. International Women’s Day is the perfect time to reignite the dialogue and provide solutions, and CAAWS is proud to be offering this resource to all Canadians.”

Women and girls, who account for more than 50 percent of the population of Canada, continue to be underrepresented in the sport and physical activity system. Awareness about biomechanical and physiological considerations unique to women and girls has increased, providing a foundation to improve training methods and competition programs for athletes. However, large gaps persist in knowledge and practice relating to the psycho-social factors that influence women and girls as participants, athletes, coaches, officials, leaders or administrators.

Information in Actively Engaging Women and Girls: Addressing the Psycho-Social Factors will support national, provincial/territorial and community sport and physical activity organizations in enhancing their CS4L/LTAD implementation strategies. It will guide sport and physical activity leaders, coaches, educators and health promoters in developing and implementing quality programs and providing equitable support for women and girls as a priority. Parents and family members will find this resource helpful when making decisions about how to encourage and support the full and active participation of their daughters and female family members.

An advisory team of female leaders, representing different sport and physical activity sectors, contributed to the creation of the resource. Committee members were: Sylvie Béliveau (Canadian Soccer Association, LTPD Manager); Vicki Harber (PhD, Faculty of Physical Education & Recreation, University of Alberta); Louise Humbert, (PhD, Associate Dean, College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan); Penny Werthner (PhD, Director and Associate Dean, School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa); Karin Lofstrom (Executive Director, Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity, CAAWS); Sydney Millar (National Program Director, Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity); Lori Johnstone (Project Manager).

CS4L (www.canadiansportforlife.ca) is a movement to improve the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada. CS4L links the sport, physical activity, recreation, education and health systems, and aligns community, provincial/territorial and national programming. LTAD is a seven-stage training, competition, and recovery pathway that guides an individual’s experience in sport and physical activity from infancy through all phases of adulthood. CS4L, with LTAD, represents a paradigm shift in the delivery of sport and physical activity in Canada. CS4L and LTAD are intentionally organic movements — as the concepts evolve, so do the resources that describe and support them.

THE RESOURCE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE HERE.

CAAWS acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Sport Canada).

February 28, 2012 (Mont-Ste-Anne, QC) – Fast and Female will be traveling East for its second Cross-Country Ski event of the season as it hosts an activity on March 18, 2012 as part of the 2012 Haywood Ski Nationals at Mont-Ste-Anne in Quebec.

Fast and Female, a program launched seven years ago by 2006 Olympic gold medallist Chandra Crawford – is inviting 125 girls ages 9 to 19 for an afternoon of skiing, dancing and inspiration running from 11:30am to 3:30pm at the Château Mont-Ste-Anne.

All activities will be led by National Team member Perianne Jones as well as Former Olympian Madeleine Williams. Jones and Williams will be joined by a group of inspiring women from the XC ski community including racers Julie Boisvert, Caroline Drolet, Stéphanie Drolet, Sara Hewitt, Kendra Hicks, Camille Pepin, Alexia Pichard-Jolicoeur and Heidi Widmer plus coach Pavlina Sudrich.

Feeling a bit run-down as she comes off of racing in Europe, Jones is getting excited about the energy that this event will bring her. “Hopefully it’ll carry me through the rest of the week,” said Jones. “I hope to inspire, but also be inspired,” added Jones who stepped on the podium for the first time of her young career this winter with teammate Crawford as they claimed the bronze in a World Cup cross-country skiing team sprint race in Milano, Italy.

Williams has been with Fast and Female since its inception and has never grown tired of seeing the bright faces of young girls enjoying sport and the positive empowering environment Fast and Female creates. “This event will be a fun-filled day to inspire and motivate every girl to live life to the fullest,” said Williams who retired from competitive racing after participating in the 2010 Olympics and is now a full-time Law student at McGill University.

In addition to the March 18 activity for girls, Fast and Female will be offering free educational sessions for parents to increase awareness of how to support their female athletes. Parent seminar speakers will include Stéphane Barrette, Director of Coaching and Athlete Development for Cross-Country Canada and professor Guylaine Demers, PhD, from the Department of Physical Education of Laval University. Demers was named one of Canada’s most influential women in sport in 2010 and will address the differences between coaching girls versus boys.

Earlier this season, Fast and Female hosted 95 girls for a XC Ski event held in Canmore, AB in conjunction with the Canadian Western Championships. That activity was led by ambassador and Olympic medalist Sara Renner. All Fast and Female events are intended to inspire and motivate girls to stick to sport.

Happening around this afternoon of Fast and Female fun are the Haywood Ski Nationals, a week-long championship taking place from the 17th to the 24th in la belle province. There will also be athletes racing for titles in the Cross Country University Championships (CCUNC) as well as race categories for Athletes with a Disability. These races will draw talent from around the country to compete against each other in what is sure to be fierce competition.

There is a $20 registration fee for the Fast and Female youth activities that includes a Fast and Female t-shirt, Buff and a healthy lunch. The parent seminar is free but requires online registration. Participants can secure a spot by signing up online before March 16 HERE.

Fast and Female would like to thank sponsors Cross-Country Canada, Best Buy Canada, 2012 Haywood Ski Nationals, Chateau Mont-Sainte-Anne, Buff Canada, Clarins Canada, Cold-FX, Sportchek, and Globo Shoes as well as Lululemon Athletica, LUNA Bars, LIT Glitter, SAUCE Headwear, and Champion System for making this event possible.

Note: Chandra Crawford and the rest of her teammates from the National Team will be back from Europe later in the week to compete at Nationals. The group will be welcoming female athletes for a Q&A session set for March 23 and hosted by Cross Country Canada’s Women’s Committee. For more information on this event, click HERE.

January 24, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – At the age of 12, Canmore’s Sara Renner attended the 1988 Olympics as a spectator. That moment changed her life and prompted her to aim for Olympic dreams of her own.

With a career that was highlighted by an Olympic silver medal claimed at the 2006 Games in Torino with Beckie Scott in the team event, retired cross-country ski star Renner now inspires others to reach for the skies. This Sunday, she did just that as 80 aspiring female champions between the ages 9 to 19 joined the Fast and Female XC Ski event for an afternoon of motivation.

“When I was your age, I was exactly like you,” told Renner to the captive group of skiers coming from all corners of Alberta and even British Columbia. “I loved cross-country skiing, and one day I qualified for the Alberta Winter Games. That was such a thrill and really the beginning of my desire to train and work hard.”

“With experience, I learned that what made a big difference for me to reach the next level of performance was to focus on that 10 percent of the race that hurts the most,” explained Renner as her Olympic medal circulated amongst the girls in the crowd. “I knew that if I gave it all in that segment of the race, then I would do my best. That’s how I began to judge all my races – asking myself how much I had pushed myself in that 10 percent of the race when you just want to give up,” added the 2005 bronze medalist in the individual sprint at the World Ski Championships.

Held in conjunction with the first-ever FIS (Federation International de Ski) World Snow Day, the Fast and Female XC Ski event featured team building activities, one hour of on-snow ski drills, healthy snacks, Zumba dancing and Renner’s inspirational presentation. In keeping with Fast and Female’s mission, all activities were aimed at motivate girls to stick to sports and the healthy lifestyle. It is believed that girls are six times more likely to drop out of sports than boys.

On this special occasion, Renner was joined by a dynamic group of tremendous female role-models including current and past national team athletes, World Cup Academy racers, and provincial team competitors such as Alysson Marshall, Emily Nishikawa, Janelle Greer, Annika Hicks, Kendra Hicks, Marlis Kromm, Rebecca Reid, Heidi Widmer, Kate Brennan, Natalie Hull, Brooke Gosling, and Karen Messenger. Many of these ladies were onsite to take part in the Haywood Western Championships and volunteered valuable time to join the Fast and Female event.

Founded by Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing and active World Cup racer, Chandra Crawford, Fast and Female strives to counter this phenomenon by hosting fun, non-competitive sporting events with inspiring female athletic role models all over North America. The organization is currently involved in sports such as alpine skiing, biathlon, ski cross, snowboard, cycling, and running. A key ingredient to Fast and Female’s success in impacting the lives of girls lies in the quality and wisdom of its ambassadors.

“When I qualified for my first World Cup, it wasn’t at all what I expected,” shared Renner. “You could have flipped the results page around and found my name all the way at the bottom. Over time, I was very lucky to have awesome teammates. We really demanded a lot of each other and that’s why we were able to turn things around and achieve such successes.”

In closing, Renner told the girls: “As an athlete, you’re always being judged for your performance, your body fat composition and so on. Ultimately, that doesn’t define who you are. What you have to know is that people around you will love you no matter what,” concluded the mother to two young girls.

This unique event was made possible thanks to the financial support of Fast and Female’s national financial and in-kind sponsors – including exclusive platinum sponsor Best Buy as well as Buff Multifunctional Headwear, CLARINS, Cold-FX, Cross-Country Canada, Lululemon Athletica, LUNA Bars and LIT Glitter. The Canmore Nordic Centre also provided free access to the venue and trails. We would also like to thank all volunteers who helped at the event. For a complete list of Fast and Female national program supporters and sponsors, please click HERE.

The next Fast and Female event will take place on February 4, 2012 at Blue Mountain Resort in Ontario with members of Canada’s national Ski Cross team. The off-snow activity will feature an afternoon of inspiration for girls involved in Alpine skiing and Ski Cross. The online registration page can be found HERE.

Fast and Female Event Video

More photos HERE.

December 08, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – Cross Country Canada has named two of Canada’s best-ever female cross-country skiers, Beckie Scott and Milaine Theriault, as chairs of its Women’s Committee. The Committee has recently been given a fresh mandate that will improve the profile of the Committee as it facilitates opportunities for girls and women in all facets of cross-country skiing.

The Women’s Committee is an operational committee of Cross Country Canada (CCC) which exists to ensure equality of opportunity for girls and women as participants, competitors, coaches, officials and leaders in cross-country skiing in each of its five regions across the country (Atlantic; Quebec/Nunavut; Ontario; Manitoba/Saskatchewan/Alberta/ NWT; and British Columbia/Yukon).

Both Olympians, Theriault, of St. Quentin, N.B. and Scott, a two-time Olympic medalist from Vermilion, Alta., take over as co-chairs from Maureen Kershaw who has successfully chaired the Committee for several years now.

“Milaine and Beckie played a critical role in creating a competitive culture of excellence for our program in Canada during their careers which has inspired thousands of young Canadians to start cross-country skiing,” said Davin MacIntosh, executive director, Cross Country Canada. “These two Olympic heroes are role models on and off the snow to women and young girls across the country, are passionate about the sport and know what it takes to succeed.”

Theriault and Scott, along with Sara Renner, formed one of the strongest women’s cross-country ski teams in the history of the program. The Canadian women followed a steady progression throughout their career that saw them grow from participants who finished near the bottom of the results sheet at their Olympic debut in 1998 to medal winners in 2006 prior to their retirement.

“For some time I have been thinking of how to get involved and give back to the ski community in appreciation for all of the support I received as an athlete,” said Theriault. “Co-chairing an initiative that I’m very passionate about, with a great teammate and friend in Beckie is a perfect fit for me. I believe we can draw on our experiences to make a difference and I look forward to the challenge.”

The Committee’s focus is on educating women on the roles they have an opportunity to pursue in cross-country skiing and facilitating the participation of women in areas where affirmative action is required. “Creating new opportunities to get involved in cross-country skiing that will change the lives of women in every corner of this country, with the ultimate goal of developing more young girls into elite skiers” is what Scott says will drive her interest in the project.

Reporting to Cross Country Canada’s executive director, Theriault and Scott will work collaboratively with management Committee Members during their two-year term. While the program will be more formally launched in the New Year, the two Co-Chairs will concentrate their short-term efforts on filling the Committee membership which will include the following positions: an athlete representative; executive director; a member of the Board; appropriate staff persons to support activities and programs;representatives from any of the five Regions that wish to participate.

www.cccski.com

November 21, 2011 – CAAWS announced today that it is offering twelve grants of $900 to active girls and women and/or organizations offering sport programs targeted to girls and women.

For more details and information, please review the submission criteria, application process, deadlines, and frequently asked questions on our website HERE. You can also apply directly by completing the online application form!

Please note that applications will only be accepted between November 21, 2011 and December 9, 2011. Applications received before or after these dates will not be considered. The 2012 WISE Fund recipients will be announced in February 2012.

November 01, 2011 (Fairbanks, AK) – As a young girl, Fairbanks’ Becca Rorabaugh had the opportunity to cross paths with Beckie Scott – the first Canadian and first North American woman to win an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing with gold at the Salt Lake City games and silver at the 2006 Games in the team sprint with Sara Renner.

“North American elite skiers once did early season training in Fairbanks, and when I was about 10 years old I was lucky enough to meet Becky Scott,” explained Rorabaugh. “Basically the only words we exchanged were “Hi! My name is Becca too!”, but the inspiration of meeting her steered me to aim for the Olympics,” recalled the enthusiastic athlete.

Twelve years later, Rorabaugh, who is now 22 and an aspiring Olympian in cross-country skiing, took it upon herself to host a Fast and Female event in the hope of recreating this same magic for the next generation of Fairbanks racers.

On the eve of Halloween, Rorabaugh fulfilled her vision. Teaming up with APU Nordic Ski Center teammates and Olympians Kikkan Randall and Holly Brooks, she hosted more than 50 young female skiers ages 9 to 19 for the first ever Fast and Female Fairbanks event.

On this special occasion, the Fairbanks Nordic Ski Club saw a sea of girls in pink take part in cross-country ski drills, yoga, motivational presentations and a poster signing session – all led by Rorabaugh, Randall, and Brooks.

“Many of the girls seemed to really enjoy and absorb some great technique pointers from our experienced Ambassadors,” specified Randall, lead Fast and Female ambassador in the US and double World Cup winner on the Cross-country circuit in 2011.

“Some of the highlights for me were watching the swirl of neon colors, and especially the pink, zing around the four ski stations and then watching everyone synchronized in the warrior II pose during the yoga session,” added Randall, a full-time World Cup athlete who has already hosted three Fast and Female events in her hometown of Anchorage over the past three years.

Rorabaugh knew she accomplished her goal as girls left the event with huge smiles on their faces and a renewed sense of commitment to their own Olympic dreams.

“Kaya, Zoe and I REALLY got a lot out of it,” confirmed mom and volunteer Kim Troxel in an email following the event. “We all feel energized to go for it with skiing and running! These types of opportunities make a huge difference in girls’ (and women’s) lives so THANK YOU,” she concluded.

This activity was made possible thanks to valuable local partners such as the presenting sponsor – SBS Retirement Consultants LLC, as well as the Fairbanks Nordic Ski Club, Bettisworth North, Lulu’s Bread & Bagels, Equinox Physical Therapy, Martha Hanlon Architects, Fairbanks Cancer Treatment Center, Beaver Sports, Challenge Life Racing and Goldstream Sports.

“I can only hope that today’s event might have a similar affect for the next generation of girls, and I am proud to have helped bring it to Fairbanks,” added Rorabaugh who will soon kick off a busy season of racing. “The community response was incredible and I am very thankful that so many businesses and volunteers were so generous. Fairbanks certainly embraced the Fast and Female mission with open arms,” she concluded.

Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, LUNA Bars, and LIT Glitter – also provided key resources to making this event possible.

The next Fast and Female youth event will be the December 3 Alpine day held in conjunction with Alberta Alpine’s Legends Club in Canmore and Lake Louise, Alberta. For more information about this event, visit: www.fastandfemale.com

September 02, 2011 (Park City, UT / Canmore, AB) – A dynamic and inspiring group of 25 world-class female athletes is preparing to host a once-in-a-lifetime Fast and Female event in Park City on October 8, 2011 at the USSA’s Center of Excellence.

Held in partnership with the U. S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and open to girls ages 9 to 19 practicing all sports, the event will feature an afternoon of fun and non-competitive dryland training followed by a motivational presentation. The activity will conclude with a yoga segment and an autograph signing session.

The highlight of the Fast and Female Park City event will be the presence of the following 25 world-class female athletes representing the sports of Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Cross-Country Skiing, Freestyle Skiing, Snowboard, and Speed Skating:

– Shannon Bahrke (Moguls)
– Erin Bartlett (Short Track Skating)
– Sadie Bjornsen (XC Skiing)
– Brittany Bowe (Long Track Skating)
– Holly Brooks (XC Skiing)
– Sarah Chen (Short Track Skating)
– Callan Chythlook-Sifsof (Snowboardcross)
– Annelies Cook (USA Biathlete)
– Emily Cook (Aerials)
– Alexa Devereaux (Aerials)
– Jessie Diggins (XC Skiing)
– Alyson Dudek (Short Track Skating)
– Kaitlyn Farrington (Halfpipe)
– Faye Gulini (Snowboardcross)
– Morgan Izykowski (Short Track Skating)
– Zina Kocher (Canadian Biathlete)
– Jana Lindsey (Aerials)
– Chelsea Marshall (Alpine)
– Andrea Mayo (Biathlete)
– Netanya Mintz (Long Track Skating)
– Kikkan Randall (XC Skiing)
– Melanie Shultz (Canadian Biathlete)
– Jessica Smith (Short Track Skating)
– Kathryn Stone (Biathlete)
– Liz Stephen (XC Skiing)

On this special occasion, more than 150 aspiring female athletes will get first-hand experience from this select group of athletes – all of which are active World Cup/Europa Cup competitors and the majority of which are Olympians.

“Sports have taught me so many important life lessons and have made me the person I am today,” said Shannon Bahrke silver medalist in moguls at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, bronze medalist at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and 2003 was the World Cup Champion.

“Setting lofty goals, working hard to achieve them, and never giving up when things get hard are just a few of those lessons that I want to instill in young female athletes. I know they can do anything because girl athletes are awesome and we rule,” concluded Bahrke who became the first US women’s freestyle skier to win multiple Olympic medals with her bronze medal in 2010.

The key objective for the afternoon will be to motivate girls to stick to sports by exposing them to inspiring and positive female role models. It is said that girls are six times more likely to drop out of sports than boys.

“I chose to be a part of ‘Fast and Female’ because I know the difference it has made for me to live a fun and active lifestyle,” said Emily Cook, a two-time Olympian with five career World Cup podiums. “I am really excited to help pass on the lessons that I have learned through sport like teamwork, leadership, being confident and having fun to young women in our community and to have some time to play and sweat with these amazing ladies,” she added.

As a non-profit and North-America-wide program started in 2005 by Chandra Crawford – Canada’s 2006 Olympic gold medalist in cross country – Fast and Female is intensely focused on delivering effective programming to keep girls in sports. So far in 2011, Fast and Female has hosted a total of 10 events, reaching 1,030 girls. The Park City event marks the fourth event held on U.S. soil this year and also the first U.S. event ever held with ambassadors from sports other than cross country skiing. Past Fast and Female events held in the U.S. in 2011 took place in Maine, Alaska, and Sun Valley – all on snow.

“It’s been a fun journey bringing Fast and Female to the US in cross-country,” said Kikkan Randall, lead Fast and Female ambassador in the US and double World Cup winner on the Cross-country circuit in 2011. “I’m really excited for the opportunity to expand into more disciplines with this Park City event,” added the full-time athlete who has held three Fast and Female events in her hometown of Anchorage since 2009.

To complement the youth programming, parents and coaches are invited to join the “Amazing Tips Seminar”. While the girls will be taking part in the dryland stations, adults will have the opportunity to attend three insightful presentations on Sport Psychology/Mental Toughness with Dr. Lauren Loberg, NCC, CC-AASP (Director of Athlete Career and Education), on Nutrition/Fueling the Fast Female with Adam Korzun (High Performance Dietician) and on Injury Prevention and Body Maintenance with Jess Tidswell, PT. DPT, ATC (Medical Resident Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer). All three guest speakers are experts in their respective fields and employees of USSA.

The registration fee for the youth segment is $20 per participant and includes a Fast and Female t-shirt, a Buff, a snack, an autograph poster. Parents and coaches can also secure a seat by purchasing a ticket for $20 which includes access to the seminar and a Fast and Female t-shirt valued at $20.

All registrations are compiled online HERE. Please note that financial assistance is available for participants in need. Please contact info@fastandfemale.com to inquire.

The deadline to register online is October 6, 2011. On-site registrations will be at a rate of $25 per participant.

This activity is made possible thanks to valuable local partners such as USSA, US Bank, Einstein’s Bagels, and Knead a Massage. Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, Cold-FX, LUNA Bars, and LIT Glitter – are also providing key resources to make this event possible. For a complete list of Fast and Female national program supporters and sponsors, please click HERE.

May 16, 2011 (Montreal, QC / Canmore, AB) – La Belle Province will be getting its share of Fast and Female love on June 12, 2011 in Montreal when Olympic gold medalist in cross-country skiing and Fast and Female Founder – Chandra Crawford – sets to host a Fast and Female FitFest presented by Best Buy.

The event will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. (check in at 3:30 p.m.) at the Mont Royal (Lac Aux Castors) and feature a series of inspirational and motivational activities for female athletes between the ages of 9 to 19. More specifically, girls will do a light run, dance and listen to a presentation by Crawford who will have her Olympic medal on site for pictures with the participants.

“I’m super pumped to be going to Montreal for a fun activity with the female athletes from this dynamic area,” said Crawford who took home a silver medal this season in a World CupTeam Sprint with teammate Daria Gaiazova held in Germany. “I look forward to meeting them and sharing with them my passion for sports and excellence,” added the full-time athlete who now has her sight on the 2014 Olympics.

As a non-profit and national program started in 2005 Chandra Crawford, Fast and Female is intensely focused on delivering effective programming to keep girls in sports. It is said that girls are six times more likely to drop out of sports than boys.

The registration fee for the youth activities is $15 per participant and includes a Fast and Female t-shirt, a Buff and access to the activities. The event is open to girls from all sports and will be held rain or shine.

Registration are being compiled online HERE.

The deadline to register online is June 10, 2011. On-site registrations will be at a rate of $20 per participant.

Please note that financial assistance is available for participants in need. Please contact info@fastandfemale.com to inquire.

This activity is made possible thanks to valuable local partners such as Ski de Fond Quebec and GLOBO Shoes. Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, Clarins and Cold-FX – are also providing key resources to make this event possible.

For a complete list of Fast and Female national program supporters and sponsors, please click HERE.

April 16, 2011 (Norman Wells, NT) – Fast and Female hosted its second Northern Youth Empowerment Weekend in the Norman Wells, Northwest Territories on April 8, 9, and 10, 2011. A total of 46 female skiers between the ages of 9 to 19 from nine NT communities were joined by six ambassadors, three instructors, nine chaperones and 10 volunteers for this unique weekend aimed at inspiring and motivating aboriginal girls in cross-country skiing. This year’s event had a special focus on encouraging youth participation in the Sahtu region.

Throughout the weekend, participants had the opportunity to get first-hand instructions both on and off snow from former National Ski Team member and Northwest Territories athlete, Sarah Daitch, and 4-time Olympian, Sharon Firth. Biathlon expert Lindsey Bolivar and former NCAA athlete, Claire Rennie, were also on site with other elite instructors to share their wisdom with the girls.

On Friday, participants gathered for a welcome dinner, a team poster making session, and a leadership workshop for the teens. The younger participants enjoyed a gymnastic lesson compliment of NWT Gymnastics Association.

Saturday’s activities focused on technical cross-country skiing drills, followed by a Zumba dance lesson from Fit 2 the T, and a yoga class. The youth also had a presentation by Olympian Sharon Firth about her journey from the trails of Inuvik to the world stage in cross country skiing.

The weekend-long camp concluded on Sunday with a community ski day and a distance ski challenge to the Norman Wells Ski cabin.

“I learned so many things this weekend,” said Annah Hanthorn, 16 years old. “The camp reminded me how many people have supported me in my sport and helped me learn more on my ski technique. I also learned more yoga moves and even how to Zumba dance. The key ideas I am taking home with me are to encourage others in my sport, to spread the LOVE and to be reminded of the encouraging words I heard from the ambassadors,” she added.

Fast and Female’s programming is intensely focused on working with girls in sports and exposing them to inspiring female athletic role models. In doing so, Fast and Female hopes to increase the retention of girls in sports. As it currently stands, girls are six times more likely to drop out of sports than boys. It is believed that this ratio increases when girls are living in remote communities and face smaller peer groups to support them in their athletic endeavors.

“There is a need for a critical mass of girls to keep the kids skiing together and having fun,” affirmed local event organizer Karen Johnson. “I remember wishing when my girls were in Jackrabbits that enough girls would stay skiing that the kids could flow together into the next level of ski programmingŠ Luckily for me and my girls, that wish has come true.”

“Boys get lots of opportunities to go out for events, but there is very little for girls in the community,” admitted Krista Kerr, a teacher from the Dene community Lutsel K’e. “This event does not require the numbers that team sports do, so it gives girls the chance to participate and travel”.

Jennifer Waterhouse, a teacher from Deline added: “Its always great when the youth in our community get the chance to visit other communities, meet other youth and get exposed to healthy activities. I know the Deline girls had a great time and this weekend has inspired me to build our ski program.”

Thanks to the support of many sponsors, participation to the event was free, including travel, accommodation and food. The small group of participants was selected on the basis of personal merit, motivation and athletic commitment.

In fact, the 2011 Fast and Female Northern Youth Empowerment Weekend was made possible thanks to valuable event-specific partners such as First Air, the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Sahtu Divisional Education Council, the NWT Ski Division, the Colville Lake School Board, the Sport North Federation, the Norman Wells RCMP, the Jokabeca Foundation at The Calgary Foundation, Sorpotimist International, and the Ski North Program. Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, Clarins Canada, Cold-FX, and Cross-Country Canada – also provided valuable resources to make this event possible.

“I take great pride in the fact that there are no financial barriers for girls to take part in this event,” added Daitch. “This is especially important for girls from isolated communities. The sponsors who contributed to this event have changed lives and we are greatly thankful for their support.”

Subsequent to this most recent Fast and Female event, the growing organization concludes a busy winter season which saw nine events and a reach of 875 girls across Canada and the United States.

In the coming weeks, Fast and Female will be announcing its event schedule for the Spring and Summer.