NOTE: This is the latest in a series of question-and-answer stories featuring faculty members who are integrating the Niagara 2022 Canada Games into the courses they teach at Brock University or the research they’re leading. For more information on Brock’s academic activities around the Games, visit brocku.ca/canada-games

Through the disciplines of sport biomechanics, exercise physiology, training, and coaching education, Brock University Associate Professor of Kinesiology Kelly Lockwood’s research program investigates best practices in developing athletes. She concentrates primarily on on-ice sport, where she has played a critical role in contributing to the science of sport performance. More recently, her work has extended beyond understanding the human factors to include working with industry to assist in equipment engineering, material properties and design to explore how to best harness physical and technical preparedness through sport equipment.

What is your Canada Games-related course title, code and description? 

The related courses are KINE 2P19: Coaching and KINE 4P19: Advanced Coaching. KINE 2P19 is a comprehensive introduction to sport coaching philosophy, principles and pedagogy. The course will include an overview of the coaching education system in Canada, governance and certification; and as such will cover selected National Coaching Certification Program multi-sport modules. Upon completion of the course, successful students will be considered ‘trained’ in the module content and eligible for certification through the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO) and specific provincial sport governing bodies.

Describe how you’ve integrated Canada Games related material into your course?  

The Canada Games Teaching and Learning grant focuses on populating content for course delivery, entitled ‘Voices from the Trenches.’ A library of podcasts is being developed to support each module of the two sport coaching courses. It is typical that undergraduate students enrolled in KINE 2P19 and KINE 4P19 have ‘been coached’ as athletes but have limited coaching experience. The podcasts will provide a voice from experienced coaches with a wealth of expertise on the practical application of coaching theory. The podcasts will bridge the gap from theory to practice for our students.

Why do you think the Canada Games presents such a good opportunity for students at Brock? 

The Canada Games brings a ‘real-world sporting event’ to Brock University, whereby our students can view, experience, learn and gain insight through their involvement. Academics is theory-based; the games offer multiple opportunities for students to see and learn how theory spins into practice through many related disciplines.

Do you have any suggestions for ways your colleagues can use the Games to enhance teaching and learning opportunities in their courses? 

Experiential learning secures knowledge into practice. Providing students the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world practices enhances the learning process.

Once the Games are finished, how do you plan to continue using this new idea in your course?

The library of podcasts will continue to grow after the Games. In sport coaching, new and hot topics evolve similar to, and often aligning with, new topics in society. We will continue to populate the library with current content moving forward.

For more information about KINE 2P19 and KINE 4P19, please contact Lockwood at klockwood@brocku.ca