14 Wing Greenwood’s female military members are looking to leverage time they spend at the gym into a bigger, more connected fitness and sports community.
March 4 and 5, high-performance athletes, recreational sports participants and less confident gym-goers will be back-stopped by health and fitness resources, all aiming to build a women’s wellness foundation.
Warrant Officer Amanda Jardine competes in military hockey and soccer. With several of her 14 Wing peers who cross over a range of sports – but also sometimes scramble to gather enough women to fill rosters, they’ve realized not everyone is starting from the same place.
“Many women are not making their own health, wellness and fitness a priority,” Jardine says. “They’re nervous to be in the gym. They don’t know other women on the wing that work out. Even some of the most active athletes are hesitant to ask a friend to work out with them, and they end up working out in a ‘silo.’
“It is way easier to focus on your health and wellness when you have a group of people, regardless of experience, body type and mindset; that support you – and that you are accountable to.”
Research both within and outside the Canadian Armed Forces highlights differences between men’s and women’s bodies from the impacts of work, children, sports and physical strain. Women’s wellness could include different bodies, fitness training, injuries and mental wellness, menstrual and menopause cycles, nutrition, mobility and sleep.
Teaming up with 14 Wing’s Personnel Sports Program (PSP) Fitness and Health Promotion staff, the March workshop will use a CAF Women in Sport Grant to offer educational and practical sessions. Special guest will be Byrce Tully, a performance psychology and culture lead with Team Canada at the Tokyo Olympics, where he used specific, data-driven insights to drive performance. Targeted programs at the base gym down the road will start to offer women opportunities to develop their interest and skills in new workouts, leading to greater fitness and, potentially, joining a military sport.
“We think the workshops will benefit the members first, and the sports later in the season,” says Jardine. “Interest has been very positive right from our initial planning meeting. I think women hope to see each other at the gym, and having a program builds a community – whether they want to be at the gym, be a member of a sports team or need support in their overall wellness journey.”
March 4
8:30 a.m. to 11:55 a.m. Sport Nutrition (Health Promotion)
1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Agility & injury prevention (PSP Fitness)
2:10 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. Weight training (PSP Fitness)
3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. Facility/ weight room walkaround (PSP Fitness)
March 5
7:30 a.m. to 7:55 a.m. Spin class/ core (PSP Fitness)
8 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. Spin class/ core (PSP fitness)
9:30 a.m. to noon Sport psychology (Bryce Tully)
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Weight training (program into practice)
2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Mobility
3:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. 14 Wing sport ambassador
