WEEK #26: JESSICA C.

 

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. 

 

I am a multi-sport athlete and have competed at the national or world championship level in triathlon, adventure racing, and duathlon. Most recently, I won Ironman Canada and my next big races are the 70.3 World Championships in 2022 and 2023 and the Ironman World Championships in 2023. I also work a full-time job as Director of Communications at Home Hardware Stores Limited. What drives me is wanting to reach my potential and help others do the same. I am passionate about using my strengths to empower and support people to be more than they thought possible. 

 

What is an issue or topic you are passionate about or would like to see changed?

 

One of the things I am most passionate about is using the power of sport to build confidence and to reach full potential in life, especially for women and marginalized groups. What sparked this passion is experiencing the transformational change of sports and the

empowerment it brings to every area of my life. To live this out, I have been an ambassador, athlete and leader for Fast and Female, a speaker in schools for FitSpirit, a coach for the University of Waterloo and Conestoga College varsity cross country teams and regularly mentor a group of women at my workplace. I also am a support coach for Limitless Performance, an endurance community anchored in the spirit of continuous improvement and community.

 

What specific strategies would you like to see parents, coaches or sport administrators do to improve diversity in sport or progress your cause?

 

Allow your children to explore the sports that interest them and build healthy communities around these sports.

 

What is your favourite leadership quote?  

 

You don’t rise to the level of your expectations, you fall to the level of your training and Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week.

 

If you had 25 words worth of advice to share, what would you say? 

 

Don’t be afraid to be the first to blaze a trail, but build systems to lift others to ensure you won’t be the last.

RESOURCE RECOMMENDATIONS

 

My most gifted book to the women in my life is Untamed by Glennon Doyle and I love the book How Bad Do You Want It by Matt Fitzgerald.