Lead Editor and Host:
Michael Jorgensen, Ph.D. (c)
I hold great reverence for the ethos of competitive sport and the athletic experience. Participation in sport enriches our lives by providing an opportunity to connect and grow through collaboration and competition. On a societal level, sport can serve as a catalyst for social development. For instance, each night millions of people tune in around the world to watch their favourite athletes compete. In doing so, they become a part of the collective passion and commitment inspired by sport. These guiding beliefs were the spark that brought The Athletic Perspective to life.
My goal for this podcast is to connect the theory behind sport science with the lived experiences of athletes to provide an informative and engaging listening experience for those who love sport.
I am currently completing my Ph.D. in Exercise Science at the University of Toronto where I research player welfare within the sport concussion lab. I also teach courses in behaviour, motivation, and emotion to undergraduate students at Trent University. Having completed degrees in health psychology, my research concerns the prevention and management of sport-related concussion (SRC). I was motivated to explore this topic academically through personal experience and observations of severe, negative outcomes experienced by others following injury. Recently, I used psychological theories around health, risk, and self-regulation as a framework to explore athletes’ attitudes and intentions towards risk taking and protective behaviours in the context of sport-related concussion.
My athletic background consists primarily of rugby and alpine skiing. I competed for the Trent Men’s rugby team for 5 years. Earning several medals and recognition as an OUA All-Star during my final year of eligibility. I have also been involved with the Peterborough Pagans Rugby Club where I was fortunate enough to play several seasons for the first XV. I currently serve as the mental skills coach for the University of Toronto varsity men’s rugby team. Though I ski recreationally, I am a CSIA II certified ski instructor with 10-years experience. To a lesser extent, I also enjoy cycling, kayaking, and the occasional game of volleyball.
Editor and Guest Contributor: Christian Metaxas, M.A.
Sport has always been, to me, the nexus of beauty, creativity, and athleticism—a cultural apex of human expression.
After graduating with honours from Trent University, I played amateur Counter-Strike as a system lurker and ranked the 98th percentile. While I had to largely phase out of competitive play upon acceptance to graduate school, my exploration of esports would live on as the impetus for Assembly – my thesis and accompanying installation.
Between my M.A. in Waterloo’s Experimental Digital Media program, my creative efforts in the private sector, and my work as an administrator within Trent University’s Centre for Teaching and Learning, I’m constantly exploring what catalyzes creativity as we learn and play together.
My athletic background is firmly rooted in playing, coaching, and officiating baseball in the city of Markham. Sporadic appearances as a utility player for the city, several years of umpiring, and an invitation to compete at the varsity level in my final year of high school would punctuate a decade’s worth of active play in the MDBA and culminate in captaining a successful championship run. My more recent endeavors have come in the form of casual hiking and snowboarding.
Guest Host: Stephanie Buryk-Iggers, M.Sc.
As an athlete and exercise scientist, I have seen the power of sport and exercise as an agent for positive change in my own life and around the world.
During my time as a varsity and provincial athlete, my passion for sport led me to the international humanitarian organization, Right To Play. It was with Right To Play that I served as a program manager leading the development of sport and play-based programs in the most marginalized areas of the world. Not only did I see the impact of sport and play around the world, but I also saw the potential for exercise as a treatment for health challenges. To better equip myself to work in this field, I returned to school am now completing my Ph.D. in Exercise Science at the University of Toronto. My current research focuses on building exercise programs for the treatment of rare and chronic diseases – specifically Ehlers Danlos-Syndrome, a disease that can manifest as hypermobility, widespread and chronic pain, and in severe cases; organ failure.
My athletic background is primarily made up of rugby, and big-mountain skiing and snowboarding. I competed for the McMaster University Women’s rugby team for 3 years. Serving as Captain in my final year. I have also been involved with the Toronto Scottish Rugby Football Club (TSRFC) where I played on the women’s first team, and with whom won three OWL championships. My time with the TSRFC led me to play with the Ontario Women’s U23 rugby team and Senior Women’s rugby team. When rugby season comes to an end, I head to the slopes on either skis or a snowboard. Although my riding is mostly recreational, I am a certified ski and snowboard instructor and have taught riders on Whistler Blackcomb Mountain and across hills in Ontario. Sport and exercise drive me every day. So on the regular, you’ll find me playing tennis, running marathons, cycling, or hiking any trail I can find.