Ontario’s Got Talent! HP Program
Ontario Artistic Swimming is excited to announce its plans for HP Talent Identification, Selection and Programming for the 2020-2021 season!
Led by OAS HP advisor Sheilagh Croxon, a task force of experienced Ontario coach leaders (see bios below) have worked to develop a plan that will ensure that OAS talent identified athletes are provided with expert programming, monitoring, and preparation to help them successfully develop along the High Performance Athlete Pathway set by Canada Artistic Swimming. Athletes will be monitored by Talent ID Scouts throughout the 2020-2021 season and based on performance improvement will be invited to an in-person camp in March 2021 to best prepare for Provincial and National Team summer selections.
Junior and 13-15 athletes will be identified through a combination of the following components which will make up the individual athlete portfolio; coach nomination, land skills assessment, water skills assessment, and an athlete testimonial.
If you have any questions regarding the program or the selection process, please reach out to Mary-Jane Ling at mjling@ontarioartisticswimming.ca.
Program Highlights
Junior
Hover over the image to see the program details!
Junior
- A fall virtual weekend retreat with a focus on mind, body and spirit where athletes will also be introduced to standardized programs in the areas of; core strength and body awareness, flexibility, mental performance skills, specific artistic impression skills and a water routine set that will be used for monitoring.
- Programming updates in the identified areas which will be held approximately every 6 weeks
- Testing and Sport Science support will be implemented through CSIO
- An in person camp (by invitation) scheduled for March 2021
13-15
Hover over the image to see the program details!
13-15
- A fall virtual weekend retreat with a focus on mind, body and spirit where athletes will also be introduced to standardized programs in the areas of; core strength and body awareness, flexibility, mental performance skills, specific artistic impression skills and a water routine set that will be used for monitoring.
- Programming updates in the identified areas which will be held approximately every 6 weeks
- Testing and Sport Science support will be implemented through CSIO
- An in person camp (by invitation) scheduled for March 2021
- 13-15 routine skill set developed as a monitoring tool
12U
12U
- Clubs and coaches will be provided with program direction prescribed by the HP task force and aligned with the Junior and 13- 15 standardized programming
- Athletes will be identified by talent ID scouts at planned competitive events throughout the 2020-2021 competitive season
- A talent development camp will be held for selected athletes in Summer 2021
- A fall virtual weekend retreat with a focus on mind, body and spirit where athletes will also be introduced to standardized programs in the areas of; core strength and body awareness, flexibility, mental performance skills, specific artistic impression skills and a water routine set that will be used for monitoring.
- Programming updates in the identified areas which will be held approximately every 6 weeks
- Testing and Sport Science support will be implemented through CSIO
- An in person camp (by invitation) scheduled for March 2021
- A fall virtual weekend retreat with a focus on mind, body and spirit where athletes will also be introduced to standardized programs in the areas of; core strength and body awareness, flexibility, mental performance skills, specific artistic impression skills and a water routine set that will be used for monitoring.
- Programming updates in the identified areas which will be held approximately every 6 weeks
- Testing and Sport Science support will be implemented through CSIO
- An in person camp (by invitation) scheduled for March 2021
- 13-15 routine skill set developed as a monitoring tool
- Clubs and coaches will be provided with program direction prescribed by the HP task force and aligned with the Junior and 13- 15 standardized programming
- Athletes will be identified by talent ID scouts at planned competitive events throughout the 2020-2021 competitive season
- A talent development camp will be held for selected athletes in Summer 2021
The Athletes
Congratulations to all the athletes selected for the Ontario’s Got Talent HP program!
13-15 Athletes
| Jennifer Berry | OSSC |
| Chloe Brown | TSSC |
| Savannah Burton | WRASC |
| Keira Cadeau | WRASC |
| Nicole Carver | BSSC |
| Nadia Crits | WRASC |
| Lily Duc | GO |
| Stefanie Gavrilovic | GO |
| Eleanor Giggs | WRASC |
| Olena Verbinska | CHACO |
| Alexandra Gillan | OSSC |
| Evelyn Goddard | OSSC |
| Allison Gu | CHACO |
| Karen Gu | CHACO |
| Brooke Xin Lai | CHACO |
| Hana Lina Lalovic | GO |
| Larissa Louck | WRASC |
| Izabell Mazurek | WRASC |
| Adeline McCully | KT |
| Jessica Moran | OSSC |
| Indya Pentilchuk | WRASC |
| Coco Petracchi | GRAN |
| Abby Wang | CHACO |
| Alyssa You | CHACO |
| Jessie Yu | BSSC |
| Danica Penner | WRASC |
| Nicole Sabo | GO |
| Tory Mee | GRAN |
| Ria Somaia | OSSC |
| Faith Bennet | OSSC |
Junior Athletes
| Anastasia Bell | GO |
| Maya Bell | GO |
| Rachel Blainey | GRAN |
| Sonia Dunn | GO |
| Idil Duras | TSSC |
| Reed Gossling | GRAN |
| Charlotte Gray | GRAN |
| Lauren Irvine | WRASC |
| Isobel Jarvis | YORK |
| Olivia Macdonald | GRAN |
| Sydney MacEachern | WRASC |
| Ella McKinley | GRAN |
| Claire Scheffel | WRASC |
| Francesca Seed | OSSC |
| Janet Soilis | OSSC |
| Kadia St-Pierre | OSSC |
| Alexa Swales | GRAN |
| Sarah Taylor | OSSC |
| Clara Thomas | GO |
| Cassie Zavitz | WRASC |
Expert Bios
Ontario Artistic Swimming recognized the need to define the various scenarios for the Return to Sport specific to our high performance athletes and programs, as well as, the need to solicit Input to the upcoming renewal of our OAS High Performance Strategic Plan.
On May 20, 2020 a High Performance Sub Taskforce was assigned to address these needs. The experts listed below belong to the High Performance Sub Taskforce and will support the athletes selected to this program in a number of areas.
Stay tuned for more expert introductions as the program develops!
Sheilagh Croxon
Yingli Hou
She was an artistic swimmer in China and represented the Chinese team at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. Yingli has been coaching for over 15 years in Artistic Swimming in Canada, and graduated from the Advanced Coaching Diploma program in 2019. Yingli loves to learn new things to add to her coaching, she has also completed her 200 hour Yoga teacher training and is currently working to complete her Pilates instructor certification.
Yingli was the Head Coach for Team Ontario at the 2011 and 2019 Canada Winter Games and also led the Ontario Provincial team at the 2018 UANA Championships to win the most medals in the Junior category. In 2019, Yingli was selected to the 2020 Junior National Team coaching staff.
Yingli has been a valued expert in the OAS T2T and ETE programs since 2014 and is excited to share her passion and knowledge about Artistic Swimming with all coaches and athletes this season in the Ontario’s Got Talent! HP Program
Elena Podolsky
Elena coached at OSSC from 1990-1998 as an assistant for Sheilagh Croxon. During these years she coached many teams who were successful at a National level. In 1998 Elena became the Head Coach of Synchro Optima where she coached her swimmers to 1st place at Ontario Winter Games. Elena returned to OSSC in 2005. While coaching with OSSC Elena has had numerous swimmers named to the 13 – 15 and Junior National Teams as well as Provincial Teams over the years. She has been involved with different National Teams for 16 years. Recently Elena was the Head Coach for Canada’s National 13-15 Team which competed at the inaugural 13-15 World Championships in Samorin (Slovakia).
Elena has an NCCP Level 3 certification and continues to participate in Professional Development Courses to update and enhance her coaching experience. In 1996 Elena won the Susan Eon Trophy as the most promising Coach in Canada and in 2001 she was runner-up for the prestigious 3M Coaching Canada Award. In 2012 she was awarded the Charlotte Tutte-Eyres Trophy. This trophy is awarded to a coach who reflects the philosophy of Charlotte Tutte, in developing team spirit and enhancing growth of athletes as individuals and competitors. Over the years, Elena has made contributions to the sport of synchronized swimming, including the design and implementation of new training programs and many different flexibility programs on land and in the water.
Currently she is a Head Coach of the KW Artistic Swimming Club.
Geneviève Beauregard-Ross
Kerri Morgan
Manny Wu
Julia Maclean
Julia is a former Canadian National Team member who began coaching in 2009. Since retiring as an athlete, Julia has been committed to coaching and helping to create the next generation of great Ontario athletes. Over her coaching career, she has led athletes to placements on Senior, Junior and 13-15 National Teams as well as countless Ontario Provincial Teams. Julia has also coached various Ontario Provincial Teams (11-12, 13-15, Junior) to International competitions. She is a Competition Development Certified coach and has the honour of having an award named after her because of her many accomplishments as an athlete. Julia believes in encouraging the athletes she trains to have a strong work ethic but also in helping them work towards achieving their highest potential as individuals; ultimately leading the athletes to be successful both in and out of the water.
Eric Viana
Brittany Raftis
Brittany is a Registered Dietitian and completed her Master of Science in Foods and Nutrition from Western University in 2014. She grew up a competitive hockey player and became interested in the impact that eating certain foods before games had on her performance. She works as a nutrition contractor with the Canadian Sport Institute of Ontario and is the Registered Dietitian at the David Braley Sport Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre at McMaster University. https://www.braftisnutrition.com/about-brittany
Onika Green
Onika has her Master’s degree in Applied Sports Psychology and is a Professional Member of the Canadian Sport Psychology Association. Onika is the owner of The Hidden Hundred, a sport psychology consultancy that helps athletes perform more consistently at their personal best. Specifically, The Hidden Hundred facilitates the training and development of mental skills like resilience, confidence, and mindfulness, to name a few. In addition to her private practice, Onika works with National teams at the Canadian Soccer Association and Canada Basketball. She is a Professor of Sport Psychology at Humber College and does contract work for the Canadian Sports Institute Ontario and the Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport.
Onika had her start in dance and her familiarity with competitive environments has inspired her to make a difference in the world of sport. Her mission is to support the well-being of athletes across Canada; she continues to do so by working with athletes from National team hockey players and Paralympic rowers to grassroots soccer teams and everything in between.
Onika’s approach to consulting is solution-focused — it involves both discussion and application. She works collaboratively with athletes to create a plan for action and offers a structure of accountability to encourage their success. Her focus is on transferable life skills, which can support her athletes both in sport and in life.
Luke Vanderheyden
Luke Vanderheyden is a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Canadian Sport Institute Ontario. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association and holds a Masters of Kinesiology degree from Wilfrid Laurier University. Luke has published his work in scientific journals and uses an evidence-based approach in his strength and conditioning practice.
As a Strength and Conditioning Coach, Luke is dedicated to helping athletes become elite performers in their sport. He believes that strength and conditioning is a vital component to any successful athletic development program and enjoys educating athletes on how it can assist them in reaching their athletic goals. Luke continues to assist many athletes in a variety of sports achieve athletic excellence and is looking forward to working with Ontario Artistic Swimming in developing Canada’s next top performers in the sport.