Leisha Strachan, PhD

Dr. Leisha Strachan is a first-generation Black Canadian, proud daughter of Jerome and Margaret Strachan who immigrated to Winnipeg 53 years ago from the Caribbean island of Grenada. She is blessed to stand on the shoulders of elders in her family and Black community in Winnipeg who came to Winnipeg facing discrimination and racism yet remained for the opportunities that they foresaw for their children.

Dr. Strachan began her career as a physical educator after completing a Bachelor of Physical Education and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Manitoba. After teaching for three years at the K-8 level, she left teaching to pursue graduate school. She completed a Master of Human Kinetics at the University of Windsor (advisor – Dr. Krista Chandler) and a PhD in Sport Psychology at Queen’s University (advisors – Dr. Jean Côté and Dr. Janice Deakin). 

Currently, Dr. Strachan is a Professor and serving as Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management at the University of Manitoba. Her research is focused on positive youth development through sport and she is interested in exploring positive coaching behaviors and parent involvement. Along with Dr. Dany MacDonald and Dr. Jean Côté, she began Project SCORE, an online resource for coaches and parents to learn about the 4 Cs in sport (i.e., competence, confidence, connection, and character) and how the Cs could be incorporated to promote positive youth sport spaces. She is currently working on a SSHRC/Sport Canada research project evaluating Project SCORE. Further, Dr. Strachan is interested in cultural relevancy within the field of positive youth development and has recently completed a SSHRC-funded grant that explored the Cs through the voices of Indigenous youth. 

In addition, Dr. Strachan is part of a research team exploring anti-racism policies and practices in Winnipeg and the sport experiences of newcomers in the community. Her experiences in the field of sport psychology have also involved applied work, spending five seasons as a mental performance consultant with the University of Manitoba women’s soccer team.

She is a former national team member in the sport of baton twirling, earning 2 bronze medals at the world championships. She has been coaching in the sport for the past 26 years and is a judge and choreographer in baton, working with athletes across Canada, Scotland, England, and Australia. She continues to engage and develop the next generation through directing ANANSI School for the Performing Arts, a group working to teach African and Caribbean culture through the arts.
 

• Positive youth development
• Sport participation
• Children
• Youth
• Sport psychology

• Doctor of Philosophy – Sport Psychology, Queen’s University (2008)
• Master of Human Kinetics – Sport Psychology, University of Windsor (2004)
• Bachelor of Education, University of Manitoba (1999)
• Bachelor of Physical Education, University of Manitoba (1997)

►Chapters

Strachan, L., Fraser-Thomas, J., & Nelson-Ferguson, K. (2016). An ecological perspective on high performance sport and positive youth development. In N. Holt (Ed.), Positive youth development in sport 2nd ed. (pp. 57-68). New York: Routledge.
 
Fraser-Thomas, J., & Strachan, L. (2015). Personal development and performance? Exploring positive youth development in elite sport contexts. In J. Baker, P. Safai, & J. Fraser-Thomas  (Eds.), Health and Elite Sport : Is high performance sport a healthy pursuit? (pp. 15-32). New York : Routledge.
 
Fraser-Thomas, J., Strachan, L., & Jeffery-Tosoni, S. (2013). Family influence on children’s involvement in sport. In J. Côté & R. Lidor (Eds.), Conditions of children’s talent development in sport (pp. 179-196). Morgantown: Fitness Information Technology.

►Journal Publications

Holt, N. L., Camiré, M., Tamminen, K., Pankow, K., Pynn, S. R., Strachan, L., MacDonald, D., & Fraser-Thomas, J. (2017). PYDSportNET: A knowledge translation project bridging gaps between research and practice in youth sport. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, doi: 10.1080/21520704.2017.1388893
 
Holt, N. L., Pankow, K., Camiré, M., Côté, J., Fraser-Thomas, J., MacDonald, D., Strachan, L., & Tamminen, K. (in press). Factors associated with using research evidence in national sport organisations. Journal of Sports Sciences [accepted with revisions July 10, 2017]
 
Santos, F., Côrte-Real, N., Strachan, L., Dias, C., Fonseca, A. (in press).  Portuguese football coaches’ role in facilitating positive development within elite contexts:  Is positive development relevant? International Sport Coaching Journal.
 
Kehler, D. S., Kent, D., Beaulac, J., Strachan, L., Wangasekara, N., Chapman, S., Luchik, D., Lamont, D., Lerner, N., Boreski, S., Avery, L., & Duhamel, T. A. (published online – February 2017). Examining patient outcome quality indicators based on wait times from referral to entry into cardiac rehabilitation : A pilot observational study. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention. doi: 10.1097/HCR.0000000000000232
 
Strachan, L., Leslie-Toogood, A., & Kristjanson, K. (2017, June). A new term or old concept? Exploring psychological literacy through the Long Term Athlete Development Model. Coaches Plan. Retrieved from https://www.coach.ca/psychological-literacy-a-new-term-or-old-concept--p160981
 
Nelson, K., & Strachan, L.  (2017). Friend, foe, or both? A retrospective exploration of sibling relationships in elite youth sport. International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching, 12(2), 207-218. doi: 10.1177/1747954117694923
 
Holt, N. L., Neely, K. C., Slater, L. G., Camiré, M., Côté, J., Fraser-Thomas, J., MacDonald, D., Strachan, L., & Tamminen, K. A. (2017). A model of positive youth development through sport based on results from a qualitative meta-study. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 10(1), 1-49, DOI: 10.1080/1750984X.2016.1180704
 
Downs, M., & Strachan, L. (2016). High school sport participation: Does it have an impact on the physical activity self-efficacy of adolescent males?. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 4, 6 - 11. doi: 10.13189/saj.2016.040102.
 
Strachan, L., Macdonald, D. J., & Côté, J. (2016). Project SCORE!: Coaches’ perceptions of an online tool to promote positive youth development in sport. International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching, 11(1), 108-115. doi: 10.1177/1747954115624827

Kosmenko, N., Boule, K., Strachan, L., McHugh, T., & Mason, C. (October 2017). Relevance of an existing knowledge-to-action model to research involving Indigenous youth. Presented at the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology conference (SCAPPS), St. John’s, NL.
 
Mason, C., Boule, K., McHugh, T., & Strachan, L. (October 2017). Rethinking positive youth development and barriers to physical activity programs for urban Indigenous youth. Presented at the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology conference (SCAPPS), St. John’s, NL.
 
Holt, N. L., Camiré, M., Fraser-Thomas, J., MacDonald, D., Strachan, L., & Tamminen, K. A. (July 2017). Bridging the research-to-practice gap in Canadian sport: The PYD SportNET project. Symposium presentation at International Society of Sport Psychology Conference. Sevilla, Spain.
Strachan, L., McHugh, T., & Mason, C.  (July 2017). Understanding positive youth development in sport through the voices of Indigenous youth. Presented at the International Society of Sport Psychology World Congress, Sevilla, Spain.
 
MacDonald, D. J., Stavert, S., & Strachan, L. (July 2017). Using parent feedback to improve an online PYD program. Presented at the International Society of Sport Psychology World Congress, Sevilla, Spain.
 
Strachan, L., McHugh, T., Mason, C., Halas, J., & McRae, H. (October 2016). Cultural relevancy and positive youth development: Exploring the sport and physical activity experiences of urban Indigenous youth in Canada. Presented at Sport Canada Research Initiative conference, Gatineau, PQ.
 
Pankow, K., Camiré, M., Fraser-Thomas, J. L., MacDonald, D. J., Strachan, L., Tamminen, K. A., & Holt, N. L. (October 2016). Provincial stakeholders' perceptions of barriers, opportunities, and communication strategies for using research evidence to inform youth sport delivery. Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport, 48, 123.
 
Ceccarelli, L., & Strachan, L. (October 2016). Biofeedback and physiological reactivity in high-performance athletes. Presented at the Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology conference (SCAPPS), Waterloo, ON.
 
Nelson-Ferguson, K., & Strachan, L.  (June 2016). A retrospective exploration of sibling relationships in elite youth sport: Perceptions of the parental role. Presented at the North American Society for Sport Psychology and Physical Activity conference.
 
Harris, D., Strachan, L., & Leslie-Toogood, A. (November 2015). An exploration of passion and the expert coach: Impact on life and performance. Presented at the Petro-Canada Sport Leadership conference, Winnipeg, MB.
 
MacDonald, D. J., Townshend, E., Kristjanson, K., & Strachan, L. (November 2015). Coach perceptions of Project SCORE! website using a talk aloud procedure. Presented at the Petro-Canada Sport Leadership conference, Winnipeg, MB.
 
Kristjanson, K., Strachan, L., Townshend, E., & MacDonald, D. J. (November 2015). Improving Project SCORE! Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of an online positive youth development resource. Presented at the Petro-Canada Sport Leadership conference, Winnipeg, MB.
 
Strachan, L., MacDonald, D. J., & Côté, J. (October 2015). Project SCORE! A deliberate approach to teaching positive youth development through sport. Presented at Sport Canada Research Initiative conference, Gatineau, PQ.

October 2017
Workshop facilitator/presenter for a two-day workshop for developing coaches and physical educators, Project SCORE, GC Foster College, Kingston, Jamaica.
 
October 2017
Invited presentation, Linking the GIFT and Project SCORE, presentation at GC Foster College, Kingston, Jamaica.
 
September 2017
Invited presentation, Keeping up the Mustang Magic, Sport psychology presentation at MacGregor Collegiate, MacGregor, MB
 
March 2017
Invited presentation, Re-Learning My ABC’s, Academic session of KinGames 2017, Winnipeg, MB
 
May 2016
Presenter, Cultural relevancy and positive youth development (PYD) through sport. Research Day – Health, Leisure, and Human Performance Research Institute, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB
 
April 2016
Invited talk and presenter for a five-day workshop for high performance coaches, Applied sport psychology and positive youth development through sport. Bahrain Olympic Committee, Kingdom of Bahrain.
 
January 2016
Invited presentation, Parent session: MPW Rangers (focusing on positive parent behaviors in youth hockey), Local hockey team, Winnipeg, MB.
 
October 2015
Presenter, Physical literacy and positive youth development: What’s the link?, Moving It Forward Summit on Physical Literacy (sponsored by the Winnipeg Community Sport Policy Group, Manitoba Physical Education Teachers Association, Manitoba Physical Education Supervisors Association, and Sport Medicine Council of Manitoba), Winnipeg, MB

September 2015
Workshop Leader/Presenter, Project SCORE! Teaching personal skills through sport, Power Smart Manitoba Games Coaches Seminar (sponsored by Manitoba Hydro, Sport Manitoba, and Coaching Manitoba), Steinbach, MB

January 2016
Invited presentation, Parent session: MPW Rangers (focusing on positive parent behaviors in youth hockey), Local hockey team, Winnipeg, MB.
 
October 2015
Presenter, Physical literacy and positive youth development: What’s the link?, Moving It Forward Summit on Physical Literacy (sponsored by the Winnipeg Community Sport Policy Group, Manitoba Physical Education Teachers Association, Manitoba Physical Education Supervisors Association, and Sport Medicine Council of Manitoba), Winnipeg, MB

September 2015
Workshop Leader/Presenter, Project SCORE! Teaching personal skills through sport, Power Smart Manitoba Games Coaches Seminar (sponsored by Manitoba Hydro, Sport Manitoba, and Coaching Manitoba), Steinbach, MB
 
September 2015
Invited presentation, Parent sessions about how to support high performance baton twirlers. Champion’s Choice Clinic, Regina, SK.
 
March 2015
Seminar Presenter, Helping kids develop psychological literacy through the LTAD model, Health, Leisure, and Human Performance Research Institute Seminar Series, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB