Where Canada’s Women Athletes Shape the Future of Sport.

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A smiling family of three sitting on a bench outdoors. The man and woman are wearing sports jerseys with "CAN" printed on them, and their young daughter, dressed in a black dress with a Canadian maple leaf, is waving. The background shows parked cars and trees.
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Founded by Olympians and Paralympians in 2024, MOMentum exists to ensure that no elite Canadian woman athlete has to choose between pursuing sport and building a family.

Meet our Team

Our co-founding team includes six women with deep roots in Canadian sport, five Olympians and Paralympians, and one academic. Mandy, Melissa, and Kim know firsthand what it means to compete at the Games as athlete mothers, they did it in 2020. Jill and Erica also competed at the Games, and along with Talia, they’re pursuing PhDs in this space. Together, we’re turning lived experience into action.

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  • Two-time Olympic boxer and MOMentum co-founder, Mandy has been a leading voice for athlete mothers in Canada. After fighting for her right to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as an athlete mom, she helped spark policy change around maternal rights in sport. Today, Mandy continues to advocate for gender equity and athlete wellbeing, bringing both her lived experience and leadership to MOMentum’s mission.

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  • Two-time Olympian and MOMentum co-founder, Jill represented Canada in rowing at the 2020 and 2024 Games. Now a PhD researcher studying gender equity, athlete motherhood, and women’s sport media, she bridges lived experience and academic insight. Passionate about storytelling with intention, Jill uses media as a tool to challenge assumptions and reimagine what equity in sport can look like.

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  • Three-time Olympian and MOMentum co-founder, Melissa has long been one of Canada’s most respected middle-distance runners. After becoming a mother in 2018, she returned to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Games, challenging outdated ideas about motherhood and elite sport. Melissa brings both her athletic experience and her passion for supporting future generations of women athletes to MOMentum’s mission.

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  • Researcher and MOMentum co-founder, Talia is completing her PhD examining safe sport, policy, and athlete motherhood in high-performance environments. Her work bridges research and practice, focusing on how sport systems can better support women athletes. When Talia isn’t publishing papers, you can catch her playing beach volleyball.

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  • Three-time Olympian and MOMentum co-founder, Kim made history by speaking out ahead of the 2020 Games, challenging Olympic rules that prevented breastfeeding mothers from bringing their infants. Her advocacy helped spark international policy change and a broader conversation about motherhood in sport. After retiring, Kim returned to the 2024 Games as a coach, continuing her leadership within Team Canada basketball.

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  • Paralympian and MOMentum co-founder, Erica represented Canada in wheelchair basketball at the Rio 2016 Games. She holds a PhD in physiology and is now pursuing a second PhD focused on athlete motherhood and para sport. Beyond research, Erica has been a powerful advocate for para athletes, bringing years of experience serving on boards and working to advance equity, accessibility, and representation in Canadian sport.

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Supported By

Logo with text OLY legacy grant and olympic symbol
Logo with text 'FSL Future of Sport Lab' and a stylized green 'FSL'
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OUR VALUES

We centre athlete mothers and create space for all athletes navigating family planning, inclusive of every background, identity, and pathway to parenthood.

1.

Inclusion

We believe in telling real, complex stories. Lived experience leads everything we do, and we’re not afraid to talk about the hard parts of balancing sport, ambition, and family.

Authenticity

2.

We see family planning as a core part of gender equity in sport. By advocating for access to reproductive choice and support, we’re helping build a system where women can thrive as athletes and as people.

Equity

3.

We see athletes as more than their performance. Behind every medal, there’s a person with family, ambition, identity, and health that all matter. We believe sport should make space for every part for all of it.

4.

Human First

QUESTIONS?

  • No, MOMentum is for any elite athlete considering family planning, whether during their athletic career or after retirement.

  • Currently, our focus is on supporting female athletes. However, we recognize the need for resources for elite athletes who are fathers, and expanding our support in this area is one of our future objectives.

  • We are committed to supporting as many athletes as possible. At this time, our primary focus is on the Summer and Winter Games, but we have plans to expand our support through future campaigns.

  • Currently, MOMentum is not a registered charity, so donations are not tax-deductible. That being said, we do have availabilty to provide tax receipts (where eligible) through Charitable Trustees.

  • You can support MOMentum by donating, partnering with us, or helping spread the word — share our stories, start conversations, and advocate for athlete mothers across Canada. We’re actively looking for strategic partners who share our vision, so please reach out to connect.