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 can be incorporated to promote positive youth sport spaces.
Leisha is a former national team member in the sport of baton twirling, earning two 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.
In our conversation with Leisha, we talk about positive youth development and the four C’s, including how each can be developed and how the four C’s apply to leadership and leading. We also chat about the vulnerability involved with learning new things and the link between dance, movement, culture, and resilience.
