Ontario Weightlifting Association – Call for High Performance Committee

The Ontario Weightlifting Association (OWA) is seeking engaged, knowledgeable, and community-minded individuals to serve on its High Performance Committee (HPC).

The HPC is a Program Advisory Committee of the OWA, reporting to the VP Operations and President, and plays a critical role in shaping the future of high-performance weightlifting in Ontario by providing technical expertise, strategic guidance, and informed recommendations to the OWA Board.

Role Overview

The High Performance Committee supports OWA’s mission of helping athletes achieve optimum performance by advising on the development, refinement, and implementation of high-performance policies, pathways, and selection frameworks across Youth, Junior, Senior, and Masters categories.

The Committee works collaboratively with the Board to develop a Pathway to Excellence, grounded in LTAD principles, and inclusive of both athlete and coach development pathways.

Key Responsibilities

Committee members contribute to advisory work in areas including:

• Development and review of OWA’s high-performance frameworks

• Qualifying standards, rankings, and records processes

• Quest for Gold funding use and selection input

• Review of national and provincial team selection policies

• Selection procedures for training camps, Ontario Winter Games, and HP programs

• Identification and discussion of priority issues impacting high-performance athletes

• Ongoing review and refinement of the Committee’s Terms of Reference

All recommendations are advisory in nature and subject to Board approval

Committee Composition & Eligibility
The HPC is composed of five (5) members, including:

Athlete Representatives (minimum 2)

Applicants must:

• Have competed at a National Championship within the past 5 years
• Be in good standing with both the PSO and NSO
• Asset: Competition Introduction certification

Coach Representatives (minimum 2)

Applicants must:

• Hold Competition Development certification
• Be eligible to coach at Junior/Senior Canadian Championships
• Be in good standing with both the PSO and NSO

To be eligible, candidates must be 18 years of age or older, a resident of Ontario, and a Regular Member of the Corporation in good standing.

Members are selected by the OWA Board from a pool of applicants. The Board reserves the right to appoint or recruit members to ensure appropriate balance, expertise, and committee effectiveness.

Additional Responsibilities of the Chair
In addition to the general responsibilities of Committee members, the Chair is responsible for:

• Meeting Leadership and Facilitation: Chairing monthly committee meetings in a manner that is inclusive, focused, and aligned with the Committee’s mandate.
  
  
• Agenda Development and Preparation: Developing meeting agendas in collaboration with the VP Operations and President, and ensuring members receive appropriate documentation in advance.
  
  
• Work Planning and Delegation: Creating and maintaining work plans to address Committee objectives, delegating tasks to members, and tracking progress between meetings.
  
  
• Board Liaison and Reporting: Communicating Committee recommendations, progress updates, and key issues to the OWA Board through written reports and verbal updates as required.
  
  
• Governance and Policy Alignment: Ensuring Committee work aligns with OWA’s strategic plan, policies, and approved Terms of Reference.
  
  
• Records and Documentation Oversight: Ensuring formal meeting minutes are recorded, reviewed, approved, and submitted to the OWA Board within required timelines.
  
  
• Member Engagement and Information Flow: Ensuring Committee members are informed of critical matters and supported in fulfilling their roles.

Essential Skills

Successful candidates will clearly demonstrate competence in the following areas:

• Reliability and Follow-Through: Ability to prepare for meetings, complete agreed-upon tasks between meetings, and meet timelines for committee work.
  
  
• Oral and Written Communication: Ability to communicate ideas clearly, respectfully, and constructively in both verbal discussion and written formats (e.g., emails, feedback, draft recommendations, meeting discussions).
  
  
• Collaborative Decision-Making: Capacity to engage in thoughtful discussion, consider multiple perspectives, and contribute to consensus-based recommendations in a committee setting.
  
  
• Analytical and Critical Thinking: Ability to review policies, selection criteria, and program frameworks with attention to fairness, clarity, athlete development, and alignment with OWA’s strategic priorities.
  
  
• Understanding of High-Performance Sport Contexts: Familiarity with high-performance pathways, competitive structures, and the realities facing athletes and coaches across different stages of development.
  
  
• Professional Judgment and Integrity: Commitment to acting honestly, in good faith, and in the best interests of the organization, including respecting confidentiality and managing conflicts of interest appropriately.

Additional Essential Skills – Chair
Applicants interested in being considered for the Chair role should demonstrate:

• Strong Facilitation and Leadership Skills: Ability to guide discussions, manage differing viewpoints, and keep meetings productive and respectful.
  
  
• Advanced Oral and Written Communication: Confidence presenting recommendations to the Board and producing clear, well-structured written summaries and reports.
  
  
• Organizational and Planning Skills: Ability to manage agendas, timelines, documentation, and follow-up actions effectively.
  
  
• Governance Awareness: Understanding of committee–board relationships, advisory roles, and decision-making boundaries within a non-profit organization.
  
  
• Professional Credibility and Judgment: Capacity to represent the Committee with integrity, neutrality, and sound judgment.

Assets

The following experience or qualities are considered strong assets:

• Experience with Policy or Program Development: Involvement in developing, reviewing, or implementing policies, selection procedures, or athlete development frameworks within sport organizations.

• Experience on Committees, Boards, or Working Groups: Prior participation in advisory committees, governance bodies, or collaborative working groups, particularly within sport or non-profit settings.

• Systems-Level Perspective: Ability to think beyond individual cases and consider the broader impact of policies and recommendations on athletes, coaches, and the sport community as a whole.

• Equity, Inclusion, and Athlete-Centered Lens: Awareness of how policies and pathways can impact athletes differently across age, gender, geography, and stages of development, including Youth, Masters, and emerging athletes.

• Comfort with Structured Documentation: Experience reviewing or contributing to written materials such as frameworks, guidelines, reports, or formal recommendations.

 Commitment

• Term: Two (2) years
• Meetings: Monthly (1 hour)
• Additional work: Approximately 1 hour per week between meetings

Members are expected to prepare for meetings, engage in committee work, and maintain confidentiality of committee discussions.

Application

If you are excited to help ensure the successful performance and growth of Ontario athletes, we’d love to hear from you!

To apply, please fill out the form below with a short statement of interest and any relevant experience by Friday, February 13th, 2026.