Tiffany Hunting: More than a Physiotherapist, a Role Model for All

Although her professionalism and dedication are remarkable, Tiffany Hunting stands out even more for her leadership. According to Judo Canada’s Gender Equity Committee, Hunting goes above and beyond the requirements of her job as a physiotherapist, making her a great role model for all.

“Tiffany is very important to us, and her collaboration is priceless. Her commitment extends far beyond her job duties,” said Marie-Hélène Chisholm and Émilie-Claude Leroux, members of Judo Canada’s Gender Equity Committee.

Hunting joined Judo Canada in 2016. Previously, she was employed by the Institut national du sport du Québec (INS Québec), where she worked with the short-track speed skating team, among others.

“It always motivates me and gives me a boost to see athletes and coaches pursuing their passions as far as they can. I love what I do, and I hope to work here for a long time!” enthused the former university basketball (University of Ottawa) and rugby (McGill University) player.

A very busy year

In addition to working as a physiotherapist, Hunting is involved in the planning and management of medical staff at all Canadian tournaments. She also provides tireless support to her fellow coaches and nutritionists, and is involved in the search for new partners. She has even served as media liaison when accompanying judokas to competitions.

“I love working with the athletes and giving them my best, so that they can do the same in competition. When I have nothing to do, I always try to find a new task! I like to be as helpful as possible,” stated Hunting, who always has energy to spare.

As another example of her leadership and versatility, during the past year, which yielded its own unique set of challenges, the Cowansville native was involved in the day-to-day management of COVID-19 as it pertained to the athletes, coaches and partners, including INS Québec.

“I wanted to make sure everyone was as safe as possible when going back to training and competition, so I followed up with INS Québec regarding the different health protocols in place, to be sure things were going well and our space was safe,” explained Hunting, emphasizing that these accomplishments were not hers alone. “It was a team effort. Everyone wanted to get back to it as quickly and safely as possible. We had to make sure the athletes would be safe, and that’s where I fit in. I see it as my job to help them reach their sports goals.”

Hunting took advantage of the forced break to completely overhaul the organization’s concussion management policies and protocols, as well as to create new tools to better analyze and manage concussions.

“I wanted to learn more about concussions and update our protocols. I wanted to understand how they happen, and in what circumstances, so that we could update our reporting systems accordingly. This will help us understand how concussions occur in judo, so that we can work on preventing them.” 

In addition to hoping for a quick return to “normal” for the entire sports community, Hunting plans to work in high-performance sport for as long as possible. “I love it!” she concluded.