Kristine Walker Joins RedBlacks as Part of Women in Football Program
April 11, 2024 - Canadian Football League (CFL)
Ottawa RedBlacks News Release
OTTAWA - The Ottawa REDBLACKS are welcoming Kristine Walker to the team as part of the CFL's Women in Football Program, sponsored by KPMG.
The Ottawa native and Western University product will join the team's Strength and Conditioning Department during training camp from May 12 - June 1. The program, now in its third year, will see each of the league's teams welcome one additional woman to join its football operations department.
"Drawing on the experience I have gained from my years with Western Mustangs Head Coach Greg Marshall and so many of the coaches and staff there, I am excited to utilize my skills at the next level with the REDBLACKS," said Walker. "I've had aspirations of working at the professional level for many years and the Women in Football Program is such a great opportunity to learn, assist and work within a CFL environment."
Through the program, participants will gain knowledge and practical experience working in professional football. Away from the game, they will be matched with a mentor from KPMG who will provide insights about working in corporate environments, help build connections and support personal development.
Walker, who obtained her PhD in Sports Performance Neuroscience, discovered a passion for strength and conditioning during her Masters Degree in coaching while a swimming coach at Western. Walker's Masters research focused on the "effect of hurry-up offense on reaction time and power output in football players," while her PhD focused on how head position impacts vision and skill in hockey players.
Since then, Walker has accrued 11 years of experience in strength and conditioning at the university, including nine years as Assistant Coach and two years as the S&C Coordinator, where she worked with national level programs including football (National Champions in 2017 and 2021, finalists in 2018), men's hockey, women's hockey (National silver medalists 2018), men's basketball and women's Soccer.
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