CBC Future 40 highlights two of our own
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is celebrating Manitoba’s new generation of leaders, builders and change-makers under the age of 40 in a nomination-based event titled Future 40.
Two Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management figures have made this year’s list. Congratulations to FKRM professor and associate dean of undergraduate education, Dr. Sarah Teetzel, and to Bison women’s soccer head coach, Vanessa Martínez-Lagunas for being named amongst this year’s crop of Future 40 nominees.
Vanessa Martínez-Lagunas
Vanessa Martínez-Lagunas is the head coach of the University of Manitoba Bison women’s soccer team and a beacon of inspiration for young women chasing their dreams of collegiate and professional soccer.
Vanessa hails from Toluca, Mexico and was a member of the Mexican women’s national team. She also starred at the University of Texas at Austin, earning Big 12 Conference Commissioner’s Honour Roll, and played professionally in Germany.
Her passion and enthusiasm for the game, and drive to set a positive example for young women, led her to make Winnipeg her home in 2013. Vanessa eagerly accepted the challenge of head coach of the UofM women’s soccer team – one of the youngest and most inexperienced squads in the country.
Vanessa’s place as head coach has already begun to pay dividends. The team is gradually becoming a force to be reckoned with, as they qualified for the playoffs this season and achieved the best team record and winning percentage since 2007.
She’s blazed her own trail in a career field typically dominated by men. Vanessa is one of few females to earn the prestigious UEFA Pro Licence – the highest coaching certification in the world, and is a FIFA Women’s Soccer Instructor and UEFA Technical Expert.
Although the ultimate goal is for her squad to continue to be competitive and amongst the very best in Canada, Vanessa can’t stress enough how important it is for her players to chase their dreams and aspire to greatness in every aspect of their lives.
Dr. Sarah Teetzel
Dr. Sarah Teetzel is a professor and associate dean of undergraduate education in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management at the University of Manitoba. She is an internationally renowned scholar and a preeminent academic voice in the philosophy and ethics of sport. Her research is innovative and has stimulated academics around the globe to take note of her scholarly work.
Dr. Teetzel’s exceptional promise as a researcher has been recognized by several organizations, including the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee, which awarded her its “Best dissertation award”, and the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Studies Centre, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, and the World Anti-Doping Agency, which have all funded her research. The International Olympic Academy was so impressed by her scholarly work and ability to connect with international students that they have invited Dr. Teetzel to return to Olympia, Greece five times to deliver lectures.
Her research has been featured in more than 30 interviews and media reports, including three Op-Ed pieces published in the Winnipeg Free Press, coverage in the New York Times, and National Post. In her career, she has authored or co-authored over 80 publications.
Dr. Teetzel also mentors and inspires talented graduate students. Her graduate students have been successful in obtaining SSHRC scholarships and U of M Graduate Fellowships. Graduate students supervised by Dr. Teetzel have also been selected to represent Canada at the International Olympic Academy’s postgraduate seminar.
Visit CBC Future 40 for more information on the event.