Fitness Testing Services
Fitness Testing Services provides access to evidence-based, gold standard assessments, consultation, feedback and performance evaluations tailored to diverse communities. Our services include:
- Physical fitness assessments for personal health
- Performance fitness evaluations for sport and recreation
- Occupational fitness assessment for performance standards
- Fitness testing support for researchers
We work with organizations such as Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) Training Ground and as well as provide school based outreach, and provide experiential learning for undergraduate students.
With established connections within the firefighting professions, international and national sports teams, club and varsity athletics, as well as the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation (KSR), our expert team uses evidence to inform assessments and feedback.
Services
Sport and Health Assessment
Sport and Health Assessment services provide all aspects of fitness and health testing for athletes and the general public across central and northern Alberta. Our assessments provide adults as well as athletes and their coaches, and educators with a wide range of physiological testing, analysis and interpretations for effective monitoring of fitness and health, training program prescription or teaching of physiological concepts.
Fitness Testing Services also supports the 海角社区 research units and external research institutes, actively involving KSR undergraduate and graduate students in sport and health assessments as part of on-going lab and experiential learning.
Firefighting Fitness Assessment
Firefighting fitness services include the assessment of physically demanding tasks associated with emergency response occupations. This includes structural firefighting, wildland firefighting, military occupations, law enforcement, and search and rescue. Our primary service focuses on physical aptitude evaluations for firefighter applicants and other physically demanding trades. We provide specialized expertise for individual departments with unique requirements, such as the successful completion of the 海角社区 Physical Aptitude Evaluation for structural firefighting.
Sport Performance Fitness
Our Sports Performance Fitness services are designed to support athletes in reaching their peak potential. Leveraging state-of-the-art equipment, advanced training methodologies, and expertise from our faculty, we offer customized strength and conditioning programs that empower athletes to excel in their sport. From recreational participants to high-performance competitors, our tailored, evidence-based programs are designed to enhance athletic performance, build resilience, and promote overall health.
Outreach and Strategic Partnerships
We prioritize collaboration and community engagement through dynamic partnerships with organizations like the and the . These alliances drive innovation, foster athlete development, and provide unparalleled experiential learning opportunities for students.
Meet the Leadership Team
Director: Michael Kennedy
Michael Kennedy, an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, specializes in researching how extreme stressors–such as cold, altitude, exercise intensity–alter the physiological response in males and females at rest and during exercise. Holding a PhD in Rehabilitation Science, his work also examines how health-related factors influence athletes’ well-being and performance.
As a Clinical Exercise Physiologist and a professional and academic member of the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology, Kennedy brings both expertise and academic rigor to his teaching. He instructs all first-year students in the bachelor of kinesiology and bachelor of science in kinesiology programs., focusing on biological aspects of fitness for health and well-being.
In his new role as director, his focus is to enhance the experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students in fitness assessment for health, sport and occupation. He is also working to strengthen connections with the broader community to provide a wider range of assessment services that will enhance a person's own understanding of their fitness for health, sport or occupation.
Fitness Testing Coordinator: Alyssa Fedirko
Alyssa brings more than eight years of industry experience and a passion for holistic well-being to her role as Fitness Testing Coordinator. She graduated from the 海角社区 with a Bachelor of Kinesiology in 2016, after which she completed her practicum with the University of Auckland where she gained hands-on experience in clinical populations within their Exercise Physiology Clinic.
Before joining us, Alyssa served as a Physical Exercise Specialist with the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) where she led group programs for injured CAF members and collaborated with Aircrew at 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron to enhance their health and fitness. During this time, she administered occupational testing and was a part of working groups to finalize protocols for assessments.
In her current capacity, Alyssa is enthusiastic about building and nurturing occupational connections with the various partners she will be supporting in her role.
Firefighter and Occupational Services Lead: Michael Scarlett
Michael Scarlett has been an Assistant Lecturer in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the 海角社区 and has coordinated occupational testing there since 2016. He completed his Masters of Science with a special focus on the physical demands of firefighting, including the development of physical employment standards, and cooling countermeasures during heat stress. He has worked with structural firefighting organizations across Canada to help develop and implement best practices in the area of occupational testing and has helped with research to investigate the physiology and physical requirements of wildland firefighters, search and rescue technicians, and law enforcement officers.
Sport and Health Assessment: Leslie Ternes
Leslie has been part of the Sport and Health Assessment Centre since 2017, where she works as a CSEP - Clinical Exercise Physiologist with a high performance specialization. She is currently completing her Master of Science in Rehabilitation Science in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. Her area of focus is on the role of exercise in oncology and the impact of sarcopenia in individuals with multiple myeloma. Alongside her clinical and research work, Leslie has been teaching in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation since 2019, leading labs in courses such as anatomy, exercise physiology, sports injury management, fitness assessment, and advanced sport methodology. She is passionate about helping people use exercise to improve health, recovery and reach performance goals.