Dr. Linda Blade is a Sport Performance Professional with a PhD in Kinesiology from Simon Fraser University, in Canada. She is a track and field coach and the current President of Athletics Alberta (Alberta Association for Track & Field, Cross-Country and Road Running).

Dr. Linda Blade has worked for 25 years as a Sport Performance Professional coach in Edmonton teaching fundamental biomotor skills to athletes in over 15 sports (from beginner to elite). Since 2014, Linda has served as President of the Board for Athletics Alberta, where she has a duty to contend with proposals to insert ‘gender identity’ into Canadian sport policy.  Linda insists that the struggle to preserve women’s sports for biological females is, “the hill I am prepared to die on”.  

It appears that Linda’s entire life experience has prepared her for this role: playing street soccer as a small child and then becoming the Bolivian champion in Track & Field as a 15-year-old. She secured a NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Title IX scholarship and winning “All American” honours while at University of Maryland; later becoming Canadian Champion and competing internationally with Team Canada in heptathlon. She obtained a PhD in Kinesiology with a specialty in studying physical anthropology and sexual dimorphism in growing children.  

Listeners will find that Dr. Blade is an informed and passionate advocate for women’s sports.  Her perspective is unique and inspirational. She joins Raquel Rosario Sánchez in discussion.

You can sign the petition asking the International Olympics Committee to Save Women’s Sports.

You can read more about Linda’s work here

And follow Linda on Twitter @coachblade