Play to Lead
Unleashing Women’s Power Through Sport
The Play to Lead program creates a network for girls and their coaches to come together through the power of sport and experience hands-on training and mentorship and build lasting relationships that contribute to gender equity within their local sport organizations and communities.
What to Expect
The Play to Lead program introduces three phases of program delivery that supports athletes along their journey as leaders in sport and beyond:
• An in-person Summit,
• Experiential learning through sport leadership pathways,
• Year-round Alumni engagement and connection.
The program kicks off by bringing together athletes and their coaches for an in-person Summit where, through experiential learning opportunities, they will explore leadership skills, build connections, and have fun! Building on the lessons and experiences of the Summit, the next phase offers sport leadership pathways where youth put their learning into action through hands-on experiences and real-world opportunities, supported by coaches and industry professionals. At the end of the Play to Lead program year, athletes will join the Alumni community, where they will have long-term access to mentorship, networking, and professional development opportunities to support their goals as athletes and leaders.
What You'll Learn
Sport doesn’t just build health and confidence - it opens doors to leadership and career success. Built on research led by the University of Calgary, Play to Lead uses sport as a powerful vehicle to develop eight essential leadership skills that empower girls and young women to thrive on and off the field.
The program connects participants with an inspiring network of sport leaders - sports broadcasters, mental health professionals, local sport organization leaders, professional athletes, and more - to deliver programming that is exciting, educational, and fun.
Coaches also benefit through tailored professional development opportunities designed to enhance their impact.
Our Commitment
At Jumpstart, we know that gender equity builds better sport. The goal of the Play to Lead program is to support the advancement of gender equity by increasing and sustaining the rates of participation of women and girls in sport, while also boosting the representation of diverse women and girls in sport leadership positions across Canada.
Toronto, ON: March 16-19, 2026
Join us for an immersive four-day experience in Toronto, bringing together community partners across Ontario. This summit will feature hands-on learning, new experiences, connection, and fun – all designed to inspire and empower future leaders.
Check out our social channels to learn more about this unique Summit and cohort.
Athlete Registration: 2026 Play to Lead Athlete Registration Form – Fill out form
Coach Registration: 2026 Play to Lead Coach Registration Form – Fill out form
Charlottetown, PEI – July 2026
Information coming soon!
Whitehorse, YT - August 2026
Information coming soon!
Girls and their coaches who are actively engaged in sport and recreation can apply. See below for specific eligibility requirements.
Participant Athletes
- Girls between the ages of 14-17, who will be enrolled in high school for the 2026-27 school year.
- Must be committed to participate in the full duration of the program – both in-person as per the Summit dates and post summit online sessions.
- Must apply to the program with the support of either your coach or sport leader.
- For the Toronto summit: All participants must identify as Black girls or young women.
Coaches
- 18 years or older.
- Coaches can be of any gender; participation is not limited to women.
- Actively engaged with a sport organization in a leadership capacity or coach on a school team.
- Must commit to be at the in-person Summit.
- Must be committed to support their athlete(s) for the full duration of the post summit sessions.
Toronto, ON: March 16-19, 2026
Applications open until February 2nd!
Athlete Registration: 2026 Play to Lead Athlete Registration Form – Fill out form
Coach Registration: 2026 Play to Lead Coach Registration Form – Fill out form
Charlottetown, PEI: July 2026
Applications coming soon
Whitehorse, YT: August 2026
Applications coming soon
The PTL program has limited availability. Apply now to reserve your spot in the program!
"I just wanted to say thanks so much to you and your incredible team, send my thank yous to everyone! this program has been so much fun and I can’t wait for what’s to come in the future!"
“I just wanted to send a huge thank you for everything that was presented, given, and for all the thought that went into such an amazing weekend! You have touched my athletes lives and I am forever grateful. You have inspired me to be a better coach and to keep encouraging girls at my school to try new things and be active! I look forward to what the future holds for this summit and am eager to see what our athletes aspire to do this year. Thank you again for such a lovely weekend!”
“Thank you once again, and again, and again, for having us at this wonderful Summit. Supporting us from the beginning, through many hurdles and in the future. Making a difference in our lives and in so many others through the power of sport. My motto is fairly simple “Provide opportunities and possibilities to our youth to become the best version of themselves.” You and everyone at Jumpstart have done that and continue to do it. Thank you.”
“Programs like yours for Girls in Sports like my daughter bring them so much opportunity and offer then balance they get to see themselves as part of the bigger picture of women in athletics with the possibility of reaching their goals, and dreams through their individual and team endeavors. It was a pleasure for my amazing daughter to have been selected along with her awesome Coach and she will remember this experience as a positive one. I will continue to support her as Play to Lead will help her become a much more stronger and confident athlete than she already is, thank you for helping her feel included and welcome there.”
If you have any questions about the Play to Lead program or the application process, please see the Frequently Asked Questions section, or contact playtolead@cantire.com.