As President and Co-Founder of SeeWhatSheCanDo, Caroline brings over 25 years of professional experience in the sport and recreation industry along with her deep passion to capture key moments in time when behind a lens in her role as an action photographer. Her strong belief in the value of community and collaboration shapes all that she does in showcasing what active women are capable of and in supporting the businesses and organizations that are driven to help active women reach their full potential. Caroline holds a Master’s Degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies from the University of Waterloo and a business degree from Queen’s University. She is also the proud mother of two daughters and a lifelong sport and outdoor recreation enthusiast. She enjoys cycling around her community, utilizing the local trails.
SeeWhatSheCanDo (SWSCD) is a media and marketing company serving and showcasing active and sport-loving women at all levels of activity – from the local recreational league to the pinnacle of high-performance sport. SWSCD strives to be the neighbourhood hub for action women.
SWSCD is passionate about delivering community, adventures, stories, and resources that will inspire and help keep women on the move. SWSCD directly delivers active women and their supporter’s coverage of 67 different activities access to an events and groups hub and an extensive directory of over 60,000 local sport and recreation businesses operating across Canada through their first-of-its-kind SWSCD digital platform.
The SWSCD digital platform is designed to provide its community members with direct access to easy-to-use storytelling tools that allow everyone to share and celebrate their own #SeeWhatSheCanDo moments and highlights. It also provides the capability to build direct connections with other like-minded women, supporters, businesses, and others associated with the sport, physical activity, and recreation industry.
We caught up with Caroline, to learn a little bit more about her and her journey in sport to creating SeeWhatSheCanDo.
How did you get started in sport?
Caroline: I have done sport for as long as I can remember. I was always that kid who couldn’t wait to play pick up sports in the local school yard, parking lot, skating rink or community park – really – wherever you could find an open space to play. I grew up in an amazing neighbourhood and time where kids across all ages actively came together and made their own fun through sport, games, and connection. It was an influential time for me and likely the basis for why sport has always been a significant part of my world. I love being a participant, a fan, a supporter, and a leader. It’s my happy place and it’s where I always find my peeps.
What made you decide to create SWSCD?
Caroline: SWSCD got started when I decided I wanted to make a difference in moving the dial on the mainstream media coverage of women’s sports and physical activity. I had taken some time off to have my two daughters and was looking for a unique way to get back into the sport, physical activity and recreation industry. I wanted to do it on my own terms. It’s also always been my nature to step up and solve the problems that needed to be solved or do the work that needed to be done. One key issue that always frustrated me was the minimal coverage being given to women’s sports through mainstream media with coverage percentages moving minimally (or even falling) over a 30-year period. I believed I could make a difference in this space. I saw that through innovation, investment, and lots of imagination, you could put the power of sport and movement directly into the hands of all women, their supporters and organizations that served them. We also wanted to be able give everyone the agency to be a part of the change we wanted to see happen in terms of how women are covered, presented, represented, encouraged, and informed within the world of sports, recreation, and play.
What type of cycling do you enjoy?
Caroline: I love to cycle recreationally with my family and friends when I can. I live in Aurora, and we are privileged to have access to an amazing and very extensive trail system that runs through the Town and connects to neighbouring communities. They’ve made it super easy for us as residents to hop our bikes and get going right from our own driveway. I also love to explore other parts of the province by leveraging the many rails to trails path systems that have been created over the years. I love that they are such accessible ways to actively explore the world with the people who you love to spend time with or as a way to meet new people.
How can SWSCD support women getting involved in cycling?
Caroline: SWSCD is excited to support women who are either already actively involved in cycling or who are maybe thinking of giving cycling a go but aren’t necessarily sure where to start. Since our launch in 2018, we have had the pleasure and honour to share and feature the first-time cycling stories of several women who were giving the world of cycling a go. We have also had the privilege to partner with organizations like Gravelocity Cycling over the last two years to introduce gravel cycling to women. We’ve also had the chance to showcase all levels of women’s cycling by covering specific cycling events including the Canada Cup Race Series and Pulse Racing’s Women’s 4-Hour Mountain Bike Relay hosted by Hardwood Ski & Bike. I always love having the chance to watch women experience the success of learning a new skill, building confidence in a new sport, or having the chance to compete to be their best. In terms of the SWSCD platform itself, our Athlete Advisor Business Directory can help women find local cycling businesses and clubs in their community as well as learn how to stay up to date with organizations like Ontario Cycling that are there to serve their needs as cyclists. They also have the ability to create their own local cycling group or event as well as share their own cycling #SeeWhatSheCanDo story.
I invite you to explore both the SWSCD website and the SWSCD Cycling activity page.
https://www.seewhatshecando.com/
https://www.seewhatshecando.com/cycling
What has been your favourite experience with running SWSCD?
Caroline: There are so many favourites I have associated with SWSCD. But if I were to pick one, I think my most favourite experience running SWSCD will always be centred around having the chance to capture women in action behind the lens. I love being an action photographer and I love capturing the moments where women are putting it all out there to either be their best or push the boundaries in what they think they can do. Being an action photographer is a privilege for sure and I am honoured that the women trust me to capture these moments in a respectful, kind, and enthusiastic way. I absolutely love sports and being on the move and it makes me super happy when I see and capture other women (and girls) experiencing a similar type of passion to mine.