Sport Insight Expertise
Experts in the Field
- For over 25 years members of Sport Insight have been working with world leaders in industry such as adidas, TaylorMade, Ariat, Canadian Olympic Team as well as leagues such as the NHL, NBA and NFL.
Internationally Renowned
- Members of Sport Insight have been recognized for their work with many awards including a fellowship from the International Society of Biomechanics and from the American Society of Biomechanics.
Knowledge Translation
- Sport Insight has experience in disseminating information to many audiences, having published over 130 peer-reviewed journal articles, over 250 technical industry reports, as well as providing insight for tv and print media.
Sport Insight Statistics
Industry Reports
Publications
Invited Talks
Patents
Members of Sport Insight
Sport Insight consists of experts in the field of Biomechanics, Engineering, Kinesiology, Human Movement and Sport Science. Situated in the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Calgary, Sport Insight has the access and expertise to address an extensive range of biomechanics questions. Whether it be performing a study to determine how a new shoe technology influences joint loading and injury risk, quantifying how new equipment or apparel technology affects performance, or working to create new products and develop equipment to meet specific needs or address specific issues, at Sport Insight we are committed to delivering excellence and innovation to our clients.
Darren Stefanyshyn
President & CEO
Darren is a mechanical engineer with specialization in biomechanics. His experience in sport biomechanics is extensive, with a thorough history investigating athletic equipment and its interaction with athletes concentrating on performance and athlete safety. The work done by Dr. Stefanyshyn encompasses many different sport domains, including sprinting, basketball, football, soccer, speed skating, hockey, tennis, and general human locomotion.
Dr. Stefanyshyn has been working with industry partners for over 25 years, having collaborated with world leaders such as adidas, TaylorMade, Mark's Work Wearhouse, Ariat International, the Canadian Olympic Team, as well as sport leagues such as the NHL, NBA and NFL.
Bill Wannop
Academic Consultant
Bill graduated with a PhD in biomechanics in 2012 and since graduation has been an academic consultant for Sport Insight. His expertise is grounded in improving athletic performance and reducing the injury risk of athletes. The work done by Dr. Wannop includes investigating the influence of footwear traction on athletic injury risk and athletic performance, investigating how different mechanical properties of sport surfaces and footwear can improve athletic performance and investigating how different athletic apparel influences the movements and performance of athletes. The work done by Dr. Wannop was recognized in 2012 as he was awarded the Young Investigator Award by at the 2011 Footwear Biomechanics Symposium for his work on footwear traction and injury in American Football.
Dr. Wannop currently works in the Human Performance Lab at the University of Calgary as well as serves as the Deputy Editor of the peer-reviewed journal Footwear Science.
Robin Trama
Post Doc
Robin did a PhD focusing on the effect of sport activity and equipment on soft tissue vibrations at the University of Lyon 1 within the Inter-University Laboratory of Human Movement Biology (France). Shortly after, he started his post doc within the Human Performance Lab (Calgary, Canada) and worked on different industrial projects. His aims are to better understand the effect of equipment on sport performance by evaluating it from a physiology and biomechanics standpoints. To that end, he is using a wide variety of sensors such as metabolic gas analyzer, optoelectronic cameras, force plates, IMU and accelerometers, pressure insoles, and EMG.
Zixiang Gao
Post Doc
Zixiang obtained a master's degree from the Faculty of Sports Science at Ningbo University (China) and a PhD from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Pannonia (Hungary) before joining the Sport Insight team. His research focused on the effects of running-induced fatigue on lower-limb biomechanical symmetry. He then started his postdoctoral research at the Human Performance Lab (University of Calgary, Canada), where he participated in various industrial projects. He is currently working on projects related to the footwear and turf industry. He has extensive experience in biomechanical data collection, musculoskeletal modeling, machine learning, and the application of nonlinear algorithms in sports assessment.
Jake Ruschkowski
Graduate Student (MSc)
Jake has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calgary and is a Master's candidate in Biomedical Engineering, specializing in wearable technology. His research focuses on quantifying artificial turf stiffness using wearable sensors and machine learning. Jake has collaborated with industry leaders such as adidas, On, and FieldTurf, applying advanced biomechanical measurement techniques—including motion capture, inertial measurement units, and force plates—to analyze sport surfaces, equipment, and footwear. A former varsity soccer athlete and recipient of multiple academic and athletic awards, Jake brings a unique blend of engineering expertise and high-level athletic experience to his research.
Michael Esposito
Graduate Student (PhD)
Michael graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biomechanics from the University of Calgary in 2018 and has been with the Sport Insight team ever since. Michael is currently researching the effects of footwear cushioning on running performance and investigating a possible mechanism of improved running performance.
David McNish
Graduate Student (MSC)
Emily Dittmer
Research Technician
Emily is set to receive her Bachelor of Science in Biomechanics this Spring 2025 and is currently working as a Research Technician at Sport Insight, contributing to industry projects with clients including adidas, On and the NBA. She previously interned at adidas in Germany and pursued research at the University of Calgary, where she completed internships and her honours thesis focusing on bone health, wearable sensors, and machine learning. In Fall 2025, she will begin her Master’s in Biomedical Engineering.
Abdul Asim
Researcher
Abdul holds a Bachelor's in Biology from the University of Calgary and a Master's in Applied Bioengineering, with an emphasis in product development. His most recent research experience was in the area of spinal cord neuromodulation, exploring the impact of electrical spinal cord stimulation on improving mobility in patients with spinal cord injury. He is currently working with Sport Insight on several industry projects with clients such as Superfeet, RoketGear & adidas.
Lisenka Bomas
Visiting Student
Lisenka is an undergraduate visiting student researcher pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering, Human Movement Technology at The Hague University of Applied Sciences (The Netherlands). She is going to do a research about how varying sport surface stiffness affects female performance and biomechanical injury risk variables during jumping.
Morgan Seeley
Undergraduate Intern
Morgan is an undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. Currently, Morgan is gaining hands-on experience in the laboratory by contributing to various ongoing research projects.
Many former members of Sport Insight have gone on to work in many different academic and industry positions within the realm of sport science. Please click here to see the list of former Sport Insight members for further information.