Isla Shill
MSc
PhD Student
Isla Shill is a PhD candidate supervised by Dr. Carolyn Emery & Dr. Brent Hagel in the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre. She completed her MSc in Kinesiology with a specialization in Sports Medicine in 2020 at UCalgary and pursued her PhD in 2021. Her research interests include youth sport injury and concussion prevention, sport injury epidemiology, and youth female athlete health.
Isla was previously a member of the University of Calgary Women’s Varsity Rugby team and has had the privilege of coaching several high school and youth club rugby teams in Calgary. Combining her passion for rugby with her research, Isla’s PhD dissertation includes an evaluation of a rugby-specific neuromuscular training warm-up in high school female rugby union and evaluating the association between rugby tackle characteristics and concussion using video analysis methodology in the same population.
Awards and Distinctions
2022-2025 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship
2021-2023 Harley N. Hotchkiss Doctoral Scholarship in Neuroscience, Hotchkiss Brain Institute
2023 Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute Trainee Travel Award
2022 University of Calgary Faculty of Kinesiology Presentation Award
2021 Canadian Traumatic Brain Injury Research Consortium Scholar Award
2021 University of Calgary Faculty of Kinesiology Presentation Award
2021 Faculty of Kinesiology Leadership Scholarship
2021 University of Calgary Faculty of Kinesiology Presentation Award
2021 Patti Lou and Ron Doornbos Memorial Scholarship in Youth Sport Injury Prevention Research
2020-2021 Alberta Graduate Excellence Scholarships (AGES) - Master's Research
2020 Integrated Concussion Research Program Travel Grant
2020 Faculty of Kinesiology Presentation Award
2020 Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute Trainee Travel Award
2020 Alberta Graduate Students Travel Incentive
2019 Alberta Athletic Award Women's Rugby
2017 Alberta Athletic Award Women's Rugby
2017 Jason Lang Scholarship Fall Term
2017 University of Calgary "Eyes High" 50th Anniversary International Exchange Award
2016 Alberta Athletic Award Women's Rugby
2016 University of Calgary Undergraduate Merit Award
2016 Jason Lang Scholarship Fall Term
2015 Alberta Athletic Award Women's Rugby
2015-2017 Academic All-Canadian
2015-2017 Faculty of Kinesiology Dean's List
Publications
Peer-reviewed manuscripts:
- Shill, I. J., West, S. W., Brown, J., Wilson, F., Palmer, D., Pike, I., ... & Emery, C. A. (2023). How to harness and improve on video analysis for youth rugby player safety: a narrative review. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 9(3), e001645. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2023-001645
- Shepherd, H. A., Shill, I. J., Caron, J. G., Reed, N., Yeates, K. O., Schneider, K. J., ... & Emery, C. A. (2023). Facilitating students’ return to school following a concussion: Perspectives of Canadian teachers and school administrators. Cogent Education, 10(2), 2257124. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2257124
- Eliason, P., Galarneau, J. M., Shill, I.J., Kolstad, A., Babul, S., Mrazik, M., ... & Emery, C. (2022). Factors associated with concussion rates in youth ice hockey players: data from the largest longitudinal cohort study in Canadian youth ice hockey. Clinical journal of sport medicine, 33(5), 10-1097. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000001177
- Patricios, J. S., Schneider, G. M., ..., Shill, I.J., … & Schneider, K. J. (2023). Beyond acute concussion assessment to office management: a systematic review informing the development of a Sport Concussion Office Assessment Tool (SCOAT6) for adults and children. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 57(11), 737-748. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-106897
- West, S. W., Shill, I. J., Sick, S., Schneider, K. J., Wiley, J. P., Hagel, B. E., ... & Black, A. M. (2023). It takes two to tango: high rates of injury and concussion in ball carriers and tacklers in high school boys' rugby. Clinical journal of sport medicine, 33(4), 405-413. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000001118
- West, S. W., Shill, I. J., Bailey, S., Syrydiuk, R. A., Hayden, K. A., Palmer, D., ... & Emery, C. A. (2023). Injury Rates, Mechanisms, Risk Factors and Prevention Strategies in Youth Rugby Union: What’s All the Ruck-Us About? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports medicine, 53, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01826-z
- West, S. W., Shill, I. J., Sutter, B., George, J., Ainsworth, N., Wiley, J. P., ... & Emery, C. A. (2022). Caught on camera: a video assessment of suspected concussion and other injury events in women's rugby union. Journal of science and medicine in sport, 25(10), 805-809. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2022.07.008
- West, S. W., Shill, I. J., Clermont, C., Pavlovic, N., Cairns, J., Seselja, B., ... & Emery, C. A. (2022). Same name, same game, but is it different? An investigation of female rugby union match events in Canadian Varsity players. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 17(5), 1119-1127. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541211051961
- Cairo, A. L., Räisänen, A. M., Shill, I. J., Black, A. M., & Emery, C. A. (2022). High injury and concussion rates in female youth team sport: an opportunity for prevention. International journal of sports medicine, 43(07), 608-615. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1697-2195
- Shill, I. J., West, S. W., Sick, S., Schneider, K., Hagel, B. E., Pasanen, K., ... & Black, A. M. (2022). Injuries and concussions in female high school rugby: prevention is worth a try. Clinical journal of sport medicine, 32(5), 508-516. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0000000000000993
- Shill, I. J., Räisänen, A., Black, A. M., Barden, C., van den Berg, C., McKay, C. D., ... & Emery, C. A. (2021). Canadian high school rugby coaches readiness for an injury prevention strategy implementation: evaluating a Train-the-Coach workshop. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 3, 672603. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.672603
Peer-reviewed conference publications (abstracts):
- Shill I.J., West S., Hendricks S., Hagel B.E., & Emery C.A. (2023). 525 Being technical about the tackle...the landscape of suspected concussive tackle events in female varsity rugby union. Brain Injury, 37 (S1), 217. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2023.2247822
- Eliason, P., Galarneau, J. M., Shill, I.J., Kolstad, A., Babul, S., Mrazik, M., ... & Emery, C. (2023). 489 Identifying risk factors for concussion in youth ice hockey players in the largest longitudinal cohort study in canadian youth ice hockey. Brain Injury, 37 (S1), 241. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2023.2247822
- Shepherd, H.A., Shill, I.J., Yeates, K.O., Reed, N., Caron, J. Schneider. K., Black, A., & Emery, C.A. (2023). 456 Educator perspectives of supporting students to return to school following a concussion. Brain Injury, 37 (S1), 181. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2023.2247822
- West, S.W., Shill, I.J., Price, T., & Emery, C.A. (2023). 580 More than just counting concussions: a multi-modal approach to concussion risk factor and prevention evaluation in youth rugby. Brain Injury, 37 (S1), 242. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2023.2247822
- West, S.W., Shill, I.J., & Emery, C.A. (2023). 579 More than just wearing a mouthguard: a multi- modal approach to concussion prevention in youth rugby. Brain Injury, 37 (S1), 241. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699052.2023.2247822
- Lutz, D., van den Berg, C., Raisanen, A.M., Shill, I.J., Kim, J., Vaandering, M., Hayden, K.A., Pasanen, K., Schneider, K.J., Emery, C.A., & Owoeye, O.B. (2023). Best Practices for Neuromuscular Training Warm-up Program Implementation in Youth Team Sport: A Systematic Review. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, 33(2), e20-e37. https://doi.org.10.1097/JSM.0000000000001124.
- Price, T., West, S., Shill, I., Hendricks, S., Stokes, K., & Emery, C. A. (2023). Suspected Injury and Concussion Rates in Canadian High-School 7's Rugby. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, 33(2), e20-e37. https://doi.org.10.1097/JSM.0000000000001124.
- Shepherd, H. A., Shill, I. J., Yeates, K. O, Reed, N., Caron, J. G., Schneider, K. J., Black, A. M., & Emery, C. A. (2023). Educator Perspectives on Supporting Students to Return to School Following a Concussion. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, 33(2), e20-e37. https://doi.org.10.1097/JSM.0000000000001124.
- West, S., Shill, I. J., Bailey, S., Syrydiuk, R., Hayden, A., Palmer-Green, D., ... & Emery, C. (2022). What’s all the ruck-us about? A systematic review and meta-analysis of rates, risk factors, and prevention strategies for injury and concussion in youth rugby union: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 32(3), 32-3. https://doi.org10.1097/JSM.0000000000001035
- Shill, I., Black, A. M., Sick, S., Kolstad, A., Palacios-Derflingher, L., Schneider, K., ... & Emery, C. (2021). 289 Injury rates and mechanisms of injury in female high school rugby. 55(Suppl 1), A112. https://doi.org.10.1136/bjsports-2021-IOC.267
- Cairo, A., Shill, I., Räisänen, A., Black, A., & Emery, C. (2021). 237 Contact injuries predominate in female youth team sports: an opportunity for prevention. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 55(Suppl 1), A92-A93. https://doi.org.10.1136/bjsports-2021-IOC.219
- West, S., Shill, I., Patricios, J., Ainsworth, N., Everett, A., George, J., ... & Emery, C. (2021). 461 narrowing the gender gap in rugby injury epidemiology: a novel video-analysis study in the women’s game. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 55(Suppl 1), A176-A176. https://doi.org.10.1136/bjsports-2021-IOC.422
- Shill, I.J., West, S.W., Hagel, B.E., Pasanen, K., Emery, C.A., & Black, A.M. (2021). Injury and concussion in Canadian female high school rugby. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 31(3), e131-e136. https://doi.org.10.1097/JSM.0000000000000931.
- Cairo, A.L., Räisänen, A.M., Shill, I.J., Black, A.M/, & Emery, C.A. (2021). High Injury Prevalence and Concussion Rates in Female Youth Team Sports: An Opportunity for Prevention. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 31(3), e111-e130. https://doi.org.10.1097/JSM.0000000000000932. Shill, I., Black, A.M., Barden, C., McKay, C., Pasanen, K., Hagel, B., & Emery, C.A. (2020). Perceptions of Injury, Risk and Prevention in Youth High School Rugby: Are Coaches Ready for a Neuromuscular Training Injury Prevention Strategy? Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 30(3), e88-e110. https://doi.org.10.1097/JSM.0000000000000844.