Lakehead Leader Winner Kylee Henson Takes it to the Mat

This Judo Athlete and Kinesiology Student Strengthens Communities

If the idea of meeting a black belt martial artist seems intimidating, Kylee Henson will put you at ease.

Kylee received her Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology, with a minor in Health and Aging, in 2023, and will complete her Master of Science in Kinesiology in December 2025.

Kylee—a judo athlete and Lakehead kinesiology student—is an active community volunteer and one of the friendliest people you'll meet on the Thunder Bay campus.

"For me, volunteering is about respect and giving back," says Kylee, who received a 2025 Lakehead Leader Award for Community Engagement from the university.

"There's a golden rule in judo: People invest in you, so you invest in others."

She's been practicing judo since she was five years old, and competed nationally and internationally until 2022.

"My signature move was an arm bar. I would grab hold of my opponent's arm to lock and hyperextend it when we were grappling on the ground."

A Black Belt with a Keen Research Mind

Kylee's passion for judo has carried over into her academic studies.

"My knee and ankle injuries got me interested in kinesiology and biomechanics," Kylee says.

"Biomechanics is about applying forces to the body and studying how the body reacts. It's physics for your joints."

Kylee is currently finishing a master's thesis focused on reducing judo athletes' risk of concussion.

"Beginners are at the biggest risk of concussion," Kylee says. "More experienced athletes know how to fall."

Above, Kylee (wearing a blue judo gi) teaches a children's judo class at Thunder Bay's Mountainside Judo Club.

She wants her research to spur the development of a standardized judo under-mat system—also called a sub-floor—that will diminish the blunt-force impact when athletes' heads hit the judo mat.

"There's no regulated under-mat system anywhere in the world," Kylee explains. "I'm comparing the systems I've played on to see if some are better than others."

Kylee was a highly ranked judo athlete, and she still practices judo recreationally. It's a sport that's a family tradition. "My dad and my uncle were both big martial artists," she says. Left, Kylee celebrates the day she earned her black belt with her father (left) and uncle (right).

Judo clubs use everything from wall insulation and rubber hockey pucks to pool noodles as cushioning beneath judo mats.

Kylee's interest in keeping people healthy extends well beyond judo. As a master's student, she was hired by the City of Thunder in 2023 to create its Keep Moving Toolkit.

"It helps people dealing with complicated health issues—like stroke, cerebral palsy, and diabetes—build social connections and engage in physical exercise," Kylee says. The toolkit has been adopted across northern Ontario since it was released in February 2025.

Mentoring the Next Generation

It was Kylee's work on and off campus that earned her a Lakehead Leader Award. The Student Success Centre presents these awards to students who embody the spirit of excellence, innovation, and dedication.

Kylee (far right) with the Lakehead women’s varsity wrestling team. Kylee initially planned to become an occupational therapist. “I wanted to adapt elderly people’s homes to keep them independent, but I changed my focus after I began doing postsurgery rehab with Lakehead varsity wrestlers.”

Some of the initiatives that earned Kylee her award include getting Lakehead involved in National Biomechanics Day—an annual worldwide event that introduces this STEM field to high school students and teachers.

"With the support of my supervisor, Dr. Carlos Zerpa, I invited Grade 11 students to campus to learn about biomechanics through different activities and exercises." Kylee's enthusiasm not only got students excited about biomechanics—it boosted enrollment to Lakehead's kinesiology program.

She also mentored St. Ignatius High School students in the fundamentals of kinematics research, showing them how to analyze sport performances using Kinovea video software.

Self-Defence Skills Nurture Self-Confidence

Kylee is a certified judo instructor, and she draws upon her skills to empower community members. "I've adapted what I've learned to teach women and police officers self-defence."

Kylee (third from left) teaches a self-defence class to Lakehead students. 

More recently, she volunteered with the Elizabeth Fry Society to offer self-defence classes to at-risk female inmates about to be released from prison. "The purpose was to help them feel safe on the street after being incarcerated."

Kylee is now busily planning for the future. She already has her own kinesiology business—called Boreal Health, Bodies in Motion—that provides in-home fascia stretching services. Her long-term goal, however, is to provide health programming at the municipal level to create flourishing communities.

"I always encourage people to stay active throughout their lives—it will keep you strong and independent."