THE HOME TuRf ADvANTAGE Pan am ComEs to U oF t

Summer 2015 / Vol. 18, No. 1
University of Toronto
Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education
THE
Home Turf
advantage
Pan Am Comes to U of T
CANADA RESEARCH CHAIR
Professor Catherine Sabiston earns national accolade
CAN PAN AM MAKE TORONTO HEALTHIER?
Professor Peter Donnelly talks legacy
GOLDRING GETS NEW CAMPAIGN CHAIR
Patrick O’Hanlon takes the reigns
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Summer 2015 / Vol. 18, No. 1
30
EDITOR
Sarah Baker
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Valerie Iancovich
CONTRIBUTORS
Sarah Baker, Mary Beth Challoner, Jill Clark,
Adrienne Harry, Valerie Iancovich,
Rachel Keeling, Jeremy Knight, John Lorinc,
Cynthia MacDonald, Sarah Ryeland
PHOTOGRAPHY
Martin Bazyl, John Hryniuk, Johnny Guatto,
Aric Guité, Joel Jackson, Jing-Ling Kao-Beserve,
Arnold Lan, Sandy Nicholson, Peter Oleskevich,
Seed 9, Yucheng Zhang
Illustration
Karsten Petrat
ART DIRECTION & DESIGN
Joel Jackson
PURSUIT is published twice a year by U of T’s
Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education.
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Contents
4 Faculty Notes
Science and tecnology in sport
Home Turf Advantage
W ill hosting Pan Am give our athletes
30
an edge?
16
26
Blues News
Celebrating the year’s best
Fit Tips
Standing room only for U of T office staff
Ones to Watch
38
Our athletes on the road to Pan AM
45
Donor Spotlight
Patrick O’Hanlan gives back
COVER/ John Hryniuk
Time Out
52
Paralympic gold, remembered
Dean's Message
This is Our Time
As I write, I truly believe
that, at this moment, the
stars are aligned and shining
brightly on the University
of Toronto and the Faculty
of Kinesiology and Physical
Education!
In a few weeks, the Toronto
2015 Pan Am and Parapan
Am Games will shine a
spotlight on Toronto, our
facilities, staff, students, and
alumni. Varsity Stadium
and the Back Campus fields
will be host venues for
archery and para archery,
field hockey and para
5-aside/7–aside football.
Our Goldring Centre for
High Performance Sport
will serve as a volleyball
training facility. Our U
of T Scarborough campus
will host aquatics, diving,
fencing, pentathalon an
other events. A number
of our staff and faculty
are engaged as volunteers in front-line and leadership
positions with Toronto 2015. Shining brightest of all will
be the University of Toronto and Faculty of Kinesiology
and Physical Education students, athletes and graduates
competing for Team Canada. In this issue of Pursuit, we
are proud to profile some of those individuals confirmed to
compete or still hopeful (See Ones to Watch, page 38).
In recognition of Canada’s role as host of the Toronto 2015
Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, The Governor General
designated 2015 to be the year of sport for Canada. The
proclamation highlights the importance of the Games as a
platform by which to encourage Canadians to become more
active and healthy through both sport and physical activity,
and it is gratifying to see our Faculty’s mission reflected
in this societal objective. It is also exciting to see our goals
embraced within U of T President Gertler’s top priorities,
through acknowledgment of the University’s role as a catalyst
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pursuit.utoronto.ca
for building healthy cities.
The University’s focus on
healthy cities reinforces
the importance of the KPE
mission and underscores
the relevance of the strategic
priorities in our 2013-2018
Academic Plan.
We made excellent progress
with our Academic Plan
this year. It is gratifying to
see the efforts of so many
manifested through new
and expanded program
initiatives. We saw an
increase in support from
government and industry
to support research and
research facilities. We
hosted several academic and
public symposia on sport
and exercise research (see
pages 4 and 12). And, with
the opening of the Goldring
Centre and revitalized Back
Campus fields, we now
offer our students some of
the highest quality spaces for competitive sport, fitness and
recreational activities available at a Canadian university.
As we look ahead to 2015-16, we will continue to establish
research, education and program opportunities that leverage
the unique integration and synergies of our academic,
high performance sport and broad-based physical activity
mandates. In 2016-17, we will offer a new master’s degree –
a Master of Professional Kinesiology. This will be a milestone
event for us, reinforcing the maturation and evolution of our
Faculty and the growing recognition for Kinesiology as a
regulated health profession in Ontario.
It is a momentous and proud time to be in the Faculty and
there are many great stories to share. I hope you enjoy this
issue of Pursuit.
Ira Jacobs, Dean
Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education
PHOTO/ Seed9
ON YOUR MARK
Eyes On the Games: Pan Am competitor Zack Chetrat will represent
Canada this summer. Zack is just one of a handful of U of T athletes who
have their sights set on making the hometown proud this July.
PHOTO/ Sandy Nicholson
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
3
Faculty Notes
From Good to Gold: Science and
Technology in High Performance Sport
When Dave Ross first started coaching
trampoline athletes in the 1970s,
sport and science weren’t nearly as
intertwined as they are now.
“We didn’t have nutritionists, sport
psychologists, or biomechanists,” he
says of the days before trampoline
became an Olympic sport. “There was
no support for the team the way there
is now.”
But the “scienceminded” Ross—a
one-time physics
student who
manufactures
trampolines in addition to coaching
Olympians such as gold medalist and
KPE student, Rosie MacLennan—
appreciates just how much sports
technology has advanced, particularly
in the digital age.
can provide detailed information
about heart and lung function in
athletes. And a cell phone app can be
used to gather real-time data about
how stress and emotions affect a team’s
performance during a game.
All of these technologies were
showcased May 12, at the Goldring
Centre for High Performance Sport.
The event was the Faculty’s eighth
public symposium – made possible with
things off with a spectacular trampoline
routine for the crowd.
With the help of wheelchair basketball
player Flavio Pagliero, Professor
Greg Wells demonstrated how the
body’s systems respond to extreme
conditions, including intense physical
exertion performed routinely by high
performance athletes. Wells outfitted
Pagliero with an instrumented
face-mask. Via Bluetooth, the device
collected data
about Pagliero’s
physiological
responses to
exercise such
as heart rate, oxygen uptake, carbon
dioxide output, respiratory exchange
ratio, breathing rate, tidal volume,
minute volume, and velocity of
movement.
“We now have mobile technology that allows us to look
at the human body in a non-invasive way.”– Greg Wells
Tiny body sensors can now measure
muscle activity and motion while
athletes train. A “wearable lab” in the
form of an instrumented face mask
4
pursuit.utoronto.ca
support from U of T’s senior advisor on
science and engineering engagement,
Professor Molly Shoichet.
More than 650 members of the public
seized the opportunity to watch KPE
professors demonstrate applications of
the latest innovations in sport science,
with the help of some of Canada’s top
athletes. Ross participated in the event
alongside MacLennan, who kicked
With the data streaming to the huge
digital scoreboard above the gym floor,
Wells was able to point out the moment
Flavio’s muscles were likely contracting
hard enough to accumulate lactic acid,
PHOTOs/John Hryniuk
FACULTY NOTES
“Now, athletes are able to record their
experiences quickly, after games and
practices. It makes data collection much
easier.”
Tamminen’s work in the Sport and
Performance Psychology Lab examines
stress, coping, and emotion among
high performance athletes. “I’m
interested in not only how athletes’
emotions influence their functioning
and performance,” she said, “but also,
how those messages are communicated
among teammates.”
and show the audience how Pagliero’s
breathing and heart rate quickened
when they cheered him on for a free
throw – useful information for athletes
and their coaches.
“We now have mobile technology
that allows us to look at the human
body in a non-invasive way,” Wells
said. “It can give us real insights into
what’s happening in competition-like
situations.”
“To make decisions, Rosie only has 0.3
of a second–about the same time a
professional baseball player has to decide
whether or not to swing his bat.” Welsh
said. “Whereas a baseball player only
needs to be right 35 per cent of the time
to be considered a great hitter, Rosie
needs to be right 100 per cent of the time.
That’s pretty amazing when you think
about it.”
Finally, Professor Tyson Beach, whose
background is in biomechanics took to
the field house floor to show how he uses
force and motion measurements to study
athletic performance and risk of injury.
Beach’s team creates mathematical
models of the human body: “these
help us understand how the movement
system functions mechanically – from
the standpoints of performance,
durability and longevity.”
After attaching motion-tracking markers
to MacLennan, Beach had her perform
a series of drop jumps onto a force plate.
The deceptively simple-looking metal
square on the floor fed information
to a computer and provided readings
about the amount of power MacLennan
could produce in a simple jump (far
more, of course, than a non-Olympian
would). Beach and his team use their
research to develop assessment tools that
can be applied by coaches in training
environments.
Professor Katherine Tamminen
demonstrated how a more ubiquitous
form of technology is used in her research:
Next up was Professor Tim Welsh
the
cell phone. Tamminen provided cell
who, with help from a GoPro® camera,
“This evening’s event truly is unique
phones
to wheelchair basketball players
demonstrated how MacLennan uses
because it brings together something we
Pagliero,
Sarah
Black
and
Dani
Bigu.
The
sensory cues to plan and control
are
all very familiar with – sport - with
athletes
recorded
their
emotions
during
her actions on the trampoline. As
a
world
that’s unknown to many of us –
the
event,
using
Experience
Sampler,
MacLennan flipped some 6 meters in the
sport
science
and research,” said Master
an
app
created
by
researchers
at
U
of
T.
air, Welsh, whose research focuses on the
of
Ceremonies
Tom Harrington of CBC.
The
data
was
then
compared
to
similar
cognitive and neural mechanisms that
observations that had been recorded
people use to achieve their movement
“To have an opportunity like this one,
during the previous week.
goals, described how MacLennan was
in which we bring together athletes,
using visual and vestibular information
coaches and researchers, for live
“We used to do this [sort of research]
to make very slight hand and arm
demonstrations to explore this impact, is
using pencils and paper, or with online
movements to ensure a perfect landing
amazing.”
surveys completed by athletes at home
and take-off each time.
in front of a computer,” said Tamminen. – Cynthia Macdonald
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
5
FACULTY NOTES
Sabiston named
national leader
in mental health and
exercise research
Professor Catherine Sabiston was
recently awarded a Canada Research
Chair (CRC) in Physical Activity and
Mental Health by the Government of
Canada.
Aimed at making Canada one of the
world’s top countries in research and
development, the CRC program invests
over $260 million annually to establish
research professorships for some of
Canada’s most promising scholars.
Sabiston is the first CRC recipient in
the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical
Education.
Focused on studying ‘drugless’
methods of enhancing mental health,
Sabiston’s research program will
examine factors related to physical
activity and mental health, particularly
issues surrounding body image, selfconscious emotions, stress, depression
and anxiety. Using the new Mental
Health and Physical Activity Research
Center (MPARC), Sabiston hopes to
develop and test initiatives to get more
people physically active, and in turn,
offset the prediction that mental health
problems will surpass all chronic
diseases in the next ten years.
“We so frequently pathologize
everything, but it is equally important
to study how physical activity
can increase positive emotional
experiences.” says Sabiston. The
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pursuit.utoronto.ca
CRC will provide support to study
the associations between sport and
exercise and mental health and to help
identify ways to get more people more
active and less sedentary.”
Sabiston is a leader in both body image
research and positive psychology
perspectives in oncology. Much of her
research is devoted to the impacts of
negative self-perception on teenage
girls’ participation in sport and the
impact of physical activity on cancer
survivors. One of her most recent
endeavours is Active Match, an online
partnering system designed to help
women who are cancer survivors find
an exercise partner. In 2016, Sabiston
will work with adolescent girls to
develop a body acceptance program
for young female athletes, based on
data she is currently collecting on body
image and emotion in teenagers.
“There is an important association
between physical activity and mental
health that is often overlooked in
research and practice,” says Sabiston. “It
is important that Canadians increase
their physical activity levels because
this can have a huge impact on both the
physical and mental health of people
and reduce health care costs.”
– Adrienne Harry
PHOTO/ Jing-Ling Kao-Beserve
FACULTY NOTES
MoveU campaign is
gaining ground: researchers
Inspiring busy, often stressed-out,
students to add physical activity to
their agendas can be a challenge. But
according to a paper published in the
March issue of the Journal of American
College Health and the findings of
master’s student Alicia Luciani,
University of Toronto’s tri-campus,
multi-platform MoveU campaign is
making headway. Led by Professor Guy Faulkner
(CIHR-PHAC Chair in Applied Public
Health), researchers from the Faculty,
have been assessing the campaign’s
progress since it launched in 2012.
The team measured awareness of the
campaign by including questions
about MoveU and physical activityrelated goals in the 2013 National
College Health Assessment survey.
Of 2,784 U of T students surveyed, 36
percent said they were familiar with
the MoveU campaign. The researchers
found that the target audience—firstyear females—were most likely to
know about the social marketing
campaign and that those who were
aware of the campaign were also more
likely to say that they intended to get
more active and actually engage in
physical activity.
PHOTO/ sEED 9
Luciani, who defended her thesis
in March, under the supervision of
Faulkner, analyzed the social media
component of the MoveU campaign,
focusing primarily on Facebook and
the role that social media can play in
inspiring physical activity. While social
media is often associated with sedentary
behaviour, Luciani says the target
audience has their phones with them
all the time and that it’s actually the
best way to connect with these students.
“Social networking sites are a useful tool
for health promotion and physical activity
promotion, no doubt about it,” she says.
According to Luciani’s research,
Facebook has been especially valuable
for promoting MoveU events. “Students
in our focus groups were interested
in seeing photos from past events; it
seemed to inspire them to want to go
to future events.” Another effective
approach is to reach students using
methods that suit social media. “Our
analytics research determined that
posts that used humour and pop culture
references scored highest,” Luciani
explains. “We also found students like
quick facts and tips on how to get active.
The most popular of all the posts was
a motivational, funny meme featuring
[actor] Ryan Gosling.”
Michelle Brownrigg,
KPE’s director of
physical activity and
equity, spearheaded
the campaign and says
that including this
academic analysis of
MoveU has ensured
that organizers can
make informed
decisions about how
MoveU develops and
connects with students.
“This research is also an excellent
example of how we can reap the benefits
of being a part of this integrated
Faculty,” Brownrigg explains.
Because the campaign is still new,
Faulkner emphasizes the importance
of revisiting these baseline findings in a
couple of years to ensure that awareness
continues to increase. Faulkner also
advises that MoveU messaging gain
more of a presence in the classroom. “I
think it’s important to get peer leaders
right into the big lecture halls and to
create stronger connections with other
faculties to help make that happen.”
The success of the award-winning
campaign has already garnered
attention from other universities and
academic institutions. Two years
ago, Sheridan College adopted and
customized the campaign for their
students. “It would be great if the work
that went into developing MoveU was
picked up by other schools and used as
a basis for developing their own home
grown initiatives,” says Faulkner. “I
believe that the MoveU messaging and
brand would resonate at any Canadian
university or college.”
– Valerie Iancovich
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
7
FACULTY NOTES
Undergraduate research:
is sport really “just a game”?
In sport, dealing with loss is inevitable. psychology,” says Poucher. “I noticed
there was a gap in the literature when
Even the most accomplished athlete
it
came to how confidence is affected
will have off days. But how difficult is it
by
a win or a loss. I thought it would be
for an athlete to shake off the agony of
really
interesting to examine.”
defeat? Fourth-year kinesiology student
Zoe Poucher asks this question in her
In her study, Poucher has been
current research on athletic identity
interviewing five athletes who represent
and contingent self-worth.
a variety of sports and varying degrees
of athletic success. All of the study’s
“There’s been a lot of research on how
participants have received national
an athletes begin to define themselves
accolades
during their careers and
by their sport, but little study on how
some
have
their sights set on Olympic
performance is tied to self-worth,” says
gold.
So
far,
Poucher’s findings indicate
Poucher. “How does winning or losing
that
athletic
performance is strongly
affect an athlete’s overall confidence?
tied
to
feelings
of self-worth.
How are their social relationships
impacted? My research looks at the
psychological effects of sport outside of “All of the participants have said
that their self-esteem and self-worth
the sport itself.”
are highly dependent on athletic
achievements,” says Poucher. “Some
Poucher, a former track and field
participants purposely link one with
athlete, became interested in this
subject after taking a stress and coping the other, while others view it as a
burden.”
class with her supervisor, Professor
Katherine Tamminen.
Poucher has also found that multiple
instances of high-level success in an
“I started volunteering in Dr.
athlete’s career seem to offset the
Tamminen’s lab and was exposed
negative
impact of one or two losses.
to more and more research in sport
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pursuit.utoronto.ca
“I’ve asked participants about successes
as well as failures. They all have many
positive stories to tell and I find that
their negative experiences aren’t as
impactful because overall, they are very
successful.”
Poucher presented her findings at
Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical
Education’s 16th Annual Bertha
Rosenstadt National Undergraduate
Research Conference on March 27.
The multidisciplinary conference
brought undergraduate students from
all over Canada together to discuss
their research and share ideas with
their peers. But the conference is just
the beginning—Poucher wants to
delve deeper into this research as a
graduate student. She hopes to explore
the impact of more grave instances of
perceived failure.
“In the future, I’d like to look at what
happens to athletes who sustain careerending injuries,” says Poucher. “I also
want to examine how retired athletes
redefine themselves after their sporting
careers end. How do they make that
PHOTO/ Martin Bazyl
FACULTY NOTES
Goldring Centre
A striking addition to Doors Open Toronto
unexpected transition from athlete to
non-athlete?”
Varsity Blues Track and Field head
coach Carl Georgevski believes that
coaches can ultimately put research
like Poucher’s to good use when
developing training strategies. “Sport
psychology research teaches coaches
how to connect with athletes as
people,” says Georgevski. “As coaches,
we are not training a ‘football player’
or a ‘sprinter’, but rather, a person.
And if you look after the person, the
performance results take care of
themselves.” – AH
The Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport was a key feature in Doors Open
Toronto, held May 23-24. The annual community event offers free access to more
than 150 of the city’s most architecturally, historically, culturally and socially
significant buildings. In celebration of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am
games, this year’s theme was “sports, recreation and leisure.”
Globe and Mail architecture critic Alexander Bozikovicc named the Goldring
Centre among his top five picks from the event, noting its “striking design.” Over
3,800 visitors passed through the Goldring Centre over the weekend and learned
about the building’s unique features, including its green, energy-efficient roof, the
bridge-like steel beams that support the second, third and fourth floors and the
outward facing strength and conditioning area.
Guests also had a chance to meet Olympian and Blues women’s hockey coach Vicky
Sunohara and Pan Am competitor and Blues swimmer Zack Chetrat. On May 24,
guests also got a panoramic view of the Canadian women’s soccer team as they
practiced on the Varsity Centre field.
The Doors Open event wasn’t the first time that the Goldring Centre’s architecture
has turned heads. In April, Patkau Architects Inc. and MacLennan Jaunkalns Miller
Architects Ltd. won a Design Excellence Award from the Ontario Association of
Architects (OAA) for their vision of Goldring. In May, the team also received an
OAA People’s Choice Award nomination.
Follow us! Keep up with the
latest news about our research
and our experts @UofTKPE
“Honours like the OAA’s Design Excellence award are great because the juries
understand the challenges in realizing a complex project like the Goldring Centre,”
says Shane O’Neil, an associate with Patkau Architects with Patkau Architects. “It’s
great to be recognized by a wider audience. It’s our hope that the Goldring Centre
will continue to serve the U of T campus well throughout the coming decades.”
PHOTO/ Johnny Guatto
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
9
FACULTY NOTES
Professor Ira Jacobs
Appointment
announcements
Professor Ira Jacobs has been appointed
to a second term as dean of the Faculty
of Kinesiology and Physical Education.
His term will run from July 1, 2015 to
June 30, 2021.
In his first term, Jacobs led the
development of a new Academic
Plan. He will continue to work on its
implementation, strategic goals and
priorities. Jacobs has delivered on the
decanal priorities of enhancing and
deepening the research capacity and
profile of the Faculty, and seeing two
capital construction projects to fruition.
He has been instrumental in growing
undergraduate and graduate programs
in kinesiology and exercise sciences and
ensuring their high academic quality.
Overall, Jacobs’ leadership has the
Faculty well-positioned to continue on
a positive upward trajectory in terms of
its enrolment plans, research profile and
reputation during his second term.
Professor Gretchen Kerr has been
appointed acting dean of the Faculty
of Kinesiology and Physical Education
while Jacobs takes a 12-month
administrative leave. Kerr will serve in
this capacity from July 1, 2015 to June
30, 2016, at which point Jacobs will begin
his second term as dean.
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pursuit.utoronto.ca
Professor Gretchen Kerr
Kerr has served as vice-dean, academic
affairs at KPE since 2013, and prior
to this held the position of associate
dean, undergraduate education. She has
significant administrative experience,
positive relations across the Faculty
and knowledge of all aspects of KPE,
including the administrative, academic,
and co-curricular areas.
In her current role, Kerr has oversight
of the development, management and
evaluation of the Faculty’s undergraduate
and graduate degree programs. She was
instrumental in the development of the
Faculty’s new academic plan and is leading
the implementation of its innovative
teaching and learning initiatives.
Luc Tremblay named
Associate Dean,
Research
Professor Luc Tremblay has been
appointed associate dean, research in
the Faculty. Tremblay’s term began on
January 1, 2015 and will run until June
30, 2018.
“Professor Tremblay has proven his
vision in several ways leading up to this
appointment, most recently as chair of
the KPE Research Committee,” says
Dean Ira Jacobs. “His research skills
and experience will help the Faculty to
Professor Luc Tremblay
strengthen its capacity and recognition
in research, scholarship, innovation and
creative activity.”
Tremblay received his PhD in motor
control from McMaster University in
2002. He was appointed as an assistant
professor at the University of Toronto
in 2003 and was promoted to professor
with tenure in 2008. In addition to
serving as chair for the KPE Research
Committee, he served as president of
the Canadian Society for Psychomotor
Learning and Sport Psychology, and
vice-president of University and External
Affairs of the University of Toronto
Faculty Association. Tremblay’s research
has been funded by the National Sciences
and Engineering Research Council
of Canada, the Ontario Neurotrauma
Foundation, the Ontario Research
Fund, and the Canadian Foundation for
Innovation. In his new role, Tremblay
looks forward to fostering sport and
health research that can positively
impact the broader community.
“I am particularly excited to build
mutually beneficial relationships
between research and all other activity
streams in our Faculty,” says Tremblay.
“Creating these important links
will help KPE yield better and more
impactful research that can, in turn,
improve the lives of all Canadians.
After all, if our research does not tackle
the physical inactivity pandemic, then
whose research will?” – AH
PHOTOs/ Left Middle: Seed9 / Right: John Hryniuk
FACULTY NOTES
She Talks
Sport, Sexuality
and Change
Michelle Wood (KPE 2009, B.Ed 2010) isn’t used to being
dismissed on the volleyball court. But the former standout
Blue and current Acadia University head coach has more than
once been mistaken for a player or other staff since taking the
reins in 2012. “At a recent tournament, an official passed right
by me. My male assistant coach was treated as the head coach.
I wasn’t even acknowledged,” Wood told the crowd gathered
at the February 24 event, She Talks.
Wood shared the podium with Rosie Cossar, a Canadian
Olympic rhythmic gymnast who has worked with Toronto’s
519 Church Street Community Centre on the creation of
Pride House Toronto, a resource house for LGBTQ athletes to
be launched for the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. Both
athletes discussed their successes and struggles as women in
high performance sport.
Cossar, who trained in Russia for years, casts a critical eye
on the role that homophobia and narrowly-defined views of
femininity and masculinity play in gymnastics culture. “I
remember laughing at things that now when I think about
it, was me only going along with the crowd. I’m working
towards changing the view of sexuality in my sport,” she said.
Cossar has been open about her own sexual identity for years,
but says coming out in her sport was especially difficult.
Cossar’s talent as an athlete helped to give her the confidence
she needed to face her critics and pave the way for other
gymnasts coping with similar struggles.
PHOTO/ Peter Oleskevich
Wood has a similar commitment to making change inside
of her organization. She believes that women need to work
together as mentors and leaders to connect and make change.
She credits her own Blues coach, Kristine Drakich, for
encouraging her to apply for her current job at Acadia, where
she is the school’s only female varsity head coach. “Women
in sport can sometimes doubt that they are capable,” Wood
explained. “To have positive mentors to encourage us and to
use as a sounding board when we are stuck makes us more
confident to move forward and excel.”
KPE student Eleni Vlahiotis took a lead in organizing
She Talks, and says the goal of the event was to initiate
conversations within the U of T community to help
promote inclusivity, leading up to the Pan Am Games and
beyond. “It starts with just one person willing to listen to
the conversation and being open minded about what needs
to change in society. One person can definitely make a
difference - we have to begin the journey somewhere.”
This was the second annual She Talks event, a multi-partner
initiative hosted by the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical
Education as part of the Ignite program, designed to address
key topics based on sexuality issues and those related to
women and gender leading up to the Toronto 2015 Pan Am
and Parapan Am Games. – VI
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
11
FACULTY NOTES
International summit brings together
brightest minds in sport research
Sport science is now a rich and varied
field. Scholars spend time studying
nutrition and physiology, while
others concentrate on the social
and psychological sides of athletic
experience.
But because the terrain is so diverse,
specialists in one area risk missing out
on developments in another. In April,
the Pan American Sport and Exercise
Research Summit (Pan Ex) in Toronto
gave academics from around the world
a rare chance to come together to
look at the world of physical activity
from every possible angle: physical,
psychological and social.
“The multidisciplinary approach is
a reflection of what sport really is - a
conglomerate,” said Dean Ira Jacobs,
head of the PanEx 2015 programming
committee.
“Sometimes the best new ideas emerge
from a meeting of minds, all of whom
have different lenses through which
they can look at something.”
Timed to coincide with preparations for
the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan
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Am Games, the conference was an
initiative of the University of Toronto
and jointly organized with Brock,
McMaster and York universities. The
schools each offer academic degrees in
kinesiology and/or physical education,
and all are in cities that will host
competition venues during the Games.
Some 30 speakers from Australia,
Brazil, the United Kingdom, United
States, and Canada shared findings and
discussed sport and exercise research
and policy issues across an array of
topics.
The conference’s nine panels covered
training and diet, multiculturalism and
international development, motivation
and sports medicine.
Professor Michael Atkinson
coordinated a panel on athletes and
identity. The panel looked at the
question from “three radically different
perspectives,” said Atkinson. “But
we all looked at groups who are very
vulnerable in sport.” Atkinson spoke
about parental abuse in youth sport,
while colleagues from the U.S. and
England addressed sex testing and
disability.
Atkinson also moderated the closing
day’s more informal Café Scientifique.
“The Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council provided funding
to bring in speakers who could speak
specifically about the socio-cultural
impact of sport, including the effects on
society of hosting a large international
sporting event,” said Jacobs.
By sharing information at conferences
such as this, Atkinson said, academics
will be in a better position to advise and
influence policy-makers in a way that will
augment the beneficial impacts of sport.
Another conference highlight was the
keynote address by Professor Rodrigo
Reis of Brazil. Reis spoke about how
differently sport and exercise are viewed
across countries and cultures, including
his own. In Brazil, for example,
afterschool programs are funded by
government, and sport is an article in the
nation’s constitution. Cultural support
(and not just native talent) can be a big
determinant of success at something
like the Pan Am Games and yet the
role of culture in creating athletes is not
prominent on the radar screen of policy
makers in many countries.
PHOTO/ Yucheng Zhang
FACULTY NOTES
Spreading
the word
Staff member
honoured for
promoting
diversity across
campus
A small contribution can have a
global impact. This is the message
Susan Lee tries to instill in her
Equity Movement group—students
from across the University who advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion
through physical activity.
Jacobs described the PanEx Summit
as a “multi-disciplinary trial balloon”
to see what can happen when the
brightest minds in sport research are
able to trade ideas in a common space.
Gathering such a diverse group together
can be challenging, but worth it, Jacobs
pointed out. For the many graduate and
undergraduate students of the Faculty
who attended PanEx 2015, this was a
chance to hear and even meet world
experts whose theories and research
they have studied in the classroom.
“Ultimately, we want to change the world,” says Lee. “But we start off by thinking
about what we can change here, right now, either personally or collectively, to
make everyone feel welcomed and safe.”
And though PanEx 2015 was timed
to occur in the year of the Games,
Atkinson also believes the time has
come for more frequent gatherings of
this type.
“A lot of my work is done through the student mentorship model, which builds
capacity to reach out to more and more underrepresented groups,” says Lee. “I
mentor ten students, who in turn reach out and hopefully reach another ten. It
helps the students build leadership skills, helps them learn to collaborate, and
ultimately, feel more connected to the University. It fosters a sense of belonging.”
“Our own Faculty is very eclectic”, he
said. “Sport is a complicated space and
that requires complicated research.
We’d like to encourage people to
come together regularly, and have
the conversations they haven’t been
having.” – Cynthia MacDonald
Lee’s emphasis on developing leadership skills in her students ensures that
U of T’s mission extends far beyond the university walls. This summer, one
of her students will study in Turkey, another is heading to law school and a
third will go on to study naturopathic medicine. While Lee appreciates being
recognized for her work within the U of T community, it is seeing her students
continue to advocate for diversity in their future pursuits that she finds most
gratifying. “Whenever I can, I connect students with opportunities to build
on their achievements so that they can continue the message about equity and
inclusion wherever their endeavours take them,” says Lee. “It’s heartwarming to
see students take their ideas globally.” – AH
Lee, assistant manager of co-curricular equity and diversity in the Faculty,
was recognized by the University in March, when she was featured in the
2015 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD)
campaign. IDERD has been observed worldwide for nearly fifty years. U of T
launched its tri-campus IDERD campaign in March 2012. Every year, U of T
profiles students, staff and faculty who are working to advance antiracism while
contributing to the University’s commitment to create diverse, equitable and
inclusive learning and working environments. Through her work with Equity
Movement, Lee has been advancing the University’s mission for 20 years.
PHOTO/ Arnold Lan
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
13
FACULTY NOTES
The science of sprint starts
For Olympian and 2015 Pan Am hopeful Sarah Wells, few
athletic moments are as rife with anticipation as those leading up
to when she places her feet on the starting blocks. “Your start sets up your entire race,” Wells explains. “When you
have a great start, you’ve already done the work early and can
carry that momentum forward. It makes it more likely that you
will reach your top end speed and that’s what track and field is all
about—who can run the fastest and the longest.”
“A good start can make or break an athlete’s performance during
a big race,” says Bob Westman, sprints coach for the Varsity
Blues track and field team.
Master’s student Lindsay Musalem is working with Pan
Am-bound track athletes, Westman and Blues sprinters to
optimize their starts, using custom-made force plates that have
been affixed to training start blocks.
The equipment came from Own the Podium and has been used
at the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario at the Pan Am Centre.
Here at U of T they are being used for the first time to gather
data during practice and training sessions. “My thesis focuses on whether or not athletes can consistently
reproduce the same start, using the force plates,” Musalem
explains. “So we’re going into multiple practices and training
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sessions with the same athletes to see if, over time, they are able
to reproduce strong starts.”
Musalem, who is supervised by Professor Tyson Beach, is
measuring not only how quickly the athletes are getting off the
start blocks, but also how much force is being exerted on to the
plate and back at the athlete and all directions, forwards and
back, side-to-side and vertically. With the data gathered by the
force plates, Musalem is able to see which direction the athletes
are pushing in. In theory, the sprinter should push straight in the
horizontal direction to get off the blocks as efficiently as possible. “You don’t want the athletes creating extraneous forces that
aren’t going to help them get out of the blocks,” Musalem
explains. The challenge for the athletes and coaches is to find
a balance between the horizontal and the vertical because
obviously they are coming out of the blocks with their torso
over their body so they want to achieve balance while not falling
over. “A good sprint start is kind of a controlled fall,” Musalem
explains. “It’s attempting to maximize the horizontal while
staying upright.”
Westman has found the research to be helpful in developing
more informed coaching techniques. “It’s great because we get
real-time results that we can take back to our offices to analyze
and apply to training.”
Wells, who competes in the 400 metre hurdles, appreciates the
benefits that sport science-informed training can provide. “One
of the benefits to training at U of T is the research like Lindsay’s.
It helps me find that extra edge.”– VI
PHOTO/ John Hryniuk
FACULTY NOTES
Research Highlights
From November 2014 to April 2015,
the Faculty was awarded more than
$1.7M in research funding for a range
of initiatives.
Guy Faulkner has been awarded a Green
Kelly Arbour-Nicitopoulos has been
Michael Hutchison has been awarded
a Canadian Institute for Military &
Veterans Health Research contract for
his project, “Understanding concussion.”
awarded a Human Resources and Skills
Development Canada Subgrant, via
McMaster University, for her project,
“Development, implementation, and
assessment of the Active Living Peer
Mentorship Program for persons with
disabilities.”
Michael Atkinson has been awarded a
Social Sciences and Humanities Research
Council (SSHRC) Connection Grant for
“PAN EX 2015: The Pan American Sport
and Exercise Research Summit.”
Simon Darnell received a Connaught
New Investigator Award for his project,
“Physical and political activity?
Understanding elite athletes as social
and political activists,” in addition
to an Economic and Social Research
Council Operating Subgrant, via
Loughborough University, for his
project, “Sport for a better world? A
social scientific investigation of the sport
for development and peace sector.”
PAn ex 2015 illustration/ luke PAUW
Communities Canada Operating Grant
for his project, “A cost-benefit of school
travel planning in Ontario.”
Bruce Kidd has been awarded a SSHRC
Connection Grant for “Historicizing the
Pan American Games.”
Dan Moore has been awarded an
Ajinomoto Co. Inc. research contract
for his project “Re-evaluation of protein
requirements in endurance athletes.” Dan
also received a Nestec Limited research
contract for his project, “Assessment of the
optimal amount of protein at breakfast
for children” and a Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council of Canada
(NSERC)Discovery Grant for his project
“Mechanisms of human skeletal muscle
remodelling with exercise.”
Catherine Sabiston has been awarded
a Canada Research Chair Tier II in
Physical Activity and Mental Health.
See page 6 for details.
Luc Tremblay has been awarded an
NSERC Discovery Grant for his project,
“Real-time multisensory utilization
during the different online control
phases of voluntary actions.”
Postdoctoral fellow Linda Trinh has been
awarded a Canadian Cancer Society
Research Institute Travel Award for her
project, “Correlates of physical activity
among kidney cancer survivors.”
Greg Wells has been awarded a
Movember Canada Men’s Health &
Wellbeing Innovation Challenge Grant
for his project, “The Health Oracle
App: Predicting health and guiding
action” as well as a Mitacs Accelerate
Graduate Research Internship Program
Grant, jointly funded by matching
partner Nutrigenomix, for his project,
“Caffeine, genetic variation and athletic
performance.”
Tim Welsh has been awarded an NSERC
Discovery Grant for his project, “The
processing of nonhuman animal bodies
and point of gaze.” –Jeremy Knight
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
15
Blues News
Wisdom gives edge
to Athlete of the Year
and Pan Am hopeful
Sasha Gollish
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PHOTO/ Aric Guité
Sasha Gollish is not a superstitious person. But the Pan Am
hopeful wasn’t feeling particularly inspired to run the 1000m on
Friday the 13 at the Spire Invitational meet this past February. “I
said to my coaches, Ross Ristuccia and Carl Georgevski, ‘I don’t
feel well. I feel so heavy and slow.’” With a little coaxing, Gollish
laced up and went on to deliver the 2014-15 performance she’s most
proud of: a time of 2:39.70, which set a meet record and ranked her
sixth in the world. This remarkable time was just one of a series of other standout
finishes that helped to take the Blues women’s track team to the top
of the CIS podium and earned Gollish the titles of both CIS Female
Track and Field Athlete of the Year and U of T Female Athlete of
the Year for 2015.
“Sasha Gollish is a genuinely home grown University of Toronto
developed student-athlete,” says Georgevski. “She started in our
junior development track program back in 1996 and was rookie of
the year as a first-year U of T student-athlete in 2000.”
Gollish stands out among past winners of the athlete of the year
honour because of the multiple and complex and demands she’s
met while racing. “I am an engineer by trade. The foundation of
undergrad is learning how to multitask. I can work well this way.”
She not only works well, but thrives with a full plate. Gollish works
as an engineering consultant; she’s earning her PhD at U of T
and is racing against students who are often 10 to 15 years her
junior. “Sasha is an extremely bright, talented and compassionate
woman. From a coach’s perspective she is the total package—a
fierce competitor on the track and a true teammate and leader off
the track.”
“They keep me young,” the 33-year old says of her teammates,
with a light-hearted laugh. “Things have changed between when
I first competed and now—what matters most to me is different.”
Over the years Gollish has fine-tuned what brings out her optimal
performances. For example, her school work and sessions at the
gym suffer without adequate sleep, so she won’t compromise on
that; she is also very mindful of her diet. And beyond that, she’s
able to manage expectations and stress better.
“My perspective is different,” she explains. “If I have a bad work
out, for example, I get over it really quickly. Before, it would eat me
up for a couple of days. I appreciate that I have more wisdom now.”
Georgevski is confident that her experience and skills will take her
to the next level. “Here we are in 2015 and it’s already been a big
year; she is the CIS Female Track and Field Athlete of the Year,
U of T Female Athlete of the Year and we’re not done yet. We still
have the Pan Am Games in her sights.”—Valerie Iancovich
For a full list of Athletes of the Year, see page 23
National Best
Fencing
In March, the Blues fencing team won the inaugural
National University Championship banner in Kitchener.
It has been a strong year for the men’s team, who
brought home several medals at the provincial level, with
William Kinney earning gold in men’s sabre and Tommy
Liu earning silver.
Track and Field
The Blues women’s track and field team claimed the 2015
banner at the CIS championships in Windsor. The win
marks their fourth in program history. Sasha Gollish
was named CIS female outstanding athlete of the meet
after winning gold in the 100m and 300m, and silver
in the 600m (where she set a U of T time of 1:29.71 and
1500m). Gollish, along with her teammates Rachel
Jewett, Honor Walmsley and Gabriela Stafford, placed
first in the 4x800m relay. — AH
Celebrating Pan Am
For a list of Blues athletes competing in the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and
Parapan Am Games, see the Ones to Watch section on page 38.
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
17
BLUES NEWS
Water Polo
Volleyball
Both the men’s and
women’s water polo teams
claimed gold at the 2014
OUA championships in
November.
The Blues women’s volleyball
team won its ninth OUA
title in program history in
February. Fifth-year veteran
Jennifer Neilson was named
OUA player of the match for
her performance at the gold
medal game. The Blues went
on to host the CIS women’s
volleyball championship
later that month—the first
championship tournament
held on the Kimel Family
field house in the Goldring
Centre. The Blues placed
fourth overall at the event
and fifth-year Charlotte Sider
was named CIS all-Canadian
for the second consecutive
season.
The OUA win marks the
30th in program history
for the men’s team. Michael
Chapman and Sever Topan
were named OUA all-stars
for contributing three goals
between them to the Blues'
7-6 win over the Carleton
Ravens. Head coach Vlad
Tasevski was named OUA
men’s water polo coach of
the year.
After completing a perfect
8-0 season, the women’s
team earned their second
consecutive banner at the
meet. Breanna Gadzosa
was named most valuable
goalie while her teammates,
Danielle Hirsh and Emily
Bidinosti, earned OUA
all-star honours. Their
coach, George Gross Jr., was
named OUA women’s coach
of the year.
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Track and Field
For the first time since 2004,
the Blues women’s track
and field team claimed the
provincial title, with Sasha
Gollish setting a new OUA
record along the way. The
Blues swept the 600m race,
with Gollish finishing in
1:30:41, and her teammates
Rachel Jewett and Fiona
Callender rounding out
the top three. Gollish also
took the top spot in the
1500m race, with secondyear physical science
student Gabriela Stafford
right behind her. Jewett,
Callendar, Maggie Hanlon
and Ellie Hirst earned gold
in the 4x200m relay.
Swimming
The men’s swimming team
brought home their twelfth
consecutive OUA title in
February, leading with
63 titles overall since the
championships began in
1910. Second-year cognitive
science major Hochan
Ryu received the Dr. Jeno
Tihanyi award and was
named OUA swimmer of
the year after winning gold
in the 200 butterfly and
the 400 and 200 individual
medleys. First-year Oliver
Straszynski won gold in
the 200 freestyle and was
named OUA’s male rookie
of the year.
Not to be outdone, the
women’s team claimed their
second consecutive OUA title
at the championships—their
26th in program history.
Rookie standout Kylie
Masse won four individual
titles at the meet, nabbing
gold in the 50, 100 and 200
backstroke events, as well
as the top spot in the 200
individual medley. Masse
finished the 100 backstroke
in record time, toppling
U of T alumna Andrea
Jurenovski’s previous record
of 1:00.63 with a new time
of 59.15 seconds. For her
outstanding performance at
the meet, Masse was named
both rookie and swimmer
of the year, and received the
Dr. Jeno Tihanyi award for
individual medley excellence.
Veteran swimmer Paige
Schultz won gold in the 50,
100 and 200 freestyle events
for the second consecutive
season. Shultz, along with
teammates Vanessa Treasure,
and Margot Cunningham
earned awards of distinction
at the meet.
PHOTOS/ Martin Bazyl
BLUES NEWS
a very complex sport, all with a positive
attitude. This is the underlying message
during Black History Month: obstacles
do not have to hold you back.”
Treasure talked about the importance
of hard work, noting that it took years
of practice for her to become the
champion swimmer that she is now.
“I decided I loved swimming at a young
age,” said Treasure. “But I also knew
that I wanted to get better, stronger and
faster. That meant lots of hard work and
practice.”
Blues Swimmer inspires youth during
Black History Month
Nearly 300 students at Dewson Street
Public School got a special treat on
February 27 when Varsity Blues
swimmer Vanessa Treasure made
a special appearance at their Black
History Month assembly. Joined by their
parents and teachers, the students of
the French immersion school gathered
to honour prominent figures in Black
History through dance, poetry and
song. As part of the festivities, Treasure
shared her experiences as a woman of
colour in varsity sport.
“My swimming journey began at
the Mississauga Aquatics Club,” said
Treasure. “There were no other Black
or mixed race swimmers there, but I
never really gave that much thought. In
swimming, all that matters is who gets
their hand on the wall first.”
Using her personal flotation device
(PFD) as a metaphor, Treasure talked
PHOTOs/ Yucheng Zhang
to the students about the importance
of passion, fun and determination in
achieving her goals.
Holly Andrews, a technical support
analyst at the University of Toronto,
sees some of her own experiences in
Treasure’s story. Holly and her sister
Diana Andrews, a grade one teacher
at Dewson Street Public School and
organizer of this year’s Black History
event, were both competitive swimmers
in high school. Like Treasure, neither
saw many women of colour represented
in the pool. It was Holly who suggested
that Treasure speak at the Black History
assembly. “The students at Dewson Street Public
School come from diverse heritages
and backgrounds, and stand to benefit
by seeing Black competitive swimming
champions like Vanessa,” said Holly.
“She has overcome adversity to excel in
In addition to maintaining her
schoolwork, the fifth-year kinesiology
student practices 10 times a week,
sometimes twice daily. Throughout
her career with the Blues, Treasure’s
tenacity has certainly paid off: she
was named an Ontario University
Athletics (OUA) all-star and
Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)
all-Canadian in her rookie year.
In both the 2011-12 and 2013-14
seasons, Treasure swept the individual
medley events at the OUA swimming
championships, earning two Dr. Jeno
Tihanyi swimming awards and the title
OUA female swimmer of the year. In
2011 she competed at the 2011 Summer
Universiade Games in Shenzhen, China.
In 2014-15, Treasure won the Dr. Clara
Benson Honour Award and was named
female T-Holders’ athlete of the year.
While her list of achievements may
seem intimidating, Treasure maintains
that success is attainable to anyone
willing to work toward their goals. She
finished her presentation with a word of
encouragement to the audience of eager
students. “No matter who you are, where you are
from or the colour of your skin, you
can do anything you set your mind to.
Just remember to apply your PFD—
passion, fun and determination—to
everything that you do and you’ll
surely stay afloat!” — AH
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
19
BLUES NEWS
Olympic superstar
trains at UofT
There’s nothing like getting a little
international recognition. And this
January, two of the University of
Toronto’s biggest assets were sought out
by a superstar athlete and his team of
advisers.
Cesar Cielo, Olympic record holder and
Brazil’s golden boy of swimming, was
in Toronto as part of a 2015 Pan Am
tourism group. Together with members
of the Brazilian men’s gymnastics team,
he toured the city and many of the
facilities that will be hosting Pan Am/
Parapan Am Games this summer.
But regardless of his whirlwind trip
to Toronto, it was time for Cielo to
get back into the pool, having just
enjoyed a small break in his training.
The most successful swimmer in
Brazilian history needed not only a high
performance facility to train in, but a
high performance coach to help him too.
That’s why he came straight to U of T.
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“When Cesar’s team was looking for
somewhere to practice, they reached
out to Canadian Olympic gold
medalist rower Marnie McBean,” said
MacDonald. “Marnie immediately
contacted me and we arranged to have
him come train here at the University.”
Swimming alongside the Varsity
Blues men’s and women’s swimming
teams, Cielo looked to MacDonald for
guidance as he took to the water. “I wasn’t as good because I’m just
getting back in the water,” said Cielo.
“But I was excited to swim with a group
again and do a little bit of a sprint – it
was fun and they seem like a good
group. They’re very dedicated, so it
helps with the workout.”
As for the varsity athletes, it was clear
that they were thrilled to be swimming
beside a world-renowned Olympic
champion.
“He stood up and did a few dive races
with our guys, which of course was a
great experience and incredible treat,”
said MacDonald. “Working out and
racing with the world record holder and
Olympic champion was really fun.”
Having one of the top swimmers
in the world choose to use U of T’s
facilities and train with MacDonald
speaks volumes about the University’s
international reputation. One of
Canada’s most decorated university
coaches, MacDonald has led over 200
swimmers to all-Canadian status and
over 70 swimmers to international
teams. He has been voted CIS and
OUA Coach of the Year a total of
35 times and is a two-time winner
of a Gemini Award for his CBC
coverage of swimming at the 2004 and
2008 Olympics. He will also be the
swimming commentator for this year’s
Pan Am/Parapan Am Games.
— Sarah Ryeland
PHOTO/John Hryniuk
BLUES NEWS
Bench bosses receive
provincial, national honours
Head coaches Byron MacDonald, Kristine Drakich and Carl Georgevski received coach
of the year honours this spring.
After an impressive season in which both the men’s and women’s swimming teams
won provincial titles, head swimming coach Byron MacDonald was named Ontario
University Athletics (OUA) men’s and women’s coach of the year on February 7.
MacDonald has earned this honour a total of 21 times during his 36-year career with
the Varsity Blues and this year marks his second consecutive season as top coach in the
province. One of Canada’s most decorated university coaches, MacDonald, along with
assistant coach Linda Kiefer, has led the Blues to 45 provincial and 17 national titles.
Drakich, head coach for the women’s volleyball team, received provincial recognition
on February 18 when she was named OUA coach of the year for the second consecutive
season. It is the eighth time Drakich has earned this achievement in her 26-year coaching
career with the Blues. On February 25, Drakich received national recognition for the
first time when she was named the Marilyn Pomfret coach of the year at the Canadian
Interuniversity Sport (CIS) awards gala.
Georgevski picked up both provincial and national honours this season. He won the Sue
Wise women’s track and field coach of the year award for the third time in his career (2004,
1998), and was later named CIS coach of the year. Under his guidance, the Blues won a
team gold medal at the OUA championships, their first since 2004, and went on to win
their fourth national title in program history at the 2015 CIS championships in March.
“Carl, Kristine, Byron, and Linda are fine examples of the outstanding coaches we have
here at the University of Toronto,” said Beth Ali, director of intercollegiate and high
performance sport. “They are committed to the high performance athletic development
of the student-athlete. Their dedication and continued contributions to the Varsity Blues
program is unrivaled and we are proud of their outstanding accomplishments.” —AH
Long-time Blues coach inducted to
national Hall of Fame
Former Blues track and field coach Andy Higgins will be inducted into Athletics
Canada’s Hall of Fame on July 24. Higgins will be honoured at Athletic Canada’s
Alumni Gala, which will celebrate the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games.
Higgins helped establish the U of T track club in 1971 and created a women’s
program in 1974. He coached at U of T until 1995, during which time he led the Blues
to 21 OUA titles, six CIS championships and 21 national cross-country team medals.
Higgins has coached Team Canada at the Olympic Games, World Championships,
FISU Games, Pan American Games and Commonwealth Games.
PHOTOs/Top/Martin BazyL/Bottom/KPE Archive
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
21
BLUES NEWS
50-years on: Celebrating Canada’s entry into the
World Universiade Games
When Canada’s women’s hockey
squad arrived in Granada, Spain, for
the 27th World Universiade Games
in February, they knew they’d be
facing very tough competition on a
rough ice surface. Canada had racked
up a 22-0 record since joining the
hockey component of the tournament,
held annually by the International
University Sports Federation
(FISU). Russia arrived with a team
that included eight Sochi Olympic
veterans. “Russia was definitely the
hardest team,” observes Team Canada
goalie Nicole Kesteris, a 22-yearold human geography major and
all-Canadian with the Varsity Blues.
“But Japan gave us quite a scare.”
By the end of the games, Russia came
away with gold, but Kesteris and her
teammates – university athletes from
across Canada – went home with not just
silver, but also a taste of international
competition, as well as their Team
Canada jerseys. “We were treated like
we were actually national level athletes,”
says Kesteris, who this spring received
[her second] Marion Hilliard Award
celebrating excellence in athletics,
academics and community involvement.
She describes the experience as “the next
best thing” to making the Olympic team.
“I had a lot of fun.”
Formally established in 1949, the
FISU winter and summer games have
served, for generations of university and
Key facts about the Summer Universiade (SU)*
• 12 days of sports competitions
• More than 9,000 student-athletes and officials from over 170 countries
• T he only summer multi-sport event in the world that connects students at both
academic and athletic levels
*FISU website
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collegiate athletes, as a kind of precursor
to the Olympics, and an opportunity to
gain a first taste of serious international
competition. For decades, U of T has
played a leading role on Canadian FISU
teams, sending numerous athletes,
including Olympians like Bill Crothers,
Abby Hoffman and Professor Bruce
Kidd, current principal and vicepresident of U of T Scarborough.
U of T’s tradition of participation, as well
as its high performance programs, play
a significant role in recruiting talented
athletes, says director of intercollegiate
and high performance sport Beth Ali,
who served as Team Canada’s chef de
mission for the 2011 FISU summer
games in Ezrum, a remote town in
Turkey. Besides the sports, that gathering
required determined efforts by both
visiting teams and the hosts to bridge
a wide cultural divide. Ali points out
that U of T’s FISU-oriented training
program offers all sorts of opportunities
for aspiring sports managers and coaches
who accompany the teams.
PHOTOs/ Robert Kesteris
BLUES NEWS
Canada’s involvement with FISU traces
back to a 1964 proposal by Doug Ward,
a former president of the U of T Students
Administrative Council (precursor to the
U of T Students’ Union) who was active
at the time in national student politics.
He pitched Kidd, who’d run for Canada
at the 1964 Olympics in Japan, and other
student leaders on a plan that would see
Canada’s national student group apply
to join FISU. As Kidd recounts, “FISU
was the only international student body
where national unions from the West
could talk to national unions from the
Soviet bloc.”
When the Canadian athletes arrived
at their first FISU games in Budapest
in 1965, they almost didn’t get in to
the opening ceremonies because they
hadn’t had enough funding to buy
uniforms. Crothers, nevertheless, went
on to win gold in the 800 metres and
was so thrilled by the experience that he
bought an armful of flowers and handed
them out to passersby on Budapest’s
central square.
It wasn’t all gratifying, however. Kidd
and his group were discouraged to
learn that the FISU general assembly
didn’t put much faith in student
delegates. “The majority of national
representatives at FISU were university
athletic directors or professional sports
administrators, a generation older
than us, like the then FISU president
Primo Nebiolo,” he recalls; there were
only a few student leaders of national
student associations. Indeed, Kidd and
other activists came home and ended
up fighting tough battles in the coming
years with Canada’s national university
sports federation to ensure that student
athletes, and women in particular, were
properly represented in the governance
bodies.
Two generations later, there could still
be more student athlete involvement
with Canada’s FISU teams and
Canadian Interuniversity Sport, Kidd
argues. “Instead of two votes from each
university at CIS meetings, one male and
one female administrative representative,
there should be four votes from each
university, including one elected male
and one elected female athlete.”
Quite apart from these simmering
governance issues, Canada and leading
Ontario universities in particular may
now have a new opportunity to engage
with this international event. Through
the FISU’s 66-year history, Canada has
only hosted one Universiade games–
Edmonton in 1983. Until this summer’s
Pan Am /Parapan Am Games, U of T
and Toronto didn’t have the facilities. But
that picture has changed. Perhaps, Kidd
muses, the universities in the GTA and
Hamilton region should get together and
put in a bid to host FISU. “It may be an
interesting question to bring back.”
— John Lorinc
Celebrating Excellence
Hundreds of athletes came
together to celebrate another great
year for the Blues at the annual
athletic banquet on March 29.
Athletes* recognized for standout
performances include:
Athletes of the Year
Eli Wall, Swimming
T-Holders’ Award, Male
Michael Chapman, Water Polo
Frank Pindar Award, Male
Sasha Gollish, Track and Field
T-Holders’ Award, Female
Breanna Gadzosa, Water Polo
Frank Pindar Award, Female
The 2015 Summer Universiade
will take place in Gwangju, Korea.
As press time, eight members of the UofT Varsity Blues
have been confirmed to compete for Team Canada:
• Eli Wall (men’s swimming)
• Kylie Masse (women’s swimming)
• Lukas MacNaughton and Kilian Elikinson (men’s soccer)
• Charlotte Sider and Jennifer Neilson (women’s volleyball)
• James Turner (track and field)
• Gabriela Stafford (track and field)
Rookies of the Year
Oliver Strazynski, Swimming
Kylie Masse, Swimming
Clara Benson Award
Vanessa Treasure, Swimming
George M. Biggs Award
Mario Kovacevic, Soccer
*(Pictured left to right, top to bottom)
PHOTOs/ Martin Bazyl/ Jing-Ling Kao-Beserve
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
23
Blues News
Blues host inaugural Strength
and Conditioning Summit
The Varsity Blues athletics program hosted the inaugural
Toronto International Strength and Conditioning Summit
in April at the Goldring Centre for High Performance
Sport. The event, the first of its kind in the country,
welcomed more than 100 attendees from across North
America. Participants included practitioners, researchers
and individuals working in the field of strength and
conditioning and personal training.
“There are some great single-day, single-speaker events
available in Canada, but most Canadian coaches have to
travel to the U.S. or further abroad for conferences that are
relevant and useful to their practice. Our goal was to create
an opportunity by which to expose local coaches to a series
of world-class experts, over multiple days,” said Adrian
Lightowler, lead organizer of the event and Varsity Blues
strength and conditioning head coach.
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Speakers covered a range of topics, including injury
prevention, human physiology, post-exercise recovery and
the psychological effects of group training. Chris Dalcin,
renowned Olympic strength and conditioning coach,
delivered a presentation and led a panel discussion on
strength training in international and Olympic sports. Mike
Young, also a veteran strength and conditioning coach for
elite athletes, discussed approaches to coaching in team
and private environments. Cassandra Forsythe, a professor
from the University of Connecticut and advocate for female
coaches, participated in a panel discussion about improving
gender equity in the field. One of the highlights of the
weekend was a collaborative talk delivered by Professors
Tyson Beach and David Frost who presented groundbreaking research on screening and training for injury
prevention.
PHOTO/ Seed9
SPOTLIGHT ON: INTRAMURAL SPorts
Jack of all trades
Master of many
Back in his first year, kinesiology student Kenlyee Merritt
received some sound advice from one of his professors: “try
new things.” Throughout his academic career, the Trinidad
native has taken this phrase to heart. He’s added a host of
intramural programming to his agenda, including indoor and
outdoor soccer, flag football, Ultimate and volleyball.
“My friends nicknamed me the Energizer Bunny,” Merritt
laughs. “I just keep going and going!”
With a hectic schedule that includes seven courses, serving as
co-deputy on the KPE Athletic Association, competing with
the Varsity Blues rowing team and coaching the girls’ football
team at his high school (a team he helped to create), Merritt
enjoys the break that intramural sports affords him.
“Each sport I play takes place on a different day, so I always
have something to look forward to,” explains Merritt. “My
favourite sport is flag football. It helps me practice the tips
I give to the team I coach. Intramurals are a friendly, less
competitive atmosphere where I don’t have to be so intense all
the time.”
Mostly a track and field athlete back in Trinidad, Merritt’s
venturesome spirit was piqued by the variety of intramural
sports available—U of T has 44 of them to choose from. “There
is a range of sports for everyone! I joined volleyball and Ultimate
because they were new to me. Friends brought me along to those
sports. Since then, I’ve played pretty much everything!”
Besides offering a chance to make friends and try new
sports, intramurals give Merritt the opportunity to build
his leadership skills. Inspired by upper-year students who
mentored him in his first year, Merritt later served on the
Intramural Sports Council, which includes representatives
from all colleges, faculties and divisions on St. George campus.
In March, he was recognized by Dean Ira Jacobs at the Dean’s
Student Leadership Awards, where he received a McCutcheon
Award for his valuable contributions to athletics and recreation
programs. “Getting involved helps me feel a stronger
connection to the Faculty,” Merritt says. “There is a real family
atmosphere here that I love. It’s also nice to get to know people
outside of my program.”
Merritt also received the David Breech Award this year, which
the intramural Coed Sports Committee gives to a graduating
intramural athlete who demonstrates the most leadership,
sportsmanship and performance during their time at U of T.
These accolades, along with the five intramural championships
his teams have won over the years, are accomplishments that
Merritt will reflect on with pride long after convocation. But
he notes that his most valuable takeaways from the intramural
program are the ones he cannot display in a trophy case.
“It’s fun being in a team atmosphere. Whether you win or lose,
that feeling of accomplishing something as a team is enough,”
Merritt says. “Intramurals makes me happy. I get to be active,
have fun and live my passion for sport. It’s not about the material
things you win; it’s about the intangible skills you gain.” –AH
Do you have a favourite intramural story? Send your memories to comm.kpe@utoronto.ca
PHOTO/ JOel Jackson
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
25
FIT TIPS
Taking a stand
By Adrienne Harry
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PHOTO/John Hryniuk
The literature is astounding: Canadians are sitting too often and it’s wreaking havoc on our health. But how can
the average working Canadian reduce their sitting time in a sedentary work environment? Professor Guy Faulkner
is leading an intervention called Rise @ Work that may offer solutions. Janine Omran, a first year masters student
and program administrator for the study, talks to Pursuit's Adrienne Harry about ways to combat the sitting
disease.
Pursuit: Tell us about the Rise @ Work program
Janine Omran: Rise @ Work is a web-based intervention
designed for people in the workplace. Participants are
given a pedometer, create an online account and monitor
their steps daily for 11 weeks. Throughout the program,
they are exposed to different evidence-based strategies
that we know will help increase and maintain physical
activity and reduce sedentary behaviour.
P: What is the harm in sitting? Is it really as bad as they say?
JO: Sitting has a detrimental effect on mental and physical
health and increases risk for chronic diseases. The
workplace is a breeding space for sitting time. Between
sitting during the commute to and from the office and
sitting in front of a workstation, many people sit for seven
to eight hours at a time. There is evidence suggesting
that taking a break every 30 minutes has health benefits.
A really cool feature of the Rise @ Work program is the
“Take a Stand” app, which reminds participants to take a
break and stand up every 30 minutes.
P: What are some ways to reduce sitting time without
disrupting work?
JO: Try to sneak standing or walking into your day. For
instance, take a walking meeting instead of a sitting
meeting. Instead of sending an email, take a walk to or
with the person you’re trying to reach. Use a standing
desk at your workstation.
P: How can employers encourage a more physical work
environment?
JO: There’s a lot of research on the effects of physical
activity and employee absenteeism. Workplaces that
incorporate physical activity into their structure, with
employee gym memberships, for instance, have reduced
absenteeism. Challenge the idea that we need to be sitting
to be focused. There is a stigma that you can’t really
stand up during meetings, or that too much movement
is distracting. Take that away! Encourage colleagues to
move around. Give them access tools like the “Take a
Stand” app. Build movement into the work environment;
that would definitely help out.
P: What if I'm simply too busy to head to the gym?
JO: What we’re trying to do with the Rise @ Work
program is simply reduce sitting time. When you tell
somebody “we want you to increase your physical activity
to 150 minutes per week,” the typical reaction is “oh, I
can’t do that!” It seems like a daunting task. But when you
set a more modest goal, like reducing your sitting time a
little each day, it seems like a more feasible option.
Each person is different and has a different schedule.
Create an action plan that works for you, like getting off
the bus a stop earlier, or riding your bike to work rather
than taking the bus. Action planning is a significant
predictor of increasing steps. Planning small adjustments
will keep you up and active!
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
27
THE BIG PICTURE
U of T and the Pan Am Games
Illustrated by Karsten Petrat
Toronto will spring to life this summer when the Pan Am Games arrive in the GTA. U of T will be at the centre of
much of the action showcasing our facilities to athletes, coaches and sports enthusiasts from around the world.
1.
2.
3.
1.
Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport: Volleyball training
3.
Back Campus Fields: Field hockey, football 5-a-side and 7-a-side
2.
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Varsity Stadium: Archery, para archery
Dean's Message
4.
5.
6.
4.
UTSC Aquatic Centre: Swimming, diving and synchronized swimming, para swimming
6.
UTSC Tennis Centre: Wheelchair tennis
5.
UTSC Field House: roller speed skating, seated volleyball, Modern pentathlon
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
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PHOTO/ Joel Jackson
THE
MIND
GAMES
By Valerie Iancovich
PHOTOGRAPHY BY John Hryniuk
How hosting Pan Am on home turf may impact Toronto athletes
Field hockey standout Amanda Woodcroft has sacrificed a lot for
her sport. She’s moved across the country, altered her academic
ambitions and logged countless hours on the field and in the
gym. Her efforts culminate this June as she vies for a chance
to represent Canada at the Pan Am Games. As a former OUA
Rookie of the Year and top player on the CIS silver-medalwinning Varsity Blues team, there’s a good chance her name will
be on the back of a red and white jersey this summer.
Canada’s field hockey team will compete in Woodcroft’s
backyard—University of Toronto’s Back Campus fields, where
she has proven her merits time and again. Woodcroft and her
fellow Toronto athletes will have their work cut out for them this
summer, competing in familiar environments under the watchful
eye of local media, family and friends. According to Professors
Catherine Sabiston and Katherine Tamminen, the experience will
make for a complex emotional mix.
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
31
“Training towards mindfulness can really help
an athlete in a home turf environment.”
— Catherine Sabiston
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Assessing the Hype
As the Games draw closer, competitors will fine tune their
training regimes and habits. “Athletes, coaches and support
staff often focus on the details of the workouts, practice drills,
and physical performance benchmarks, but there is little focus
on the mental side of sport, and that’s the stuff that can really
make or break a competition,” says Sabiston, who specializes
in sport and exercise psychology.
If Woodcroft makes the Canadian team she’ll have the
advantage of having competed on the world stage before. She’s
represented Canada at the Junior World Cup, two Indoor Pan
American Cups and the Outdoor Pan American Cup, to name
just a few. But being a hometown athlete at an international
event will present unique challenges.
“If the Pan Am Games is the biggest event on home turf that
you’ve been a part of, obviously you don’t know how you will
react until you get in that moment,” Sabiston acknowledges.
“But mentally training for that and appraising the hype and
the arousal of it all as positive and letting it be a motivator,
not a stressor, is the best mental exercise you can do. Training
towards mindfulness can really help an athlete in a home turf
environment.”
Home Field Advantage
Once they wrap their minds around the scale of the
competition, Toronto athletes can breathe a sigh of relief that
many of the logistical challenges that accompany international
competition will be non-issues for them. “Researchers find
that the most stressful things that athletes encounter in
competition are usually the things that are unexpected,”
says Tamminen who has conducted extensive research on
athlete coping and emotion. “If you’re competing in your
home territory, in a familiar environment, that can reduce a
number of unexpected stressors.” Toronto athletes will be able
to focus more exclusively on their performances, knowing
that they don’t have to worry about simple day-to-day things
like negotiating travel times, navigating streets and venue
locations, changes to their diets and adapting to new times
zones. “That sense of comfort could really help our athletes,”
Tamminen explains.
The venues themselves can also add a feeling of comfort for
Woodcroft and other local athletes. “They know the facilities
are great,” Sabiston says. “Many have had the chance to use
them. They have the environment on their side.”
High performance athletes who don’t train in these kinds
of state-of-the-art venues may feel intimidated by the Pan
Am facilities. “It can be tough [competing in a new space],”
Woodcroft admits. “It’s good if we get to use to the field before
a competition. There can be an initial shock if the stadium is
bigger than we’re used to.” The standout midfielder is excited
to show off the Back Campus fields, which were revitalized
in preparation for the Games. “The new fields are awesome.
The first time I was on them I was amazed by the atmosphere.
It’s such a beautiful part of campus. And then the fields
themselves are world class.”
Sabiston says Woodcroft’s pride in her environment will help
her to excel. “Rather than walking through someone else’s
doors, Toronto athletes are inviting people through theirs and
that can be a very prosperous environment for success.”
A familiar competition atmosphere will also be advantageous
to the many athletes who use imagery to prepare for
competition—picturing themselves scoring the winning goal
or executing the perfect routine. Sabiston points out that
knowing your space well allows these visual images to come
to mind more clearly. “It’s to an athlete’s advantage to work
with imagery and to take advantage of being familiar with the
environment ahead of time. If you are travelling somewhere
else, you can imagine yourself, but it can be hard when you
can’t imagine your surroundings.” She points out that this
technique can take as much practice as some of the physical
work. “Athletes should start this visualization training as early
as possible. Imagery can help bring them to a level of optimal
performance.”
Woodcroft has her own techniques for getting mentally
prepared for a big match. “I picture myself beating the
opponents. I usually select three points that I want to be the
focus for that specific game or practice. I also get in a mindset
that no matter who I am competing against I am going to win
each and every battle and be better than the person I’m up
against.”
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
33
Sabiston says this is a
common concern for
hometown athletes.
“The pressure can work
in your favour because
you’re pumped up and
ready to go, but it can
also be an added stress
to look good in front of
your home fans. That’s
probably the biggest
downside—that added
pressure.”
This anxiety can
escalate even higher
with the increased
profile that comes
with interest from
local media. “You’re
suddenly more
recognizable,” explains
Sabiston. “There will be
so much more attention
on you because of all
of the profiles on home
athletes. You can’t fly
under the radar as
much.”
Hometown Pressure
It may seem that competing in an
international sporting competition in
a familiar environment would serve as
a universal benefit for all local athletes.
But when an athlete looks out into a
sea of unfamiliar faces and sees their
mother’s teary, proud eyes or a best
friend’s fist pump, the moment can be
intense. And not all competitors will
find that intimate support helpful.
When Woodcroft is at an international
competition, the butterflies in her
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stomach flutter as soon as ‘Oh Canada’
erupts from the loudspeakers. On home
turf though, a few butterflies can feel
like a swarm when so many familiar
eyes are looking on. “It will be different
because when the national anthem is
on and I look out into the crowd, all my
family and friends will be there,” says
Woodcroft. “I feel as though this adds to
the pressure because I want to do well in
front of them. I’ll have to make sure that
I’m still focused on what my role is for
the game, and not let outside distractions
get in the way.”
Woodcroft hasn’t had
to cope with media
attention very much
leading up to these
Games, but she’s not
fazed by the potential
spotlight. “I don’t think the media
attention will be a concern for me. I’m
not a hundred percent sure about what to
expect. But I believe I’ll be able to block it
out of my mind during the Games.”
In addition to attention from local
reporters, competing on the fields of
the U of T campus means performing
in front of the community Woodcroft
knows well. She says she’s felt a lot
of support from U of T and that her
peers are very interested in the Games.
“Having my friends and family there
Professors Catherine Sabiston (left)
and Katherine Tamminen (right).
“The new fields are awesome. The first time I was on them
I was amazed by the atmosphere. It’s such a beautiful part
of campus. And then the fields themselves are world class.”
“Just perceiving that their family and friends are there if the athletes
need them can be useful in generating positive emotions and
decreasing stress.” — Katherine Tamminen
will definitely be a source of support.
I’m excited to show people that all of the
hard work has paid off and that we’re
there for a reason.”
Yet, Sabiston cautions athletes about
feeling as though they need to prove
anything to their friends and close
supporters. “It’s more about being in
the moment and being proud of that
moment no matter how you perform
on home turf in front of your people.”
Tamminen points out that focusing
on the positive emotions associated
with having friends and family
engaged in the competition is
beneficial. “Just perceiving that their
family and friends are there if the
athletes need them can be useful in
generating positive emotions and
decreasing stress.”
From a coach’s perspective, there are
risks associated with an athlete being
in such close proximity to their friends
and family, according to­­Tamminen.
“Many [coaches] will encourage athletes
competing on home turf to live in
the athletes’ village or at a hotel. They
might even say that they shouldn’t talk
to family and friends. They limit the
interactions the athletes have to limit the
distractions.”
Woodcroft plans to stay in the
athletes’ village if she makes the team.
“Whenever we are at an international
competition our team always stays
together,” she explains. Tamminen and
Sabiston say this could work to the
team’s advantage, to try to keep the
routines around these Games consistent
with previous high-profile competitions
further afield.
Balancing act
Consistency is important for athletes
dealing with pre-game jitters. In
order to deliver the best performance
possible, many sport psychology
consultants advise finding a balance
between feeling anxious and feeling
relaxed. “We talk about this all the
time, in our field,” says Sabiston. “You
can be too comfortable. You need to
know, for example, if living at home
and having your parents make you
breakfast before you compete will
make you too relaxed. You need to
reflect on that.”
A healthy amount of stress can provide
an edge if athletes build up the positive
emotions associated with all of the
excitement and downplay the negative
thoughts and feelings.
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
35
“I remember at one game back
in first year, I was exhausted
and my teammate just showed
me her wrist. It said, ‘believe’
And just seeing that helped.”
— Amanda Woodcroft
“In sport psychology today, there
is an emphasis on exploring how
to promote positive emotions,
instead of just studying how
to reduce anxiety and stress,”
Tamminen explains. “The theory
is called ‘broaden and build.’
When we experience these positive
emotions, it can lead to improved
performance.” Putting this theory
into practice can lead to higher
motivation, more focused attention,
and better problem solving skills—
all excellent resources for an athlete
to call upon when the pressure’s
on to perform in front of the
hometown crowd.
To allow these positive emotions
to flourish, Sabiston advises that
athletes listen to their internal
dialogue leading up to a major
competition and include training
techniques to help silence any
harsh, unproductive thoughts.
“Positive self-talk can be very
motivating and helpful. Sometimes
that means reframing what you’re
saying to yourself. If an athlete
is saying negative things during
training, for example, we could
have them write something like the
word ‘stop’, on their hand, so that
every time they see that message it
serves as a prompt.”
They may also opt to write positive
messages to themselves on post-it
notes or on the screens of their
phones. “Those are reminders that
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get athletes closer to that mindfulness”
Woodcroft says her teammates often
have these pseudo tattoos inscribed on
their arms. “I remember at one game
back in first year, I was exhausted and my
teammate just showed me her wrist. It
said, ‘believe’ And just seeing that helped.”
Game Face
When the big day arrives, Tamminen
says the best thing Woodcroft and
her teammates can do is stick to their
tried-and-true traditions. “At these
major competitions, athletes’ days are
so structured and organized. They
should do what they always do in
terms of training and practice and
keep that as structured and normal
as possible.” She advises against
implementing any new strategies at the
last minute.
Woodcroft is accustomed to
maintaining a regimented pre-game
ritual. “We usually arrive at the field
approximately 30 minutes before warm
up. We will go to our change room
and play our music. Right before
warm up we usually play one more
song to get everyone pumped up and
ready for the game and then we walk
out to our bench.” After a tight group
huddle, one teammate will remind the
squad what their focus should be; they
take a collective deep breath and hit
the field. Games Over
After months of anticipation, intense
physical and mental training, it can seem
like the finish lines are crossed and final
points are tallied all too quickly, leaving
athletes with an array of emotions—
from relief, to elation to despondency.
“It’s not uncommon to hear that after
the Olympics or another big event,
athletes may feel a bit blue or glum;
there was such a buildup, so now
what?” Tamminen explains.
Of course, how the athletes perform will
play a major role in how they feel after
their Pan Am performance. If they do
well, they can relax and celebrate—with
so many of their family and friends
around, it will be especially festive. But
that celebratory spirit could be salt in
the wound for a disappointed athlete.
“It could, again, feel like a double-edged
sword to be in their hometown,” says
Tamminen. “They might feel more let
down because it happened on home
turf, but they may also feel more
supported because they have family
and friends around them.” If a Toronto
athlete is unhappy with their Pan Am
performance, Tamminen advises that
they try to embrace the sense of comfort
that comes from being at home. “If
the Games are still going on, they can
distract themselves from what happened
at their event by cheering for teammates
or other Canadian athletes. There are
other local opportunities to deal with a
disappointing performance.”
Tamminen’s research shows that
athletes who are unhappy with their
finishes and distance themselves or
withdraw tend to report more negative
outcomes in those moments and
days following the event. “They say it
took them a while to realize just how
supportive their friends and family
were around them. That’s one of the
benefits of this home turf advantage—
just having those people around you
for support is a privilege that a lot of
other Pan Am athletes won’t have.”
This support is already coming out
in spades for Woodcroft. Her little
sister Nicki is a fellow Blue and huge
supporter and her parents are her
biggest fans. “My mom is always there
watching me!” she says. Her dad, Chris,
a former Olympic wrestler and Pan
Am medalist, couldn’t be more proud.
At the end of May, Woodcroft and her
team hosted a series of matches against
Ireland to prepare for the Games and
her parents made their way from
Waterloo to cheer her on.
“They’d never seen me play for Team
Canada before. They were so excited!”
For all the ups and downs Woodcroft
could face this summer when Toronto
hosts the Pan Am Games, it seems that
nothing, not even her home turf, will
give her quite the same boost as the one
she’ll get from hearing the sound of the
hometown crowd cheering.
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
37
The ONES TO WATCH
University of Toronto will be well represented at the Toronto 2015 Games.
Below is a glimpse at some of the past and current KPE and varsity student-athletes
who are either vying or have already qualified for a spot on Team Canada*.
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PHOTOS/ Martin Bazyl, Aric Guité, John Hryniuk, Jing-Ling Kao-Beserve, Sandy Nicholson, Seed 9 and Provided By The athletes
*As of press time.
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
39
40
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PHOTOS/ Martin Bazyl, Aric Guité, John Hryniuk, Jing-Ling Kao-Beserve, Sandy Nicholson, Seed 9 and Provided By The athletes
Sources/ Swim Canada And Varsity Blues.ca
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
41
Can hosting the
Pan Am Games make
Toronto a healthier city?
By Valerie Iancovich
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This summer, thousands of
and financing of Toronto 2015’s
“These Games have provided an
the world’s top athletes will
major facilities—both new
descend on Toronto to compete
incredible opportunity for innovative builds and renovations. “While
in the Pan Am and Parapan
56 percent of the funds came
city planning to improve the health of from the federal and provincial
Am Games, showcasing not
only athletic prowess, but
all of our citizens.”– Peter Donnelly governments through Toronto
the dynamic and thriving
2015, the local municipalities
City of Toronto. According
and universities that got these
to organizers, a key priority of TO2015 is to “foster sport
facilities had to come up with the other 44 percent,” Kidd
development and healthy living.” Professor Peter Donnelly
explains, citing the Back Campus fields on St. George campus
says there are plenty of opportunities for international
as an example. “The financial stake of local partners increases
games to create a legacy of health for a host city. But it’s up to
the chance that there will be a voice for ‘sport for all’ in the
Toronto to make it happen. facilities after the Games.” Given his role at UTSC, Kidd is
especially committed to realizing the full potential of the
“First of all, a legacy [of health and increased physical
new athletic facilities on that campus. “I can tell you that
activity] needs to be constructed into the bid, with a plan
my colleagues and I are determined to use the Toronto Pan
clearly set for putting that money to use,” Donnelly explains. Am Sports Centre to make UTSC one of the most physical
“If it’s not there, once you’ve won the bid, everything is
activity supportive and healthy campuses in North America.” about getting ready for the games.” Professor Bruce Kidd,
vice-president and principal of University of Toronto
Beyond U of T’s borders, Donnelly says decisions made about
Scarborough, sees the same trend. “Very few major games
the waterfront development can play a huge role in making
hosts have given much thought to stimulating broad
Torontonians more active. Transforming the athletes’ village
participation after, as a result, of the games. In fact, the track to create affordable housing, and increasing access to the lake,
record is extremely disappointing. But I’m hopeful that we
could have a major impact. Improving parks and trail systems
can do a better job in Toronto.” for the Games will also help to establish a healthier future. “If
the city completes the Pan Am Path plan, for example, I think
Donnelly, who spearheads U of T’s Centre for Sport Policy
that could be a terrific legacy,” he says. While part of the Pan
Studies, points to the London Olympics as an example of
Am Path is scheduled to open before the Games, the entire
good intentions that fell by the wayside. Organizers of the
path is slated for completion by 2017. A series of connected
2012 Olympics vowed that the Games would ‘inspire a
trails that will create 84 kilometres of pathways for active
generation.’ “It was all about increasing participation in the
transport, cultural enrichment and community building, the
UK. That was part of their bid; they put a little funding into
path will ultimately extend from the Claireville Reservoir to
school sports for a while. There were a couple of experiments
just south of Rouge Park.
around opening access to swimming pools,” Says Donnelly.
Over time though, enthusiasm waned. “The Games ended up
“These Games have provided an incredible opportunity for
costing so much, the money got pulled from those initiatives.
innovative city planning to improve the health of all of our
Funding needs to be built in as absolute.” citizens; it’s the first major games to come to Ontario since 1930,”
Donnelly says. “I hope we are able to make the most of it.” Donnelly says that plans at the newly-built UTSC pools have
established a good framework for long-term results. “The
For Kidd, the real test is what we achieve on a sustainable
use agreement is really good. It’s for high performance; it’s
basis by 2020. “We will have to work very hard in the months
for UTSC students and it’s for the community.” Kidd is also
and years after the Games to ensure that our dreams for
optimistic because there has been local buy-in to the planning equitable sport for all will be realized.”
Illustration / Karsten Petrat
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
43
We Have the gear. Do you have the drive?
Proud Sponsor of the Varsity BlueS • Ordering for your team? Ask in store for details
Varsity Sports Store
Athletic Centre • 55 Harbord St
Toronto ON M5S 2W6
(416)-977-8220
Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday
Saturday - Sunday
10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Donor Profile
Hockey family
gives back
O’Hanlan to lead final phase of Goldring campaign
By John Lorinc
Not long after Patrick O’Hanlan and his family moved from
Dublin to Toronto, the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup. It
was 1967, and Patrick was six. “My uncles were going crazy,”
chuckles the 55-year-old co-founder of Kylemore Communities/
Angus Glen Developments. Enthralled by this fast-paced
Canadian game that captivated his relatives, O’Hanlan took
up hockey and later soccer, and played both competitively
throughout high school and university.
After graduating with an urban planning degree from
Ryerson, Patrick jumped to the private sector, working for
Bramalea and then Camrost-Felcorp before setting up his own
development firm, Kylemore Communities. In 1995, O’Hanlan
was introduced to U of T alumnus, Gordon Stollery. It was a
fateful introduction. The two decided to develop land around
a Markham golf course (Angus Glen), and struck up a close
friendship – a one which ultimately resulted in O’Hanlan’s
recent decision to chair the final phase of the fundraising
campaign for the Goldring Centre for High Performance
Sport. O’Hanlan took on the role in January, in honour of
Stollery, who passed away three years ago and had been an
early supporter of the vision for the new facility.
“We are very pleased to announce Patrick O’Hanlon as
incoming campaign Chair for the Goldring Centre,” said
Robin Campbell, the Faculty's executive director, advancement
PHOTO/ Lindsay Nemeth
and alumni affairs. O’Hanlan replaces Kevin Reed who
completed his term in March.
“We are grateful to Kevin for his work as Chair,” said
Campbell. “The challenge now is to find the remaining $4
million to complete the campaign.”
O’Hanlan first got involved with the Faculty during his daughter
Kelly’s years playing for the Varsity Blues women’s hockey team.
Both Patrick and Kelly were actively involved with fundraising for
the team. Kelly played five years with the Blues and, in her father’s
view, benefited greatly from the mentorship she received from
Canadian women’s hockey star, Vicky Sunohara, head coach of
the team. “She really saw Kelly’s potential,” Patrick recalls.
Patrick has long believed in the importance of giving back to
the community. His firm runs an annual golf tournament, the
proceeds of which support a range of GTA charities.
Modest about the impact of his fundraising efforts, the
sport enthusiast marvels at the experience of how this
project has brought him into contact with a wide range
of like-minded community leaders and athletes who are
connected to the University in various capacities. “There
are so many amazing people you come across,” Patrick says.
“It’s really a very cool feeling.”
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
45
Alumni Updates
Getting together
Donors help students choose their own adventure
PhD student Gillian White. White's honour
was one of 54 awards celebrated March 4
at the Reception for Scholars.
When Gillian White was a child,
becoming, as she affectionately calls it, a
“doctor of gym class,” was not quite the
future she pictured. However, as a PhD
student in the Graduate Department of
Exercise Sciences, White is establishing
a career greater than she could have
imagined. Her research, which
most recently has explored exercise
intolerance in young bone marrow
transplant recipients, earned White a
Dr. Terry Kavanagh Fellowship from the
Faculty. Her fellowship, along with 53
other academic awards, was celebrated
March 4 at the Reception for Scholars. Over 200 students, award donors and
parents attended the event, which
connects donors and alumni with
undergraduate and graduate students
who are excelling in exercise sciences.
White spoke at the gathering on behalf
of the award recipients.
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pursuit.utoronto.ca
“The choice to pursue grad school can be
a tricky one,” said White. “My greatest
difficulty was that I was interested in so
many aspects of exercise science: high
performance sport, medicine, recovery,
pediatrics. I chose grad school because
I could say ‘yes’ to all of these things
and have an opportunity to be creative,
innovate and think critically. I get to
choose my own adventure.”
Members of the Ticker Club, one
of the most prestigious investment
organizations in Canada, added a new
award to the program this year. Created
in tribute to a mutual funds guru and
U of T alumnus, Warren Goldring, the
fellowship was established to support
a PhD student conducting research in
heart health. Past presidents of the Ticker
Club, Robert Farquharson and Michael
Graham, spearheaded the creation of the
fellowship, noting Goldring’s interest in
the study of exercise and its effects on
heart function in athletes. Graham was
on hand to present the inaugural Warren
Goldring Fellowship to PhD student Rob
Lakin, who is currently researching the
effects of endurance exercise on the left
and right heart ventricles.
“This event is a wonderful opportunity
to acknowledge the generous alumni
and friends who support our Faculty,”
said Dean Ira Jacobs. “Their generosity
and foresight make a profound impact
on the lives of students, athletes, and the
Faculty as a whole.”
For White and the others, not only do
the awards help financially, but they also
offer a sense of validation for hard work. “Academics are a lesson in delayed
gratification. There are no gold stars or
pats on the head,” said White. “These
awards remind me that I made the right
turn. I chose the right road. Without the
donors’ generous contributions…I might
have picked a different adventure.”— AH
PHOTOS/ Jing-Ling Kao-Beserve
Varsity Blues Achievement Awards
On January 21, 2015 over 150 student-athletes were honoured for their academic and athletic achievement.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Women’s Hockey Alumni Golf Tournament
Varsity Leadership Foundation Golf Tournament
September 19, 2015
Angus Glen Golf Club, Markham ON
For more details contact Kerry Gauer at k.gauer@utoronto.ca
Annual fundraiser brought to you by the football alumni network
PHOTO/ Jing-Ling Kao-Beserve / Dan Epstein
King Valley Golf Club
15675 Dufferin St., King City ON
August 10, 2015
For more information and to register visit
www.bfan.ca
Registration closes July 27
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
47
Alumni Updates
CIS Women’s
Volleyball
Championship
Alumni Reception
Career Café
On March 2, undergraduate students joined KPE alumni at the Faculty Club
to gain insight into life after graduation. The Career Café invites alumni back
to campus to share their career stories and mentor current students about the
wide range of career options available with their KPE degrees. Thank you to the
16 alumni mentors who participated in the event this year, including motherdaughter alumni duo, Judy Chu, (PHE 8T3) and Kaitlin Chu, (KPE 1T3). Thank
you also to the student volunteers who were instrumental in the planning and
execution of the event. The Faculty was pleased to see the wide range of careers
represented by our alumni at this event, including but certainly not limited
to, emergency services, physiotherapy, kinesiology, finance, naturopathy and
education. Students expressed their excitement for what the future holds as a
result of their conversations with alumni mentors. The Career Café has become
a much anticipated event among both students and alumni and we are grateful
to TD Insurance for their support which makes this event possible through the
University’s Pillar Sponsorship program.
This year’s alumni mentors:
Colin Campbell (0T7), Judy Chu (8T3), Kaitlin Chu (1T3), Daniel Correia (0T7),
Cheryl D’Costa (9T7), Tony D’Urzo (8T2), Tony Granato (0T5), Joel Kerr (0T2),
Matthew Laing (0T7), Deborah Low (8T4), Michael Luczak (1T2), Peter Mastorakos (1T2),
Antonio Morale (0T3), Huy Nguyen (0T7), Steve Roest (9T2), Marlon Teekah (0T9)
Are you interested in being a mentor? Please let us know at alumni.kpe@utoronto.ca
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pursuit.utoronto.ca
The Goldring Centre of High
Performance Sport hosted its inaugural
championship in February bringing
Canada’s top eight intercollegiate
women’s volleyball teams to the Kimel
Family Field House. Over 100 alumni
and friends gathered to support the
Varsity Blues at a reception during
the team’s first match on February
26. Special mention goes to alumna
Athena Gerochristodoulou (PHE 9T6,
Volleyball) who travelled from Spain
to be a part of the championship! The
evening also featured a silent auction
to raise money for the team. Thank
you to the Women’s Volleyball Fund
Development Committee for organizing
this initiative, to the parents who
donated auction items and MBNA for
their sponsorship of the reception.
Pictured Top Right: Head Coach Kristine
Drakich presenting Athena with a plaque and
certificate commemorating the induction of
the 1995-1996 Women’s Volleyball Team to
the U of T Sports Hall of Fame, for which
Athena was team captain.
Alumni Updates
Rowing Team
Ergometer Reception
A milestone was made possible for the Varsity Blues rowing program this
year by the generous contribution of David Harquail (Rowing, 7T9). David
and his wife, Birgitta, donated sixteen rowing ergometer’s and support
for the team! On March 9, alumni and current rowers came together to
celebrate the installation of this essential training equipment in the Varsity
Arena. Sincere thanks to David and Birgitta for making possible the
program’s first dedicated training centre.
Pictured: David and Birgitta Harquail celebrating the new ergometer centre with Varsity
Blues staff and athletes.
Harley Pasternak
Lecture and Book Launch
The Faculty was thrilled to welcome back alumnus and fitness expert
Harley Pasternak (MSc 0T0) for a very special first look at his new book,
5 Pounds. The book launch and lecture was held March 26. Harley shared
his experiences in personal training, nutrition and working in Hollywood.
Thank you to Harley for sharing this milestone with us and to Penguin
Books for their partnership on this event.
Pictured: Harley Pasternak and Professor Greg Wells.
Men’s Hockey
Varsity Grads
Foundation Reception
On March 30, the Faculty hosted a group of men’s hockey alumni to celebrate
a generous donation from the Varsity Grads Foundation. The group gathered
at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport for an evening of
celebration in which they were able to meet the team and reunite with fellow
alumni. Thank you to David McCarthy for his leadership on behalf of the
Foundation! The Varsity Grads continue to make a huge impact on the men’s
hockey program and its ability support the players and coaching staff. The
Varsity Blues community is honoured by their continued partnership.
Pictured left to right: John Wright, Ken Duggan, Darren Lowe, Andre Hidi, David McCarthy
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
49
Alumni Updates
Class Notes
1960s
2000s
Sheila Romeiko
Ryan Pyle
BPHE 6T3, Swimming
HBA 0T1, Basketball
Warm congratulations go to Sheila and John Romeiko
(BA 6T3) this August as they celebrate their 50th wedding
anniversary! The pair met in elementary school and were a
couple by the time they arrived on U of T campus. In 1965,
two years after graduation, they got married at Hart House –
keeping their special day within the U of T community. They
remain fun-loving and active to this day engaging in hiking,
biking and swimming three times a week! Thank you to their
daughter, Janine, for updating us on this wonderful milestone.
Best wishes to Sheila and John – you are an excellent example
of the physical activity values we cherish in the Faculty.
Ryan Pyle made U of T headlines this year when he came
back to campus to speak about his documentary that takes
viewers along with him on a 65 day, 18,000 kilometre motorcycle journey through China. Since graduation, this former
Blue became a freelance photographer and started his own
production company – G219 Productions – which he used to
produce his film (The Middle Kingdom). Congratulations to
Ryan on his internationally-recognized photo journalism and
documentary work. We look forward to hearing about the
next project.
Bruce Kidd
Mark Williams
OISE 0T7, Rowing)
BA 6T5, Track & Field
Former dean and treasured friend of the Faculty, Professor
Bruce Kidd, has reached yet another career milestone with
his appointment as Vice-President, University of Toronto and
Principal, University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). Kidd
was appointed for a three and a half year term, which started
January 1. Kidd is UTSC’s tenth principal and will lead the
campus through the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan
American Games and continue in his commitment to the tricampus sport system. The Faculty congratulates our former
leader and is thrilled to have his continued presence in the
University.
1990s
David Scandiffio
BSc 9T4, Football
David has signed on with CIBC to assume the role of
President, Asset Management as of April 2015. He was
formerly a Vice-President at Industrial alliance and President
of IA Clarington. Congratulations to our 1993 champion
football team captain who is now a champion in the financial
industry!
50
pursuit.utoronto.ca
Congratulations to Mark Williams who has recently assumed
the role of head coach and director of Rowing at the Ohio
State Crew Club. After graduating from U of T Mark went
on to graduate studies at the University of Western Ontario
where he continued his involvement in rowing as a decorated
athlete and coach. Best wishes in Columbus!
Alumni Updates
In Memory
Frederick “Scooter” Doty
John “Jake” Rogers
Weldon J. Thoburn
Andrea Childs
BPHE 6T7
John Hugo
BPHE 5T5
John “Jake” Rogers
BPHE 5T5, Football
A mentor, teacher, role model and
friend to many, Andrea passed away
suddenly from complications following
a stroke in Victoria General Hospital,
BC on February 24, 2015 at the age of
70. Following a short teaching career,
Andrea gave many years of enthusiastic
service to the tourism industry of
Ontario, as owner of Scotsman Point
Resort, near Buckhorn. She left
behind a legacy of caring, love for
family, generosity towards others and
community engagement. She will be
greatly missed.
After a long career in law, John passed
away in January at the age of 81. A
true PHE alum, John led an active life
maintaining involvement in the Toronto
Racket Club, Toronto Racket Club,
Lambton Golf Club, and the Cambridge
Club.
Football alumni were saddened to
hear of the death of their friend and
teammate on April 14. Working
extensively in the education field,
Jake was happiest in roles in where
he worked with students and athletes,
coaching them in a myriad of sports
and, undoubtedly, in teamwork and
leadership.
Frederick “Scooter” Doty
BASC 5T0, Football
A WWII lieutenant with the Royal
Canadian Air Force, Fred was an all-star
quarterback with the Varsity Blues
football team after the war. He went
on to play with the Toronto Argonauts
– winning the Grey Cup in 1945 and
1947. When he retired from football,
Fred launched a successful engineering
career, reaching executive positions in
Canadian Johns Manville and Dufferin
Concrete Products.
Mary Oleary
BPHE 6T8
After an impressive and impactful
career in education, Mary passed away
after the discovery of an incurable brain
tumour. Upon completing her degree
at U of T she began teaching with the
Toronto Catholic District School Board.
She went on to assume the position of
founding principal at Mary Ward CSS
in Scarborough and superintendent of
education until her retirement in 2001.
Her passion for her field continued postretirement through involvement with
The Angel Foundation for Learning
and The Learning Partnership. Mary
was recognized for her tremendous
contributions to education with The
Bernard Nelligan Award.
Weldon J. Thoburn
BASC 6T1, MASC 6T2, PHD 6T4,
Football
Weldon’s football career began when he
was selected as captain at the University
of Toronto Schools. When he started
his accomplished academic career at U
of T, he joined the Varsity Blues football
team and was a league all-star. He turned
down an offer to play for the TigerCats to accept a scholarship to pursue
graduate studies. By retirement, Weldon
had worked for over 40 years in the
mining industry, working and consulting
for a variety of prominent Canadian
and international firms and achieving
election as a Fellow in The Metallurgical
Society.
Our condolences to family and friends.
PURSUIT | SUMMER 2015
51
TIME OUT
Game Changing Gold
By Valerie Iancovich
The bleachers in The Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys were full. “Oh
Canada” echoed through the Barcelona stadium. Joanne Berdan stood at
the top of the podium with her Paralympic gold medal draped over her
shoulders. “That moment in time, I had such an overwhelming feeling of
pride—not just in myself, but in representing my country.”
Berdan perceived herself as an amateur athlete who dedicated a huge
portion of her time to training, not necessarily in obscurity, but
certainly ‘behind the scenes.’ “And then there’s this moment in time that
accumulates into this overwhelming experience. It’s why you toil so long
in the background.”
She says that this Barcelona gold is the heaviest medal she’s ever held. No
stranger to the podium, with dozens under her belt, Berdan ought to
know.
The solid gold beauty is as remarkable-looking today as it was at that
ceremonial celebration 23 years ago, says Berdan. The graceful Braille
characters read, “Paralympics Barcelona – 92.”
This was one of three gold medals the track star won at the 1992
Paralympics. These Games was a career highlight for Berdan. But it’s not
just because she was such a regular at the top of the podium. “As you get
older, you have more time for reflection,” Berdan muses. “I didn’t realize
how many barriers we were breaking and how many changes we were
making for athletes with disabilities.” The Barcelona Games marked a
turning point, in her view, when para-sports were taken out of the “special
interests” section of the newspapers and moved into the sports pages.
“Paralympian is now part of our vernacular. It never was before,” she says,
reflectively. “I’m very proud to have played a role in making that change
happen.”
On May 28, Berdan added another accolade to her long list of honours
when she was inducted into the U of T Sports Hall of Fame. The 28-year
old tradition has welcomed over 250 athletes, builders and teams; 2015
marks the first year that the University added a para-athlete into its
record books.
“It was a surprise to be inducted,” Berdan admits.” I am excited to be the
first Paralympian inducted into the U of T Sports Hall of Fame.”
52
pursuit.utoronto.ca
PHOTO/ Mark Ridout
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photo: Jing-Ling Kao-Beserve
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15-16, 2015
THE COURTS at S.E.R.C.
Ladies and gentlemen,
please take YOUR seats.
The Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport is being
hailed as Toronto’s newest landmark and is changing the
face of research in our nation’s high performance sport
community. With a dedicated centre for sport scientists and
coaches to share leading-edge training methods, together with
state-of-the-art training and competition spaces, Goldring is
the premier sports facility in Toronto and now you can be part
of its legacy.
Donors who contribute $1,000 or more will have their names
permanently displayed on the back of a Gold Status seat on
the mezzanine floor in the Goldring Centre, overlooking the
impressive 2,000-seat Kimel Family Field House that will raise
basketball and volleyball competition to new heights. Don’t
miss your chance to snag one of the best seats in the house.
ONLY 59 SEATS LEFT!
Donation Form
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Method of Payment:
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recognition lists. Additionally, I would like my
name(s) permanently displayed on the back of a seat
at the Goldring Centre, as indicated:
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For additional information, please contact Jessica Freeman by
phone at 416-978-6944 or at jessica.freeman@utoronto.ca
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Thank you for investing in the University of Toronto. Please send your donation to: Alumni Office, 55 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S 2W6.
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useful life of the seating area. All donations will be acknowledged with a charitable tax receipt.
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