University of Toronto

The road to the podium is long and full of challenges.  Getting there takes talent, to be sure.  But it also requires guts, perseverance, great coaching and a host of often hard-to-access resources.  The University of Toronto aims to serve as one of those resources for Ontario’s top athletes, through an innovative partnership with the provincial government.

With $2 million provided through the Ministry of Health Promotion’s Quest for Gold program, U of T is poised to open its doors to the province’s high performance athletes, offering access to a host of facilities and services that will give them a much-needed boost in training and development.

“The best athletes in the world benefit from a training model that blends outstanding coaches and facilities with a research-intensive environment,� says Bruce Kidd, dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Health.  “It’s the ‘institute’ model – the world’s gold standard – and it’s what we’re building here in Toronto.�

The province’s competitive athletes will gain access to all the training facilities at U of T’s Athletic Centre and Varsity Centre, be eligible to enroll in customized training camps, and benefit from the healing hands at the David L. Macintosh Sport Medicine Clinic.

“Helping Ontario’s athletes to reach their full potential is a priority for the McGuinty government,� says Minister of Health Promotion, Margarett Best. “Access to U of T’s world-class resources will allow our high performance athletes to hone their skills and provide more opportunities for them to compete, both at home and on the international stage.�

Initially focused on summer sports, the program will reach out to athletes in track and field, volleyball, basketball and swimming.

“This is a huge win for Ontario athletes and for the University of Toronto,� says Liz Hoffman, U of T’s director of athletics.  “As we finalize our plans for the Centre for High Performance Sport, this investment allows us to get a jump start on U of T’s reinvestment in competitive athletics at the highest levels.�

That reinvestment includes immediate plans to purchase several new Olympic lifting platforms for the strength and conditioning centre, and to create a new volleyball training centre in Varsity Arena during the summer season.  Sport science research and development, including a healthcare database for Ontario athletes, will also spring from the partnership.

 

High fives were shared and plenty of hoots and cheers were heard on April 11th at U of T’s annual athletic banquet. More than 500 students gathered to celebrate a year of hard work, Blues camaraderie and athletic excellence.

The most anticipated awards of the evening — Female and Male Athletes of the Year —  went to Cailie O’Hara for her skills on the field hockey pitch, and Marco Monaco for his prowess in the pool.

A fourth-year Arts and Science student, O’Hara dominated both provincial and national competitions this season. She was one of the country’s top scorers, with 23 goals in just 14 games. O’Hara was named the 2008 OUA and CIS MVP and was a first team all-star and a first team all-Canadian.  The Blues’ 2008 OUA silver medal win was due in many ways to O’Hara’s skills, which also proved critical in securing top spot in the CIS championships. A nationally-carded athlete (see “Investing in Athletes� on page 26), O’Hara competed on Canada’s field hockey team at the 2007 Senior Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  “Cailie is blessed with international speed that allows her to eliminate defenders at will,� says Blues field hockey head coach John De Souza. “She is a team player and spearheaded us toward having such a standout year.�

Joining O’Hara in the spotlight is Male Athlete of the Year Marco Monaco. A three-year Blues swimming veteran and record-holder, Monaco has received OUA all-star accolades several times and is a CIS all-Canadian. He won five gold medals and one silver at this year’s OUA championships, and took home one gold and two silvers at CIS championships.  This season Monaco shattered a 19-year Varsity Blues record [name of event to come]. “Marco is great success story both in and out of the water,� says coach Byron MacDonald. “He’s one of our team’s hardest workers. It’s good for him to get his day in the spotlight.� The newly-minted 2008 Male Athlete of the Year is a Swim Ontario card holder and has also been carded by the Quest for Gold program(see page 26).

The Clara Benson Honour Award, another of the evening’s more prestigious prizes, was given to track captain and team officiator Liane Heale. This season, Heale garnered a CIS silver medal as well as two OUA gold medals. Heale’s talents in the classroom have been rewarded with  the Alumni Scholarship (2004, 2005), the T-Holder Academic Excellence award (2006) and the Hector Phillips Scholarship (2004, 2005). She was also named a 2006 U of T Scholar and will be graduating with high honours. In addition to her athletic and academic achievements, Heale has served  as a Varsity Board member, a student co-chair of the Female Athlete Triad Coalition and a volunteer at community charity organizations.

The fourth major award of the year – the highly coveted George M. Biggs Trophy – went to  Mike Goncalves. Committed to the Blues football team for past five years, Goncalves has served as team captain and won the 2007-08 Maynard Captain’s Award. He was also a 2007 finalist for the prestigious CIS Russ Jackson Award. Goncalves was selected to the 2006 CFL Evaluation Camp and was drafted by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as a result. His many community outreach activities include volunteering for the United Way and Central Neighbourhood House, tutoring elementary school children through  Prime Mentors of Canada,. raising awareness and funds for the Huntington’s Society of Toronto, and coaching the Brampton Bulldogs OVFL senior football team.

University of Toronto Provost Vivek Goel announced today that the University has extended the appointment of Professor Bruce Kidd as Dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Health for a further two years, beginning June 1, 2008 until June 30, 2010.  

Throughout his term as Dean, Professor Kidd has focused on the promotion and strengthening of the Faculty, and was instrumental in realizing the long-anticipated revitalization of Varsity Stadium.

“I am honoured to have been asked by the University to continue leading the Faculty for the next two years,� says Dean Kidd, whose current three-year appointment was scheduled to end in June.  “It is a very exciting time here, and I’m thrilled to be able to play a key role in realizing a renewed agenda for the Faculty and for athletics at U of T. We are in the midst of an incredible capacity-building phase, and we are poised to be a Canadian leader in the sport and exercise sciences, sport medicine, undergraduate and graduate teaching, coaching, and healthy athlete training.�

A passionate spokesperson for the Faculty of Physical Education and Health, both to the internal University community and to the broader external community, Dean Kidd has led the Faculty in contributing significantly to public policy advancement and community outreach. He has also been a tireless advocate for equity and diversity in physical and health education, as well as for the principles of inclusion and accessibility within co-curricular programs. 

“Professor Kidd is a distinguished colleague who has served the Faculty and the University with distinction and dedication during his term as Dean,� says Goel.  “I am extremely grateful that he has deferred his leave plans in order to continue to serve the University.�

As exams pile up and the Varsity sports season winds down, one of the Blues biggest fans — President David Naylor —hosted a lunch on April 8th to celebrate a year of outstanding athletic performance and hard work.

Over 200 intercollegiate student-athletes gathered in the Athletic Centre’s sports gym with their parents, coaches and FPEH staff. 

“This has been an especially rewarding year for the Varsity Blues and for athletics in general on the St. George campus, as it was the first fully-functioning year of the new Varsity Centre,” Naylor told the crowd. “We intend to continue to increase the role that athletics play here at the University of Toronto because the hard work and achievements of our Blues athletes make our University a better place.”

Dean Bruce Kidd and Liz Hoffman, assistant dean of co-curricular education and director of athletics, joined President Naylor to pay tribute to the athletes and to hand out this year’s Silver “T� awards. The Silver “T� is awarded to the Bronze “T� holders in their graduating year in recognition of outstanding athletic performance during their career with the Varsity Blues.

The list of this year’s Silver “T� holders includes: Ekaterina Alchits (Tennis), Joshua Berry (Swimming), Mike Bialy (Soccer), Etienne Bredin (Cross Country/Track & Field), Janine Davies (Ice Hockey), Michael  De Giorgio (Basketball), Martyn Forde (Swimming), Laura Foster (Ice Hockey), Jesse Fulton (Baseball), Kathryn Godfrey (Lacrosse), Mark Heatley (Ice Hockey), Mary Hein (Track & Field), Stephanie Ho (Fastpitch), Isabel Jarosz (Tennis/Squash), Lisa Kennedy (Fastpitch), Alen Keri (Soccer), Kerry Kuluski (Track & Field), Andy Lam (Badminton), Sean McGhie (Water Polo), Liz Montgomery (Track & Field), Anthony Pallotta (Ice Hockey), Kate Plyley (Swimming), Sarah Poirier (Ice Hockey), Joe Rini (Soccer), Kate Ruediger (Track & Field), Natasha Saunders (Lacrosse), Mark Stinson (Football), Samantha Taylor (Field Hockey),  Amanda Treacy (Field Hockey), Shannon Treacy (Field Hockey) and David Yik (Squash).

“The students we are honouring today exemplify the spirit of excellence at U of T, and the culture of ambition and achievement, innovation and determination, and collaboration and teamwork,” says Kidd. “Over the last couple of years, I’ve seen every Blues team play, and I can say how well they represent us at competitions across Canada and around the world. They bring honour to faculty, staff, students and alumni, and we are proud to call them our own.”

Women’s field hockey captain Amanda Treacy capped off the ceremony with a photograph presentation to President Naylor. It was a snapshot of her team —  the only Blues squad to win a 2008 CIS gold medal.

The President’s luncheon is a precursor to the student-athletes’ biggest party of the year – the intercollegiate banquet, which will be held on April 11th.

The Faculty hosted the 9th annual Bertha Rosenstadt National Undergraduate Research Conference on March 28th.  Thirty-one undergraduate students from U of T, Lakehead University, McMaster and Concordia presented their research findings and shared the latest ideas on exercise physiology, biomechanics, sports medicine, motor learning and control, exercise and sport psychology, philosophy, history and sport sociology.

Third-year FPEH student Sarah Boyle’s paper, entitled “An analysis on Toronto’s Delinquent Youth and the Effects of Community Centres and Programs,” was named one of top papers at the conference.

The featured speaker was Professor Guy Faulkner, who discussed physical health and mental illness and the importance of reconnecting the mind and body.  Student presentations ranged from mobilizing obese youth to strategies for helping Varsity athletes manage stress to creating positive spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer athletes.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage undergraduate students to engage in research,� says Gretchen Kerr, the Faculty’s associate dean of undergraduate education.  “Whether or not they continue on to graduate school, research helps them think critically about the current issues in our field today.�

The Faculty hosted the 9^th annual Bertha Rosenstadt National Undergraduate Research Conference on March 28^th.  Thirty-one undergraduate students from U of T, Lakehead University, McMaster and Concordia presented their research findings and shared the latest ideas on exercise physiology, biomechanics, sports medicine, motor learning and control, exercise and sport psychology, philosophy, history and sport sociology.
 

Third-year FPEH student Sarah Boyle’s paper, entitled “An analysis on Toronto’s Delinquent Youth and the Effects of Community Centres and Programs,” was named one of top papers at the conference.
 

The featured speaker was Professor Guy Faulkner, who discussed physical health and mental illness and the importance of reconnecting the mind and body.  Student presentations ranged from mobilizing obese youth to strategies for helping Varsity athletes manage stress to creating positive spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer athletes.
 

“This is a wonderful opportunity to encourage undergraduate students to engage in research,� says Gretchen Kerr, the Faculty’s associate dean of undergraduate education.  “Whether or not they continue on to graduate school, research helps them think critically about the current issues in our field today.�
 

Trampoline athletes Rosie MacLennan and Sarah Charles are each adding a coveted jewel of athletic accomplishment to their crowns: a spot on the Canadian Olympic team bound for Beijing this summer.

MacLennan, now in her second year of the FPEH program, was seven years old when first tried the trampoline and has competed since she was nine. She has competed in several World Cups and boasts several first-place finishes in the synchronized trampoline event.  In 2008, she also placed third in individual trampoline at the Pacific Rim Championships in California.

A lifelong athlete and a third-year FPEH student, Charles was a competitive gymnast for most of her life and specialized in trampoline at the age of 16. Like MacLennan, she has competed in several World Cup championships and finished first in the double mini event at the 2007 World Championships in Québec City. Charles also recently competed at the Canadian Championships in Regina, where she placed third in 2007 in the individual trampoline event and first in the double mini. 
Accustomed to competing against dozens of athletes at world championships, MacLennan and Charles will be among only 16 women vying for the top spots in Beijing. But they won’t let the pressure get to them. “I just am trying to focus on my goals and my training,� says Charles. “I always wanted to compete for Canada. It really is like a dream come true.�

University of Toronto student and international swimmer Colin Russell is now a member of the Canada’s Olympic team and can book his ticket to Bejing, China. The Oakville-native won the 200m freestyle event at the Olympic Trials on Tuesday night (April 2) which automatically qualifies him for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Russell will compete for Canada in the 200m freestyle as well as the men’s 4×200m freestyle relay team. A Science major, Russell will also compete in the 100m freestyle race on Friday (April 4) in Montreal, as he looks to secure another spot on the men’s 4×100m freestyle team.

“This is a breakthrough for Colinâ€�, states coach Byron MacDonald. “He beat the World Champ [100m freestyle] Brent Hayden – that’s quite the accomplishment. And after this performance, I’d say he has a great shot at making the 4×100m freestyle team as well.â€�

A medalist at 2005 World Championships and 2006 Commonwealth Games, Russell will be swimming for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues this fall. Although he has been attending university classes for the past two years and training here, he has not yet competed for the intercollegiate team.

Last season, Russell had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder and this year he focused solely on the Olympic Trials. However, the standout freestyler, who recently broke the Ontario senior record in the 200m free long course (1:48.7) and short course (1:44.6) this September, will begin the first of the remaining two years of eligibility he has left to swim for the Blues.

“Obviously Colin’s addition to the team will be huge,’ said MacDonald. “Any time you get a world class elite swimmer like Colin, the entire program benefits. While we have benefitted from his example the past two years, when he [finally] swims for the Varsity team this fall it will increase his contribution to the program even more. He is truly one of the top freestylers the country has ever seen.�

University of Toronto student and international swimmer Colin Russell is now a member of the Canada’s Olympic team and can book his ticket to Bejing, China. The Oakville-native won the 200m freestyle event at the Olympic Trials on Tuesday night (April 2) which automatically qualifies him for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Russell will compete for Canada in the 200m freestyle as well as the men’s 4×200m freestyle relay team. A Science major, Russell will also compete in the 100m freestyle race on Friday (April 4) in Montreal, as he looks to secure another spot on the men’s 4×100m freestyle team.

“This is a breakthrough for Colinâ€�, states coach Byron MacDonald. “He beat the World Champ [100m freestyle] Brent Hayden – that’s quite the accomplishment. And after this performance, I’d say he has a great shot at making the 4×100m freestyle team as well.â€�

A medalist at 2005 World Championships and 2006 Commonwealth Games, Russell will be swimming for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues this fall. Although he has been attending university classes for the past two years and training here, he has not yet competed for the intercollegiate team.

Last season, Russell had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder and this year he focused solely on the Olympic Trials. However, the standout freestyler, who recently broke the Ontario senior record in the 200m free long course (1:48.7) and short course (1:44.6) this September, will begin the first of the remaining two years of eligibility he has left to swim for the Blues.

“Obviously Colin’s addition to the team will be huge,’ said MacDonald. “Any time you get a world class elite swimmer like Colin, the entire program benefits. While we have benefitted from his example the past two years, when he [finally] swims for the Varsity team this fall it will increase his contribution to the program even more. He is truly one of the top freestylers the country has ever seen.�

University of Toronto student and international swimmer Colin Russell is now a member of the Canada’s Olympic team and can book his ticket to Bejing, China. The Oakville-native won the 200m freestyle event at the Olympic Trials on Tuesday night (April 2) which automatically qualifies him for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Russell will compete for Canada in the 200m freestyle as well as the men’s 4×200m freestyle relay team. A Science major, Russell will also compete in the 100m freestyle race on Friday (April 4) in Montreal, as he looks to secure another spot on the men’s 4×100m freestyle team.

“This is a breakthrough for Colinâ€�, states coach Byron MacDonald. “He beat the World Champ [100m freestyle] Brent Hayden – that’s quite the accomplishment. And after this performance, I’d say he has a great shot at making the 4×100m freestyle team as well.â€�

A medalist at 2005 World Championships and 2006 Commonwealth Games, Russell will be swimming for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues this fall. Although he has been attending university classes for the past two years and training here, he has not yet competed for the intercollegiate team.

Last season, Russell had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder and this year he focused solely on the Olympic Trials. However, the standout freestyler, who recently broke the Ontario senior record in the 200m free long course (1:48.7) and short course (1:44.6) this September, will begin the first of the remaining two years of eligibility he has left to swim for the Blues.

“Obviously Colin’s addition to the team will be huge,’ said MacDonald. “Any time you get a world class elite swimmer like Colin, the entire program benefits. While we have benefitted from his example the past two years, when he [finally] swims for the Varsity team this fall it will increase his contribution to the program even more. He is truly one of the top freestylers the country has ever seen.�