TORONTO – Ontario is launching a new sport plan that will help more Ontarians participate and excel in sport.

Building on the success of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games, the province is releasing Game ON – The Ontario Government’s Sport Plan.

Game ON targets actions in three priority areas:

• Participation: actions that enable all Ontarians to participate in safe, organized amateur sport
• Development: actions that help Ontario’s athletes receive the right support as their skills develop
• Excellence: actions to help Ontario’s high-performance athletes pursue excellence by facilitating access to the latest training, programs, facilities, resources and technical experts

Game ON builds on a strong existing foundation of sport organizations, programs and investments. It recognizes the many ways in which organized sport can be good for people and communities, from the health benefits of physical activity to the economic benefits of hosting major events.

Progress is already underway on a number of initiatives, including:

• Minister’s Advisory Panel: the province has named prominent sport sector leaders and experts to its new Minister’s Advisory Panel to help achieve the priorities set out in Game ON
• Roundtable on Women and Girls in Sport: in early 2016, Ontario will gather sector leaders to explore opportunities for women and girls in sport, built around the plan’s priority areas
• Ontario Sport Symposium: in spring 2016, the province will bring together leaders in the sport sector to highlight research, trends and issues and to plan the best ways to implement Game ON.

Investing in the development of Ontario athletes and providing them with more opportunities to succeed is part of the government’s plan to build Ontario up. The four-part plan includes investing in people’s talents and skills, making the largest investment in public infrastructure in Ontario’s history, creating a dynamic, innovative environment where business thrives, and building a secure retirement savings plan.

“Participation in sport improves health and wellness and helps to strengthen people and communities. That’s why, I am proud that we are building on the success of the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games to launch Game ON – The Ontario Government’s Sport Plan. Through this plan, we will collaborate with our sport partners to create a world-class sport system and support our athletes from the playground to the podium,” said Michael Coteau, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport and Minister Responsible for the Pan and Parapan American Games.

“The sport plan will help address the gaps and ensure we have all parts of the system, from government to education to local communities working together to support our athletes and coaches along the pathway. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Advisory Panel to provide guidance on the new plan for Ontario’s sport system in all contexts, ” added Susan Kitchen, Executive Director, Coaches Association of Ontario, Member of Minister’s Advisory Panel.

• In Ontario, there are at least 2.1 million registered athletes, supported by 121,000 coaches, 58,000 officials and 363,000 volunteers.
• The sport industry contributes an estimated $2.1 billion to Ontario’s GDP and supports 43,730 jobs.
• Ontario has almost tripled its support for amateur sport from $8.78 million in 2003 to more than $25 million in 2015-16.
• The Ontario government is investing almost $985,000 in 2015-16 to provide Sport Priority Funding to 15 Provincial and Multi-Sport Organizations, supporting services and specialized training for athletes and coaches.
• Ontario is committed to providing access and opportunities for our children and students to participate in 60 minutes of physical activity, both in and outside of school. Promoting well-being is a key goal of Achieving Excellence, Ontario’s renewed vision for education.

St. Andrews, Scotland – The R&A is conducting an industry forum in St Andrews this week to examine the issues surrounding pace of play and the time it takes to play golf.

The Time for Golf conference, which is taking place today and tomorrow, will bring together representatives of national affiliated bodies with figures from some of the key organisations involved in administering the sport to discuss factors such as the golf course, management and player behaviour.

Dale Jackson, chair of Golf Canada’s Rules Commitee, is there representing Canada.

The conference follows on from the results of an extensive pace of play survey conducted by The R&A between September 2014 and March 2015 that attracted more than 56,000 responses from 127 countries.

Among the key findings of the survey were that, while 70% of golfers are largely satisfied with the duration of their rounds, 60% expressed the view that they would enjoy golf more if they played in less time.

The forum is part of The R&A’s ongoing effort to identify ways to reduce the time it takes to play golf, and will provide an opportunity for industry partners to contribute their views and discuss potential solutions. One of the initial outcomes of the conference will be a set of guidelines on ways to improve pace of play that delegates will help finalize before distribution in spring 2016.

“We know that the time it takes to play golf is one of the barriers preventing many people from getting involved in the sport,” said Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A.

“It isn’t a problem that we can solve overnight, but it is clear that we must focus on making golf more enjoyable to play and watch. The Time for Golf conference is an opportunity to bring together representatives from some of the key organizations around the world to identify potential changes that can be made to improve the experience of playing golf, spectating at a live event or viewing the sport on television.”

The results of The R&A pace of play survey are available for download here.

SYDNEY – Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott, the two headliners at this week’s Australian Open, have distinctly different excitement levels over next year’s Rio Olympics golf tournament.

While both agree a team competition would have been nice, Scott says he’ll go if he can fit it into his schedule, and isn’t very enthused. On Tuesday, however, Spieth said count him in unless he’s injured or, by some miracle, the world’s top-ranked golfer fails to qualify.

Spieth says he considers golf’s return to the Olympics for the first time since 1904 like a major and plans to be among the four-man American team in the 60-man field.

Last week at the Australian Masters, Scott, who is in line for Olympic selection alongside Jason Day in the Australian men’s team, showed little interest in packing his bags for Brazil.

“I’ve been pretty open and outspoken that it’s not really a priority of my scheduling next year, which is based around the majors. And if the Olympics fits in then it does,” Scott said Wednesday. “There is a gap in the schedule there … some time off looks quite good actually.”

He also said he felt Olympic organizers should have been “a little more creative than a little 72-hole stroke-play event.”

On Tuesday at The Australian Golf Club, where Spieth shot a final-round, course-record 63 last year to win the Australian Open, he said he’s enthused over being part of an American team.

“Just competing in the Olympics, just walking the opening ceremony, staying in the village and doing whatever it is, meeting these incredible athletes from around the world, hopefully that’s something I’ll be able to experience next August,” said Spieth, who moved on from his Australian victory last year to win consecutive majors at the Masters and U.S. Open.

Spieth likes to compare those majors with a potential victory at Rio.

“Winning a gold medal has got to be up there now in my mind with winning a major championship,” he said. “I’ve been asked the question: a green jacket or a gold medal, or a Wanamaker (Trophy, for winning the PGA Championship) or an Open Championship or a gold medal?

“That’s not fair. I think this year we’re going to approach it as a fifth major and we’re going to prepare like it is and I’m going to go down there and try and take care of business.”

He does share Scott’s disappointment with the fact that no team event will be contested, although it’s possible it could be added for Tokyo in 2020.

Oakville, Ont. (Golf Canada) – Golf Canada announced today the 2015 scholarship recipients for the Golf Canada Foundation’s Canadian University/College Support Program.

A total of $53,500 in scholarships was awarded by the Golf Canada Foundation to 15 scholar-athletes this year.

The ClubLink Scholarships of Excellence were awarded to two students studying in British Columbia who have outstanding records in both academics and golf. The recipients are Carolyn Lee of Calgary, Alta. (University of British Columbia), and Brianna Carrels of Lethbridge, Alta. (University of Victoria). Each student will receive $5,000 towards their studies.

Claire Konning of Indian Mountain, N.B., and Myles Creighton of Digby, N.S., student-athletes at the University of Waterloo and Radford University (respectively), each received the Connor/Spafford Scholarship award ($7,500 each), presented to eligible students from Atlantic Canada, with an emphasis on Nova Scotia residents.

The Geordie Hilton Academic Scholarship award, presented to students entering their second year of business studies or beyond, was given to Eunice Hong of Thornhill, Ont., a standout golfer at the University of British Columbia.

Molly MacDermaid of Bathurst, N.B. (University of Mobile) received the Mary Ellen Driscoll Scholarship, awarded to a female citizen born or residing in New Brunswick. The award celebrates a life time achievement in golf for Mary Ellen Driscoll and has a value of $1,000.

Caroline Ciot of Brossard, QC. (Université de Montréal), and Emily Creaser of Edmonton, Alta. (University of British Columbia) each received one Canadian Seniors’ Golf Association (CSGA) scholarship valued at $3,000, while Evan Holmes of Calgary, Alta. (University of British Columbia) was presented with the John Powell Memorial Scholarship (valued at $3,000) in honour of John Powell, a former Executive Director of the CSGA, who passed away in 2011.

The Marlene Streit Golf Scholarship awards, valued at $3,000, and presented to standout Canadian female golf­ers attending Canadian universities and colleges, were given to Courtney Schubert of Calgary, Alta. (University of Calgary) and Ana Peric of Etobicoke, Ont. (University of Toronto).

Annie Lacombe of Laval, QC., (Vanier College) and Valérie Tanguay of St-Hyacinthe, QC. (University of Oklahoma) captured the Suzanne Beauregard Scholarship ($2,000 each). Sarah Dunning of Waterloo, Ont. (University of Toronto) was awarded the William Kucey Scholarship ($2,000).

This year also marked the introduction of a new scholarship offered by the Golf Canada Foundation. The Salsberg family approached the Foundation with the request that a scholarship be created and named in honour of the late Robert Salbserg, a family man who loved the game of golf and found that the sport improved his life and helped him deal with difficult life situations. Aaron Black of Grimsby, Ont. (Brock University) received the Robert Salsberg Scholarship valued at $1,500.

This year’s selection of scholarship recipients reflects a wide range of scholastic backgrounds, including health sciences, sociology, mathematics and business, as well as kinesiology and biomedical engineering. The impressive range of educational programs reinforces the Golf Canada Foundation’s commitment to supporting our future leaders and providing them with opportunities to study and stay in Canada.

“We are extremely proud to support young Canadians in their pursuit of academic and golfing excellence,” said Martin Barnard, CEO of the Golf Canada Foundation. “Supporting collegiate golf is an important part of the Foundation’s mission to support and promote participation in the game.”

The Golf Canada Foundation supports Canadian student golfers and the development of Canadian university and college golf programs. Its mandate is to raise and grant funds for the advancement of golf across the country.

Since 1982, the Golf Canada Foundation has awarded over $2.6 million in scholarships to promising young golfers, landscape architects and turf grass scientists. The scholarship program has been funded through generous donations from corporations, golf clubs, associations and individual friends of golf.

In 2004, the Golf Canada Foundation began a program of granting funds to universities and colleges across Canada to enhance the institutions’ golf programs and competitive golf opportunities. The Golf Canada Foundation believes golf is a valuable part of Canadian society and strives to elevate golf programs to help them become recognized as a core sport of Canadian Intercollegiate Sport (CIS).

The Golf Canada Foundation is the leading source for golf philanthropy in Canada. The Foundation’s mission is to support and promote programs that increase participation in golf by engaging players of all ages and abilities across Canada. For more information on the Golf Canada Foundation, click here.

NAPLES, Fla. – Lydia Ko had just been handed a $1 million bonus for the second consecutive year, and the first thing she thought about buying with those newfound additional riches was a new phone.

She’s had a bunch. She keeps dropping them.

“My mom doesn’t like it,” Ko said. “Phones are expensive.”

It’s moments like those that serve as the reminder that the New Zealander is only 18. The way she plays, no one believes she’s just a teenager. The LPGA’s rookie of the year from 2014 was the LPGA’s player of the year in 2015, and in golf – or any major pro sport – there’s never been anyone younger to end a season as the unquestioned best in his or her game.

Ko has 10 wins already, and there’s about 40 tournaments left to play before her teenage years are over.

“I don’t think she’s the age she is,” said Cristie Kerr, who at 38 is more than twice Ko’s age. “She’s such an old soul. It’s hard to believe she’s that young. … There’s that saying, ‘Youth is wasted on the young.’ They don’t know what they have until they are my age, right? But she has such a great, easy disposition about her. She puts everybody around her at ease. I think she’ll be that way for the rest of her life.”

Tiger Woods was 21 when he won his first PGA Tour player of the year award. Wayne Gretzky was 19 when he won his first NHL MVP. Jim Brown was 21 when he captured NFL MVP honors and neither Major League Baseball nor the NBA has ever had an MVP younger than 22.

Put in that company, she is a phenom among phenoms. Annika Sorenstam, for example, didn’t get her first LPGA Tour win until she was 24.

“Lydia is on a whole other level,” said LPGA veteran Brittany Lincicome. “It’s like an Annika level. To be 18 years old, I was trying to shoot somewhere close to even par when I was 18 years old. Now I’m 30 and she still kicks my butt every year. To be so young and so talented and to be so humble and so sweet, she’s really the whole package.”

Even though Ko is in the mix to win just about every time she tees it up, that’s another fascinating element to her story. The players that she’s beating every week, the players who’ve watched her collect nearly $5 million in earnings already and another $2 million by winning the “Race to CME Globe” bonuses in each of the last two years, they really like her.

“I heard her swear once,” Michelle Wie said.

So she’s not perfect.

“I don’t know how a person can be that nice,” Wie said. “I would probably explode inside.”

Ko tries not to let fame or fortune change anything. When her friends spot someone who they think recognizes her at the mall, Ko usually tries to get them talking about something else. And though she’s long been labeled a golf prodigy, many find her to be remarkably well grounded.

LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan talks with Ko often. It’s rarely about golf.

“I don’t know how to describe what Lydia Ko is doing,” Whan said. “I mean you know sometimes when you’re watching history and you sort of tell yourself, I’m watching history, but I don’t really grasp it when I’m standing in the range talking to her. And if you play a practice round with her or pro-am you grasp it even less. Because she doesn’t seem to be caught up in it at all.”

For Ko, that’s the key.

“I think I’ve been very fortunate to have a very supportive team around me,” Ko said. “I think they have definitely helped me keep grounded, always saying ‘Hey, even if I win one week, it’s a whole new week and let’s go in fresh, obviously confident.’ Not being like, ‘Hey, I’m the champion and world No. 1 and all that.’

“My team has really been helpful in that aspect. I don’t know if I could be in this position without them.”

CARLSBAD, Calif. – TaylorMade has introduced Kalea, it’s first women’s-exclusive offering from TaylorMade in over a decade.

Kalea features optimized lofts, low/back centre of gravity locations, slot technology in the soles and Kalea SlimTech shafts with smaller tip diameters that help increase launch angle at impact.

Kalea’s unique blend of features work in unison to maximize performance for slower swing speeds, generate more consistent yardage gaps throughout the set and produce noticeably higher ball flights. The set is also designed to create a smoother transition between the different club types by managing lofts, lengths and head shapes to ensure every club in the bag is as easy to hit as the next. All in, Kalea’s premium, attractive design blends with product technology geared specifically for the launch conditions of women golfers.

In total, Kalea is available in thirteen clubs: driver, 3, 5 and 7 fairway woods, 4 & 5 Rescues, 6 & 7 transition irons, 8 & 9 irons, pitching wedge, sand wedge and putter. A Kalea cart bag is also available separately.

Kalea will be sold in an 8-piece combo set (4-5 Rescues, 6-7 Transition irons, 8i – SW Cavity irons). A Kalea driver, fairway metalwoods (3, 3HL, 5, 7) will also be available for purchase individually, as well as a putter and bag. Complementing the release of Kalea golf clubs, TaylorMade has also announced the release of Kalea golf balls, a two-piece ball with a soft cover and low compression, engineered to perform best when played in conjunction Kalea golf clubs.

“We’ve learned a great deal about product performance in the last decade, much of which was geared toward faster swing speeds,” said Tomo Bystedt, Senior Director of Product Creation. “For us, Kalea was a great opportunity to take our learnings on slower swing speeds and bring them to market with products that provide meaningful performance for female players, and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results.”

The Kalea lineup will be available December 6, 2015. The driver and metalwoods will be available for $399.99 and $249.99 respecively, while the 8-piece combo iron set will retail for $1,149.99.  Putter and bag are $179.99 and $229.99. The Kalea golf balls,will retail for $24.99 a dozen.

For more information, visit TaylorMadeGolf.ca.

St. Catharines, Ont. – Rockway Vineyards announced a partnership with PGA TOUR star David Hearn that will see the two pair up to develop a special edition wine collection under the David Hearn Foundation label – with a portion of proceeds going back to the Foundation.

The new relationship will also see Rockway’s golf course become host to the David Hearn Junior Open – a new initiative launched in conjunction with the Canadian Junior Golf Association (CJGA). The annual two-day tournament will create an interactive environment, where junior golfers can spend time with Hearn, receive mentorship, and learn more about his development from an amateur to a collegiate player, and now as a professional golfer who has had success on the PGA TOUR. Programming for the event is currently being created between Hearn and the CJGA, and will be released shortly. The 2016 event will be held from Saturday, October 1 to Sunday, October 2.

“I am looking forward to working with the team at Rockway to put into action some of my long-term visions, including supporting two areas I feel strongly about,” said Hearn. “First, developing a custom wine label that will support my Foundation and benefit a cause I care deeply about; second being part of an event at an established course that will provide opportunities and support for junior golf development in the region.”

Hearn enjoyed his best season in 2014-2015 with 4-Top 10’s results, finishing 49th on the PGA TOUR Money List, and 55th in FedExCup Points. He also gave Canadians a lot to talk about and be proud of during Canada’s national tournament this year at the RBC Canadian Open – holding a two round lead to finish 3rd. Two weeks prior, Hearn finished 2nd after a playoff at the Greenbrier Classic.

In addition to his successful year on-course, the season also marked the official launch of the David Hearn Foundation – the charitable arm of Hearn’s philanthropic initiatives, benefiting the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

“It is with great excitement that Rockway Vineyards is announcing our partnership with David Hearn and the David Hearn Foundation,” said Reid Strongman, President of Rockway Vineyards. “We are so pleased that through this partnership with one of Canada’s finest golfer’s that we will not only be able to support junior golf in Canada but also the Alzheimer Society through the David Hearn Foundation. We look forward to a long and exciting partnership.”

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Kevin Kisner ended a year marked by second-place finishes with his first PGA Tour victory Sunday at Sea Island.

Staked to a three-shot lead going into the final round of the final tournament of the year, Kisner ran with it. He doubled the size of his lead at the turn by going out in 30, and he breezed home with a 6-under 64 to win by six shots over Kevin Chappell.

Kisner became the sixth first-time winner in the fall start to the new season, though this was hardly a surprise.

The 31-year-old from South Carolina played so well this year that he rose to No. 25 in the world. He just didn’t win. He lost in playoffs at Hilton Head, Sawgrass and the Greenbrier, and he was a runner-up for the fourth time in a World Golf Championship two weeks ago in Shanghai.

This one wasn’t even close.

Kisner rolled in a 6-foot birdie putt on the second hole, and no one got closer than four shots the rest of the way. He tapped in for par on the 18th hole to shatter the tournament record with a 22-under 60. Better yet was seeing year-old daughter Kate running toward him.

Kisner scooped her up and said, “We did it!”

Did he ever.

“I’ve just been playing so well all year,” Kisner said. “I knew one day it was going to happen when I was going to make all the putts. I did it on the front nine.”

If there was a turning point, it would have been on the par-5 seventh hole when Kisner’s second shot landed in a native bush in the dunes short of the green. He chose to hammer it out of there and moved it about 5 feet, then chipped 8 feet by the hole. Graeme McDowell missed his 10-foot birdie putt and Kisner holed his for par. His lead stayed at four shots, and Kisner followed with a wedge to 8 feet for birdie on the next hole, and a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 9 to go six clear.

The final three hours, if not the entire day, was a battle for second place.

McDowell, coming off a victory in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba last Monday in Mexico, lost out when his approach to the 16th buried so badly he had to clear away sand just to identify it. He swung as hard as he could, only for the ball to roll back into his foot print. He did well to make bogey, though Chappell made birdie on the hole for a two-shot swing that carried him to a 67 and the runner-up finish.

McDowell closed with a 67 and finished seven shots behind.

The other big winner was Freddie Jacobson, who missed the last four months of last season when his 7-year-old son was diagnosed with a heart defect and had to go through open-heart surgery. Jacobson was given a major medical extension and had to earn $326,111 to secure his card. He holed a long birdie putt on the 18th for a 67 and earned $228,000 this week, pushing his season total to nearly $356,000.

Kisner goes into the six-week break atop the FedEx Cup standings and eager for his next chance. The victory allows him to start 2016 one week earlier in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua.

“I hope the floodgates are open,” Kisner said. “You’ve got to believe you can win on Thursday. I hope that catapults me into believing that every week.”

David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., posted a score of 69 to end tied for 9th at 10 under.

NAPLES, Fla. – Cristie Kerr was the player of the week. Lydia Ko was the player of the year and pocketed another $1 million bonus. Inbee Park will be among the players of all-time.

One tournament, three women celebrating.

And just as the LPGA Tour intended, the season finale was dramatic until the end.

Kerr won the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship on Sunday, taking the lead for good with a 12-foot eagle putt on the par-5 17th and soon wrapping up her 18th career victory. Her $500,000 first prize, which pushed her career earnings past $17 million, almost seemed ancillary given the stakes that Ko and Park were playing for this week.

“Good golf is just good golf,” Kerr said. “It doesn’t really matter what age it is. I think I proved that.”

Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., was 13th at 9-under par, while Hamilton’s Alena Sharp tied for 46th at even par.

Kerr is 38, and says she doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. Ko is still just 18, and became the fourth player to go from rookie of the year one year to player of the year the next. The others on that list: Nancy Lopez, Beth Daniel and Annika Sorenstam.

Greats all, and Ko is well on her way to that same status.

“I said if I could choose one of the awards, I would choose player of the year,” Ko said. “To know that I am the player of the year, it’s an awesome feeling.”

Ko won the $1 million bonus for winning the Race to the CME Globe, just as she did last year. And Park wrapped up a trip to the LPGA Hall of Fame by winning the scoring title, meaning the only step that now remains between her and induction is completing her 10th season on tour next year, a prerequisite for eligibility.

“It’s been a long season,” Ko said. “Up and down. Mostly ups.”

Kerr shot a 4-under 68 and finished at 17-under 271, one shot better than Gerina Piller and Ha Na Jang. Lexi Thompson was fourth at 14 under. She and Paula Creamer were among a group of U.S. Solheim Cup teammates who doused Kerr with champagne on the 18th green moments after she tapped home a 2-footer to end the season.

France’s Karine Icher was fifth at 13 under. Park was alone in sixth, good enough to beat Ko by three shots over the course of the entire season for the Vare Trophy and the 27th point she needed for her trip to the LPGA Hall.

“I said the Hall of Fame will be my last goal, but it really came early and I achieved pretty much everything I set so far in my career,” Park said. “There is plenty other goals to set.”

The pressure was obvious, all over the final back nine of the year.

Thompson had an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-5 14th, and never got it near the hole. Park missed a 2-footer for par on the 12th, then rallied with consecutive birdies. Stacy Lewis, one of three women who entered the week controlling their destiny in the $1 million race, gave her wedge a smack after needing two shots to escape a bunker at the 16th. Ko had a birdie try at 16 not long afterward, leaving it uncharacteristically short.

But in the end, Kerr, Park and Ko did enough to all come away with big prizes.

“Pretty cool,” Kerr said. “A lot of different honours.”

Kerr shot four rounds in the 60s, made a 35-foot birdie putt at No. 15 to tie for the lead, then the eagle at the 17th put her on top for good.

Park was second in the Globe chase, pocketing a $150,000 bonus. Thompson was third, taking home $100,000 in bonus money _ though she spent much of the afternoon in position to sweep both the $500,000 first prize and the $1 million bonus.

“It’s been a special year for the tour,” Ko said.

MONTREAL – Olympic medallist and lawyer Tricia Smith was voted president of the Canadian Olympic Committee on Sunday morning.

A four-time Olympic rower from Vancouver, Smith won silver at Los Angeles 1984 in coxless pairs with teammate Elizabeth Craig. Smith – a recipient of the Order of Canada – had been vice-president of the Canadian Olympic Committee since 2009.

“I feel enormously privileged and grateful that our sport community has entrusted me today with the leadership of the COC,” said Smith in a statement. “It’s an honour I accept with pride and gratitude at a time when the eyes of the country are upon us. Based on my platform, this endorsement sends a clear message that our members embrace the values of sport and expect integrity.”

COC board members chose between Smith and award-winning high performance coach and lawyer Peter Lawless, who will continue to serve the organization as vice-president.

Smith recently became interim president of the organization following Marcel Aubut’s resignation in early October after women accused him of sexual comments and unwanted touching.

“I will be a champion for creating a safe and inclusive environment for our employees and all those involved in the Olympic Movement in this country,” said Smith. “I will be a tireless advocate for unity, inclusiveness and collaboration with our many partners.

“We now enter an Olympic year with great excitement and anticipation. We must be at our best. We will do everything in our power to ensure we create an optimal environment for Rio 2016, so our athletes and coaches can be the very best they can be.”

Smith has served the COC in various capacities for over 30 years. Since joining the COC’s athletes’ council in 1980 as rowing’s representative, Smith has been a member of the executive, team selection, games, governance and compensation committees. She was Canada’s Chef de Mission for the 2007 Pan American Games.

She is also the vice-president of the International Rowing Federation and has been a leader in creating opportunities for women in FISA, in all aspects of the sport, increasing the number of opportunities for women to compete, coach, administrate and officiate in international rowing. She has also played a strong role in FISA’s anti-doping policies as a member of the executive committee.

Smith participated in the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the 1984 Los Angeles Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympics. She qualified for the 1980 Moscow Games, but like all Canadians did not participate because of a boycott of those Olympics led by the United States after the Soviet war in Afghanistan in 1979.