July 16, 2008 – Here is the July newsletter from CAAWS – Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity. The newsletter also contains a list of upcoming awards, info and deadlines.

In Her Voice
In Her Voice is a CAAWS project to talk to girls and young women about their physical activity and sport experiences. CAAWS is looking for communities interested in helping coordinate focus groups with young women aged 13-18 during July and August. Coordinators would be responsible for recruiting participants (2 groups of 6-8 young women) and booking a facility where the focus group could be held. A CAAWS representative will deliver the focus group. Coordinators will benefit from an honorarium for their time, and a focus group report about the unique needs, interests and experiences of girls and young women.

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Sydney Millar at snmillar@caaws.ca by Tuesday July 22, 2008.

Follow Canadian Women to Beijing Website
This website features stories and information about our female Canadian athletes and leaders preparing for and competing at the 2008 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing. The Olympic Games take place August 4-24 and the Paralympic Games from September 6-17. Click here to visit the site often to stay up-to-date on the preparation and progress of Canada’s women athletes at the games. Take the quiz to try and win prizes with your knowledge of Canadian women at the Olympic Games.

Coaching Association Journal features CAAWS Board member Sylvie Beliveau
Making It Happen – Here’s How
For many years, Sylvie Béliveau has been travelling the developing world, bringing the sport of football (soccer) to countless women as an instructor in coach education with FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association). The importance of this initiative, and Sylvie’s role in it, cannot be overstated. Opportunities to play and compete are generally taken for granted in Canadian society, although it is undeniable that inequities do exist. Nevertheless, they pale in comparison to inequities in many other parts of the world where sport for women is restricted or non-existent because it is culturally unacceptable or is deemed a male-only domain.
Read More here.

Support the Canadian Amateur Sports Network application!
The proposed Canadian Amateur Sports Network (CASN) and le Réseau du sport amateur canadien (RSAC) would each focus on Canadian amateur sport 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing much-needed exposure and funding for both Olympic and non-Olympic sports. The CASN/RSAC mission is to broadcast amateur sports exclusively. Among other goals, the aim of the networks will be to generate substantial funds that will aid the amateur sport community and help deliver television coverage.

This network would provide much-needed coverage of sports where women and girls excel in Canada, and CAAWS supports its license application.

In order to persuade the CRTC to grant the licenses, a strong show of support from the Canadian sport community is necessary. You can help by:

1. Registering your support online at www.casn-rsac.ca  it only takes a moment of your time.

2. Forward this email to your colleagues, family, and friends and ask them to register their support online for CASN/RSAC.

More information on the applications is available on the www.casn-rsac.ca website.

Awards Programs – Nominate Outstanding Women
AthletesCAN Leadership Award
AthletesCAN is seeking nominations for the 2008 AthletesCAN Leadership Award and we need your help! The AthletesCAN Leadership Award was created in 2005 to recognize the contributions of athlete leaders. The award is presented annually to a national team athlete or former national team athlete who has made a significant contribution to sport and to athletes through their involvement as an effective athlete representative, advocate, change agent or bridge builder for athletes within the sport community. Athlete leaders play a crucial role in building a Canadian sport system that is fair, responsive and supportive for Canada’s athletes. The AthletesCAN Leadership Award celebrates the importance of athlete representatives; honours the successes they have achieved through their work as leaders and change agents; and encourages former athletes to stay connected to the sport community and to make a difference.

Deadline: Friday, July 18, 2008

National – Coaching Association of Canada Awards
At this year’s Petro-Canada Sport Leadership sportif conference, recipients of five prestigious awards will be honoured and recognized in front of their peers. Recipients of the Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award are some of Canada’s most outstanding national team coaches. Coaches of recognized NCCP sports, whose Canadian athletes or teams win a gold, silver or bronze medal while competing in an Open World Championship, the Olympic Games, the Special Olympics World Games or the Paralympic Games are eligible.

Details here.
Nomination Deadline: Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Qualifying period: September 3, 2007 to September 30, 2008

The Geoff Gowan Award
The Geoff Gowan Award recognizes lifetime contribution to coaching development and is presented to a coach who has provided a positive public image of coaching and enhanced the role of the coach with the Canadian public.

Details here
Nomination Deadline: Friday, August 1, 2008

The Jack Donohue “Coach of the Year” Award
The Jack Donohue “Coach of the Year” Award is presented annually by Coaches of Canada in recognition of a coach’s dedication to the profession of coaching and the outstanding performance of his/her athletes during the past competitive season and is selected by its Board of Directors.
Details here.

Nomination Deadline: Wednesday, October 1, 2008.

The Sheila Robertson Award
The Sheila Robertson Award is presented each year to the deserving National Sport Organization (NSO) that demonstrates a consistent approach in valuing and recognizing the role of the coach within the organization, the media, and the public.
Details here.

Nomination Deadline: Wednesday, October 1, 2008.
Contact: Tanya Ng Yuen, Program Coordinator Coaching Association of Canada at
Email: tngyuen@coach.ca
Telephone: 613-235-5000, ext. 9-2350

Ophea Recognizes Excellence in Ontario
Every year the Ontario Physical and Health Education Association (Ophea) recognizes outstanding contributions in the areas of physical activity, health promotion, and health and physical education.

The Ophea Award of Distinction recognizes an individual who is a leader in the successful advancement of active, healthy living opportunities for children and youth in Ontario school communities.

The Outstanding New Professional Award
The Outstanding New Professional Award recognizes an individual who has been working in the health and education sector for five years or less. Although new to the field, this recipient has already demonstrated a passion for, and made a notable contribution to, the advancement of active, healthy living for children and youth.

The Ophea Award for Outstanding Contribution
The Ophea Award for Outstanding Contribution recognizes an individual, group, or organization for their exemplary contribution to the lives of children and youth in the areas of health and physical education, health and physical activity promotion, advocacy, and/or community development.
The Ophea School Community Award is presented to a school community that has demonstrated leadership and excellence in successfully bringing together all members of the community (including parents, teachers, boards of education, public health, sport and recreation organizations, community coalitions, local businesses, and municipal governments).

Nomination deadline: Friday, September 12th, 2008.
To obtain a nomination form, please call 1-888-446-7432 (toll free) or 416-426-7120
Details here.

Upcoming Events
Égale Action sponsors a sport cocktail reception honouring women
As part of the activities planned for the 400th anniversary of the City of Québec, the Québec YWCA is organizing “Empreintes d’elles” (Women Who Left Their Mark), in cooperation with a number of organizations, including Égale Action. Several theme-based cocktail receptions highlighting the contribution of women in various areas of society are planned. Égale Action is hosting the sports evening. The event will feature four women who have made their mark in sports and physical activities in the greater Québec City area over a 40-year span. They will each share the experiences of their time period of the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s.

Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Time: 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Espace du 400e, Bassin Louise, Vieux port de Québec
Telephone: (514) 252-3114 (ext. 3615)
Email: info@egaleaction.com

Celebration Noticeboard
Two women athletes are included in the group of six recently named for induction into the Quebec Sports Hall of Fame. Lucille Goyette Lemay was the four-time Canadian champion in archery and finished fifth during the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976. Annie Pelletier had a long career as a diver, winning two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, gold and silver medals at the Pan American Games and a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. The induction ceremony is in November. Nathalie Gosselin (Ontario), a 1996 Olympian in Atlanta and seven-time Canadian champion, was inducted into the Judo Ontario hall of fame during the Canadian junior and juvenile championships, in early July.

In the Loop celebrates women’s accomplishments in the sport and physical activity communities. Send career notices, changes, awards and recognitions to In the Loop c/o bmacdonald@caaws.ca to be included in the next issue.

Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity
N202 – 801 King Edward Avenue,
Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1N 6N5
(613) 562-5667
caaws@caaws.ca
www.caaws.ca