January 15, 2003 – Twenty women from across Canada have been named to the Most Influential Women in Sport and Physical Activity List compiled by the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity, (CAAWS). The list recognizes women who have made a significant impact as athletes, volunteers, officials, administrators, coaches, board members, advocates, journalists, executives, businesswomen, educators and community leaders.

This is the second time CAAWS has prepared its list of influential women. In presenting the list, the Chair of CAAWS, Phyllis Berck of Toronto, outlined its focus. “Women are influencing and shaping the sport and physical activity worlds in many significant ways in our country. I am excited to announce the names of twenty outstanding women who really made a difference in 2003. The Women's National Soccer Team inspired us with their athletic accomplishment. Beckie Scott's tenacity to speak out for a drug-free sport is an inspiration to us all. Many of the women on our list contributed their expertise to bidding for the 2010 Olympics and Paralympic Games or staging other successful athletic competitions. Others, including Louise Humbert from Saskatchewan, encouraged girls and women to lead healthy, active lives through the development of innovative programs.”

Berck also explained why CAAWS initiated this list of influential women in 2001. “We have an exceptional number of women in Canada either working or volunteering in sport and physical activity whose contributions were not always recognized in other end-of-year lists. Many of them devote their time as volunteers, work in the amateur sport world, or are developing grassroots programs. We wanted to publicly recognize their invaluable contributions and their influence on our society.”

Over half of the women named to the CAAWS list were nominated by colleagues and the general public. The final list was compiled by the CAAWS selection panel from both public nominations, and contributions from knowledgeable sport and physical activity leaders. The panel reviewed the submissions and based its decision on the scope of activities in the 2003 calendar year.

The 2003 list of influential women in alphabetical order are:

– Dr. Julia Alleyne, Medical Director, Sport C.A.R.E., Sunnybrook & Women's
College Health Sciences  Centre, Toronto, ON Canadian National Women's
Soccer Team
– Pam Coburn, CEO, Skate Canada, Ottawa, ON
– Sheila Copps, MP & former Minister of Canadian Heritage, Hamilton, ON
– Charmaine Crooks, 2010 Vancouver Bid, Vancouver, BC
– Dr. Louise Humbert, Professor, College of Kinesiology, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK
– Judy Kent, Speaker and Facilitator & Commonwealth Games Leader, Picton, ON
– Silken Laumann, Athlete, Advocate and Motivational Speaker, Victoria, BC
– Marion Lay, President & CEO , 2010 LegaciesNow Society, Vancouver, BC
– Nancy Lee, Executive Director, CBC Sports, Toronto, ON
– Ljiljana (Lilo) Ljubisic, Paralympic Athlete and Motivational Speaker,
Vancouver, BC
– Nancy McKay, Vice-Chair & Vice-President Administration and Technology,
2003 Canada Winter Games Host Society, Bathurst, NB
– Carla Qualtrough, Lawyer and Policy Advisor to Secretary of State
(Physical Activity & Sport),Ottawa, ON
– TherÀse Quigley, Director of Athletics and Recreation, McMaster
University, Hamilton, ON
– Jane Roos, Independant Olympic Athlete Fundraiser, Toronto, ON
– DaniÀle Sauvageau, Coaching Consultant, Broadcaster and Speaker,
Deux-Montagnes, Qu»bec
– Beckie Scott, Cross-Country Skier, Vermillion, Alberta
– Sandra Stevenson, President & CEO of Sport BC, Vancouver, BC
– Dr. Gene Sutton, Chef de Mission, 2003 Pan Am Games Team, Hamilton, ON
– Hayley Wickenheiser, Hockey Player, Shaunavon, Saskatchewan