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The Official Team Newsletter for the 2007 Jeux du June 2006 Inside this issue: Update from the Chef de Mission ~ Blair McIntosh

Ontario Hockey Federation 2 ith less than eight months until the start of the 2007 hosts selection camp Canada Winter Games, Team Ontario Mission staff are working very hard in their planning and Mission Staff profiles: 2,3 W Cheryl Finn & Dave Saad communications with all the provincial sports organizations. The team is very enthusiastic and motivated to make these Games a Synchro Swim Ontario 3 announces 2007 CWG team valuable and memorable experience for all. We are currently exploring the possibility of hosting a Team Ontario training camp New lottery helps Team 4 where all sports can come together for mandatory training, such as Ontario’s “Quest for Gold” drug free sport, human rights and media training sessions. Besides Canada Games alumni shine 5 the obvious team building benefits, the camp will also be a great opportunity to on world stage complete registrations, take photos for the media guide and to gain a better overall Games venue info and photos 6,7 understanding of the logistics of attending a major multi-sport event.

2007 Canada Games to be the 8 I’ve had a chance to visit and observe the tremendous amount of activity most televised ever that is happening in preparation for the Games. The Whitehorse Host Society now has a staff of 50 and over 1,200 registered volunteers. The Society has successfully raised over $5.3 million that has gone into numerous construction and upgrading Please send your comments projects across the community. Whitehorse has played host to no less than twelve and articles to the Team major test events in the past year. These test events provide hands-on training for Ontario Communications Committee at: volunteers and help work out any bugs before the actual Games come to town. These [email protected] events also help many sports get a feel for the competition venues and the community. All venue construction is complete except the long track speed skating oval which Michelle Comeau, Chair will be finished by November 2006. There are a number of photos and a chart of Guy Napert-Frenette distances to all the venues in this edition of our newsletter and I’m sure you will Cheryl Finn appreciation how compact these Games are in terms of travel distances. Marc Seguin John Sims I encourage you to keep in continuous contact with your Mission Team staff and let them know about important events and dates in your sport. This will help us to serve you better and to allow you to focus on getting athletes and coaches ready for this great experience. I wish everyone a healthy and productive summer and until the next newsletter, work hard and success will come your way!

Cheers, Blair McIntosh, Chef de Mission

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Ontario Hockey Federation to Host 2006 Provincial Vision Statement Under 17 Camp people are proud to be hosting the , celebrating – The Hockey Development Centre for Ontario's excellence, our northern Under 17 Policy Committee is pleased to announce that the cultures and traditions, and Ontario Hockey Federation has agreed to host the 2006 Under creating lasting legacies for 17 Provincial Camp. the benefit of future The University of Guelph will be the venue for this year’s generations. Provincial camp, which will convene on June 27-29, 2006. The camp will feature 80 of the top 16-year-old hockey players in Ontario, identified from regional camps conducted Be sure to visit the Canada Games Council’s website: throughout the province during April and May 2006. There www.canadagames.ca will be player representation from each Branch and division in Ontario with over 1,000 players attending the regional And the Whitehorse website: identification camps. www.2007canadagames.ca

The Under 17 Policy Committee is responsible for the provincial camp hosting selection process and is comprised of a 2007 Mission Staff Profile chairperson, representatives from each of the three Ontario Cheryl Finn Branches and the OHL. The goal of the provincial camp is to provide players with an Cheryl Finn is one of the rookies on intensive, high-calibre training opportunity as well as a positive Team Ontario 2007. Her personal learning experience, both on and off the ice. It also serves to sporting background includes speed and facilitate the process of identifying players who will ultimately synchronized , , both be selected to represent Team Ontario at the 2007 Canada water and snow skiing, track and field, Winter Games, being held in Whitehorse, Yukon, commencing and . Her coaching on February 25 - March 3, 2007. background includes a Silver medal in the OBA basketball Novice girls The Ontario Under 17 Program is an integral component of Provincial championships. Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence and is facilitated through the Hockey Development Centre for Ontario Under 17 Born and raised in Northern Ontario has Policy Committee on behalf of its member organizations. The left her with a bias for winter sports and activities! Under 17 Program continues to provide high performance competition and development opportunities for players, Cheryl is currently employed as the Executive Director of the coaches and trainers, as well as identifying the elite athlete for London Sports Council. She is quickly becoming a specialist future national programs. on a multi-sport level as the membership of this organization caters to a wide range of athletes, sports and levels of competition. Cheryl also is a weekly columnist for a local For more information about the newspaper where she writes about 'good news' stories 2006 Provincial Under 17 Camp, contact: stemming from the diverse sport in her London community.

Wayne Dillon, Executive Director Cheryl is the mother of four busy children who are highly Hockey Development Centre for Ontario involved in basketball, hockey, skiing, dance and school sports. Tel. (416) 426-7252 or 1-888-843-4326 Her husband is a certified basketball referee which makes for E-mail: [email protected] some interesting dinner conversation with players, a coach and a referee all seated at the same table. In their spare time, the Mike Futa family loves returning to the cottage in Northern Ontario for a Director of Operations little four wheeling, water skiing and knee boarding (not to Team Ontario mention a little dock time!). Her dream is to follow the Tel. (519) 371-7452 Professional Tennis Tour to all of the Grand Slam events. E-mail: [email protected] Cheryl is thrilled to be a member of this exciting team! She is Phil McKee looking forward to bringing new perspectives to the experience Executive Director Ontario Hockey Federation and drawing on the expertise of the veterans of the team! Tel. (416) 426-7413 E-mail: [email protected] Cheryl 's Week 1 sport is synchronized swimming and her Week 2 sport is table tennis.

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Synchro Swim Ontario Announces 2007 Canada Games Team

Toronto, ON – April 18, 2006 - Synchro Swim Ontario officially selected athletes to the 2006 Provincial Junior (Canada Games) Team April 2nd in Toronto. For more info visit www.synchroontario.com

The Junior Team was named following three phases of provincial team trials. A total of 18 swimmers had been vying for a spot on the team in Phase 3, but in the end only twelve were selected. The Junior Team will be headed to a training camp in San Jose, California with the Santa Clara Aquamaids in July. In the Fall the team of 12 will be selected down to 9 in preparation for the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse. Team Ontario 2007 - Canada Games Team Athlete Club Team Hometown Candace Caskey Olympium Synchro Weston, ON Tristin Gavin Variety Village Synchro Toronto, ON Alison Hull Olympium Synchro Kingston, ON Samantha Kowalski Olympium Synchro Kitchener, ON Katie LePage Durham Synchro Whitby, ON Julia Maclean Durham Synchro Ajax, ON Chelsey Matthews Durham Synchro Goodwood, ON Samantha Mawhinney Olympium Synchro Mississauga, ON Victoria Mintz Olympium Synchro Toronto, ON Annette Petersen Olympium Synchro Thornhill, ON Stephanie Saunders Olympium Synchro Hamilton, ON Samantha Wymes Olympium Synchro Mississauga, ON

2007 Mission Staff Profile ~ Dave Saad

The 2007 Canada Games will mark Dave’s fourth time as a member of Team Ontario. He retired from the City of North Bay as the Manager of Tourism and Leisure Services after 30 years of service. He currently is the President of his own consulting firm.

Dave has devoted most of his life to sport and recreation. In 1995 he was inducted into the North Bay Sports Hall of Fame as an athlete, coach, official and executive. He has been involved in both fastball and for 50 years and was a hockey official for 22 years having served as a linesman in the Ontario Hockey League for 10 years. He was involved in two sets of Ontario Winter Games as Sport Technical Chair in 1977 and Games Coordinator in 1989. In 2000, he was chosen as one of the top twenty sporting executives in the 75 year history of North Bay.

Dave currently is a member of the Board of Directors of the Sport Alliance of Ontario and also serves on the Board of Directors of the North Bay YMCA. He is a Past President of the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association as well as a Past President of the Society of Directors of Municipal Recreation of Ontario.

Aside from his consulting business Dave is a part time instructor in the Recreation and Leisure Studies Program at Canadore College and also sits on the Advisory Board for that program.

Dave spends most of spare time on the golf course and the ball field where he continues to play competitive baseball on the same team as his youngest son Mike and he has also had the opportunity to play on the same team as his oldest son Steve. In retirement, he and his wife Beth are spending a lot more time in Florida.

Dave describes his involvement with Team Ontario and the Canada Games as one of the most exciting volunteer positions he has ever held. While quite time consuming, Dave says that he is honoured to be part of Team Ontario because “it is just entirely too much fun”! “To be involved with such dedicated athletes, coaches and fellow Team Ontario Mission Staff is truly an outstanding experience.” Dave's Week 1 sport is shooting and his Week 2 sport is squash.

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Lottery Helps Team Ontario’s “Quest for Gold” at 2007 Canada Games

Team Ontario received a much needed boost in recent month with the implementation of the “Quest for Gold” program. This innovative program introduced by The Honourable Jim Watson, Minister of Health Promotion, will provide much needed financial support to Team Ontario as it prepares for the 2007 Canada Winter Games.

The Quest for Gold Program will be funded from net revenues generated by the Quest for Gold lottery game created by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLGC). The net revenues from the Quest for Gold lottery game will be used to fund Ontario’s amateur athletes through the government’s Quest for Gold Program.

Increasing support to our high performance athletes from Ontario is a key component of the McGuinty government’s ACTIVE2010 Strategy to improve our athlete development system said Doris Haas, Director, Sport and Recreation Branch, Ministry of Health Promotion Ontario. “The financial support provided through the Quest for Gold Program will ensure that Team Ontario receives the support that it needs to excel at the 2007 Canada Games.

The Program will help our athletes excel by providing them with the funding they need to improve their training, increase their experience at national and international competitions and enhance the quality of coaching and competitive opportunities available to them. Revenue from the Quest for Gold lottery game will provide assistance to approximately 1,300 amateur athletes over the next year through three funding streams within the Quest for Gold program. They include: 1. Direct Financial Assistance to Athletes The Direct Financial Assistance will be provided to eligible athletes from Ontario to offset living, training and competition costs. Team Ontario Athletes will be able to use these funds to offset costs associated with training camps etc. 2. Enhanced Coaching Funding The Enhanced Coaching funding stream will provide Team Ontario athletes with increased access to better-qualified coaches. It will provide more high performance coaching hours and fund talent identification for new coaches along with entry-level coach development. 3. Enhanced Training and Competitive Opportunities Funding This funding stream will provide money for enhanced training, services and competitive opportunities for novice to provincial Canada Games level athletes.

“The Quest for Gold program provides much needed support towards Team Ontario's involvement at the 2007 Canada Games”, said Team Ontario, Chef de Mission, Blair McIntosh. Many athletes will use the funds provided by the direct athlete assistance program to purchase necessary equipment, attend training camps and offset additional costs associated with high performance training. In addition to direct financial assistance the athletes will befit from enhanced coaching and enhanced training and competitive opportunities.

It is also our hope that we will be able to organize a full Team Ontario Training Camp prior to going to the Games in Whitehorse added McIntosh. We have not been able to provide this opportunity since we hosted the Canada Summer Games in 2001 and it proved to be a real benefit to our athletes in terms of creating an awareness of the Canada Games Program, providing training on important issues such as anti-doping control, harassment and media training. It also provides all the athletes, coaches and managers from all the sports an opportunity to come together as a TEAM. Providing we can arrange all the logistics and timing with each sport the Quest for Gold will allow us to once again provide this great training benefit to our Team Ontario participants.

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ooking down the run with butterflies in my stomach, envisioning the perfect jump. Down the run, off the jump, twisting, flipping then sticking the landing. My name is Amber Peterson and I am a Freestyle Aerialist.L In the winter of 1999, I got the chance to compete as Aerialist. In the winter of 1999, I got the chance to compete as a member of Team Ontario in the Canada Games and finished fourth place in aerials. It meant very much to me to attend and little did I know it ended up being one of the many stepping stones to come. The Canada Games was a very positive experience for me. It allowed me to travel to Newfoundland for the first time and I met a lot of really great people who have given me Sean Crooks, both good competition and Canada Games ongoing support. gold medalist and Torino Olympian, Since then I have focused and in action at a 2006 dedicated my time to the sport which World Cup event. eventually lead me to the 2006 Torino Winter Games. I am I still competing and traveling the world and I consider myself very lucky to be doing something that I feel so passionate about. Competing in he Canada Games has certainly left a legacy with its the Canada Winter Games encouraged me to pursue all of my participants. For the months leading up to the games, dreams and motivated me to take it to the next level. T I had heard so much about how this event is different Competition, pressure, risk and friends are just a few aspects than any other. I was anxious to see what all the hype was involved in my sport and it is definitely what keeps me going. I about. am determined to continuously improve my competition and training but still just taking it one step at a time. The trip started in the Toronto airport, waiting for our flight to . The gate was a sea of red, filled with Being able to attend the 2006 Olympics Ontario athletes. I had never been on a flight where so many representing Canada was an honor. I people were under the age of 20. It was by far the loudest placed 15th there, and enjoyed every flight I had ever been on with lots of Ontario pride. It could moment of it. As much of a wonderful have easily been mistaken for a flight filled with European experience as it was, there was a little soccer fans all cheering and chanting. It didn’t take long disappointment when I did not reach my before we were in the team spirit. I knew it was going to be a top goals. That is why I will refocus and great week with some awesome results. strive to not only be at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, but to stand on the Our cross country ski races began a few days into the Games podium. and I had high expectations for my week of racing. My main rival, David Nighbor and I were hopefuls to win every race. Amber Peterson We are both Northern Ontario boys, and still team mates 1999 Canada Winter Games today on the National Senior Team. Our racing calendar had us both just returning from World Juniors in Sweden and we were a little tired. Basically, we got shelled the first two days of racing. We were in the top 10, but no medals. We realized that if we wanted to see the view from the podium we had to (Continued on page 6)

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Canada Games Alumni Shine on World Stage

(Continued from page 5) The Canada Games definitely lived up to its hype. This was an stay focused amongst all the activities and people around us. event that had more similarities to the Olympics than any other This new attitude was my turning point in the Games. The event I have competed in. Athlete villages, media attention and third day of racing, things finally came together. I won Gold in social events are things that can be an advantage if approached the sprint, my favourite event. It was a great feeling. The properly. This year in Torino, I dealt with the same challenges amount of press attention and commitments following the win as I did at the Canada Games I made sure that I maintained a were more than I had ever experienced. I learned a great deal fairly normal routine and focused on achieving my goals. about how to handle interviews and also how to bring the excitement down for the races to come. A few days later, our The Canada Winter Games is an incredible experience and Ontario relay team won Bronze. This really brought our team creates a sense of pride to be from Ontario and Canada. The together and was a great finish to our week. After being event leaves memories and friendships that last forever. focused athletes until that point, we celebrated and went out to the dance that night and showed off our killer dance moves… Make the best of your games! mine being the dental floss. Sean Crooks 2003 Canada Winter Games

Canada Winter Games Venues ~ distances and travel times

Km From Travel Time Venue Sport Week Village (Min) Takhini Arena Hockey - Men 1 2 4 Hockey - Women 2 2 4 Better Bodies Cross Training Centre Squash 2 3 7 Jeux du Canada Games Centre Short Track Speedskating 1 3 7 Figure Skating 2 3 7 Hockey - Men 1 3 7 Ringette 1 3 7 Hockey - Women 2 3 7 Gymnastics - Artistic 2 3 7 Table Tennis 2 3 7 Judo 1 3 7 Badminton 1 3 7 Synchronized Swimming 1 3 7 Mount McIntrye Recreation Center Curling - Women 1 3.5 9 Curling - Men 2 3.5 9 Cross Country Skiing 2 3.5 9 Porter Creek Secondary School Archery 1 5 10 Wheelchair Basketball 2 5 10 F.H. Collins Secondary School Long Track Speedskating 1 6.5 15 Arctic Sports 1 6.5 15 Boxing 2 6.5 15 Selkirk Elementary School Squash 2 6.5 15 Stan McCowan Arena Hockey – Men and Women 1 & 2 7 15 Ringette 1 7 15 Vanier Catholic Secondary School Shooting 1 8 18 Fencing 2 8 18 Grey Mountain Biathlon 1 12 20 Mount Sima Freestyle Skiing 1 18 22 Snowboarding 1 18 22 Alpine Skiing 2 18 22 Riverfront Stadium Hockey - Men 1 5 12 Hockey - Women 2 5 12 Festival Site Dene Games 2 5.5 12

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Canada Winter Games Venues ~ photos

Mount Sima Alpine Skiing and Snowboarding

Porter Creek - Archery and Wheelchair Basketball

FH Collins - Boxing

Mount McIntrye Recreation Center - Curling

Canada Games Centre Badminton and Table Tennis

Canada Games Centre - NHL Ice Hockey and Ringette

Canada Games Centre - Olympic Ice Canada Games Centre ST Speed Skating and Figure Skating Gymnastics and Judo

Vanier - Shooting and Fencing

Better Bodies Cross Training Centre - Squash

Mount McIntrye Recreation Center - Cross Country Skiing Team Ontario 2007 Page 7

2007 Canada Winter Games to be the Most Broadcast Games Ever

The 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse will be the most televised Canada Games ever in a proud 40 year history, with over 130 broadcast hours.

APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network), CBC Sports, TSN and RDS (Le Réseau des Sports) will be the official broadcasters of the 2007 Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse February 24 to March 10, 2007. The previously most broadcast Games were in 2003.

“The Canada Games Council’s new emphasis on building brand equity and promoting our unique stories to the entire country has forced us to take a good look at how we have been covered in the past and to optimize partnerships that will improve our exposure as we move forward,” says Sue Hylland President and CEO for the Canada Games Council. “With Canada Games alumni accounting for more than half of the medalists at the recent Winter Olympic Games in Turin, a pattern that has been on the rise in recent years, the relationships we have been able to establish with television broadcasters for the 2007 Canada Games will allow us to broadcast our stories of Canada’s next generation national, international and Olympic champions.”

TSN's comprehensive schedule includes 50 hours of coverage, plus preview reports and profiles of the Games on SportsCentre. RDS will also air 50 hours of French coverage on its French sports network and its French news information channel RIS. TSN / RDS televised the 1997 Canada Games in Brandon, , the 2001 Games in London and the 2003 Games in Bathurst- Campbellton.

"TSN is thrilled to continue its involvement with the Canada Games,” said Phil King, President, TSN. “We are proud to support Canadian amateur sports and offer these world-class athletes the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of a national audience."

CBC Sports has seen the Canada Games evolve and have shown their commitment to the Games by broadcasting the event on radio and then television on through much of its 40 year history. CBC will broadcast 18 hours of national coverage for the duration of the Games. The coverage will include highlights of both the opening and closing ceremonies, sports coverage on Sports Saturday and Sundays and a half hour highlight show each weekday of the two week Games.

"As a leader in amateur sports coverage, CBC is proud to be broadcasting the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse," says Nancy Lee, Executive Director CBC TV Sports. “The Games have provided us with the inspiring stories of grassroots athletes who have gone on to compete for Canada at the international level."

APTN will become the Official Aboriginal Broadcaster of the Games with on-going sports and cultural coverage as well as simulcast coverage in aboriginal languages. The final broadcast schedule should have APTN broadcasting 22 hours of the 15 day Games. APTN broadcast the closing ceremonies nationally from Regina. The 2007 Canada Winter Games will be the first time APTN will broadcast the Games for the two weeks of sporting events.

“This is the first time APTN will broadcast the Canada Games and we are extremely pleased that we can share this world-class sporting event with our viewers in some Aboriginal languages,” said APTN CEO Jean LaRose. “Sport brings communities together while giving our youth strong role models they can look up to. We hope this will help establish a long-term relationship with the Canada Games organizers and that these games will become a tradition on our network,” he added.

The 2007 Canada Winter Games will be held February 24 to March 10, 2007, with an estimated 3,500 athletes, coaches and officials supported by more than 4,500 volunteers. In the true northern tradition of friendship and hospitality, the Yukon, and have joined together to make the 2007 Games a Pan Northern celebration.

“Sharing our Games with all Canadians is very important,” said Piers McDonald, President Whitehorse 2007 Canada Winter Games Host Society. “We want to ensure that the Nation has an opportunity to see for themselves how amazing these Games are. We are also excited to be able to showcase Whitehorse and the entire north to our southern neighbours. Without partnerships such as these we would be unable to make our Games truly accessible to all Canadians.”

Complete broadcast schedules will be available in late 2006.

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