Dinos Today. Leaders Tomorrow. University of Calgary Dinos
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Alberta was once one of the richest dinosaur habitats on the planet. 75 million years ago, the sub-tropical landscape around Calgary thundered with the heavy footsteps of ferocious reptiles competing for territorial domination. Today, the University of Calgary Dinos channel that same fierce and single-minded drive for leadership—on the courts, fields, lanes, and waves of interuniversity sport and in the pursuit of new knowledge and innovation for society at large. We are all Dinos.
The University of Calgary is a leading Canadian university located in the nation's most enterprising city. The university has a clear strategic direction to become one of Canada's top five research universities by 2016, where research and innovative teaching go hand in hand, and where we fully engage the communities we both serve and lead. This strategy is called Eyes High, inspired by the university's Gaelic motto, which translates as 'I will lift up my eyes.’
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A Dino today is a leader tomorrow. Like many former Dinos athletes, Tony Spoletini has parlayed the drive and ambition to win on the field into a thriving business. University of Calgary Dinos football team as a rookie fullback in 1983. It didn't take long for him to make his mark, and by the time he was drafted into the CFL, he had helped the Dinos win two highly-prized Vanier Cups. tony joined the
After two seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos and three with the Calgary Stampeders, he made the move from athlete to entrepreneur, opening one of Calgary's most successful eateries, Spolumbo's Fine Foods & Deli with cousin Tom Spoletini and friend Mike Palumbo—both fellow ex-Stampeders. Tony has also become a valued community leader and philanthropist while remaining a staunch supporter of the Dinos football team. For Tony, athletics helped make him who he is today—a champion in the community.
ALUMNUS PROFILE:
Tony Spoletini, Social Sciences
CURRENT OCCUPATION: SPORT:
Co-owner, Spolumbo’s, Calgar y, AB
Football, Fullback, 1983-1986
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Dinos on campus. Built on a legacy of leadership and a history of academic and competitive excellence, Dinos Athletics at the University of Calgary offers student-athletes a high-performance environment that rivals most schools. More than
130
elite coaching staff and the opportunity to train alongside international athletes, our Dinos athletes train with and learn from the best in their sport. with access to
Canada West conference titles
And they have the numbers to prove it.
More than
Consistently delivering outstanding performances, our Dinos have brought home more than 130 Canada West conference titles, over 40 Canadian Interuniversity Sport titles and more than 10 Olympic medals.
40
Canadian Interuniversity Sport titles More than
10
Their academic accomplishments have also earned the program high-profile accolades, including a fourth place overall national ranking in Academic All Canadians. To date, more than 1,500 Dinos throughout the program's history have been given this honour for high academic standing. They also lead Canadian universities in Borden Ladner Gervais Awards—prestigious post-graduate scholarships given to the country's top performing male and female athletes based on their athletic accomplishment, outstanding sportsmanship and demonstrated leadership.
Olympic medals This winning combination of athletic and academic achievement demonstrates the value the Dinos bring to the university and to the broader community.
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Leaders in the community. When our athletes transition from campus to the work world, they bring leadership and a strong work ethic. With discipline and the ability to excel in team environments, they are primed and ready for success beyond the playing field. our studentathletes to move on to professional sports is reserved for a select few, what they learn from their enhanced university experience and exposure to balancing sport and academics will deliver countless possibilities. They graduate into diverse professions, including educators, doctors, entrepreneurs and community leaders. while the opportunit y for
With your support, Dinos Athletics will continue its commitment to educate, mentor and develop student-athletes at the University of Calgary into the leaders of tomorrow. Help us build on this program of excellence by supporting the development of community champions who will carry on the spirit of philanthropy, perseverance and passion that is at the core of every Dinos student-athlete.
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Proud to be a Dino. More than
1,500 Dinos have achieved Academic All-Canadian status
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TH
place all-time national ranking in Academic All-Canadians
Being a Dino is about more than playing a sport—it is also about becoming a leader. yourself to be the best you can be and putting into practice the skills and opportunities that come from balancing an intense schedule, being a team player, learning how to win, and more importantly learning to recover from defeat. It is digging deep to reach your goal, encouraging others along the way and wearing red and gold with pride. being a dino is about challenging
To help our students become the best athletes—and people—they can be, we have identified six areas that best support the entire student-athlete experience. Success in each area ensures we can provide our student-athletes, their coaches and others who guide them along the way with the foundation they need to succeed as Dinos today and as leaders in the community tomorrow.
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Student-Athletic Awards
Sport Science
To be a student-athlete requires a commitment equal to a full-time job, albeit one without pay. To be eligible to compete, a student-athlete must also be a full-time student, which means working during the school year is unmanageable. If we do not offer competitive awards, we risk losing top student-athletes to other schools who can better support them through their academic and athletic journey. To ensure we attract and retain the best and brightest student-athletes, we need your support to maximize financial assistance through awards and scholarships— giving our student-athletes the opportunity to stay and compete at the University of Calgary.
Developing the leading athletics program in Canada requires outstanding sports science and sport medicine support, which is critical to the success of all our teams. Through the University of Calgary Sport Medicine Centre and Human Performance Lab, not only do our studentathletes have access to top sport science professionals and technology, students in these fields are able to gain practical experience working directly with teams. Funding these resources will help students in sport medicine, athletic therapy, psychology and physiology advance their knowledge and skills in these specialties, while also ensuring our student-athletes continue to perform at their best.
Student-Athlete Academic and Leadership Development
Elite Competition
We live in a city of leaders—in entrepreneurship, the energy sector, community building and volunteerism. The University of Calgary is reflective of the city in which it resides, as is our Dinos Athletics program. We know it takes more than winning games to develop leaders. Our aim is to give our student-athletes opportunities to stretch and grow outside the fields of competition, through unique community partnership programs, academic support programs and conferences geared specifically to the development of a studentathlete. With your help, we can foster the next generation of leaders who will bring the best of themselves into the community.
Coaching and Leadership Development Our commitment is to establish a program to develop the leadership and teaching skills of our coaching staff. With your support we can enlist our coaches in an uncompromising coaching and leadership development program, uniquely tailored for each member of the coaching staff. However, no coach should go it alone, which is why we are also focused on expanding the number of oncampus assistant coaches. One of the most significant relationships for our student-athletes is with their coaches. With your help we can ensure they are being led and taught by those at the top of their game.
The quantity as well as the calibre of competitive experiences available to our athletes contribute directly to the success they enjoy in their sport, as well as in their lives after sport. To improve athletic capabilities, one must be challenged. For our student-athletes, this means being able to compete among their peers, travelling to as well as hosting events. Support for elite competition ensures that our teams can literally afford to go the distance. Hosting high calibre events here at home gives Dinos athletes, as well as the entire university body and community, an opportunity to participate in an elite athletic experience.
Student-Athlete Spaces The 1988 Winter Olympics gave the university facilities that were once the envy of the country. More than two decades later, these facilities are in need of upgrading. From refurbishing locker rooms to creating a new student-athlete academic success centre, your investment in Dinos Athletics spaces will help bring them up to modern standards. Student-athletes also need access to functional and interactive spaces that allow for the most efficient use of their time. Dedicated space fosters a sense of community that helps strengthen the bonds and ultimately the performance of a team.
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Student Athletic Awards STUDENT: Cory Meeuwisse, third-year Kinesiology
ALUMNUS: Cory Paddock, BComm’03
HOMETOWN: Calgary, AB
CURRENT OCCUPATION: Energy trader, Cobalt Capital Management
SPORT: Men’s Volleyball, Libero, #3
SPORT: Men’s Volleyball, 2001-2003
Cory Meeuwisse A dedicated and gifted studentathlete, Cory Meeuwisse is on his way to fulfilling his dream of becoming an orthopaedic surgeon. An Academic All-Canadian—a student-athlete with exceptional academic standing—Cory is the recipient of numerous student awards. The awards not only recognize his achievements, but they also help ease the burden of tuition fees, allowing him to focus and stay at the top of his game, both on the court and in the classroom. It also makes him proud to know his efforts are noticed; it’s the payoff that makes the commitment worthwhile. The support Cory gets today as a Dino will help him achieve the success he aims for tomorrow.
Cory Paddock Dinos alumnus Cory Paddock didn’t need any prompting when he was given the rare opportunity to play his sport professionally. But a year into his volleyball career in Germany, Cory was ready for something different. He returned home and was soon drawn to the fast-paced world of trading, where the high-pressure, intensely competitive aspect of the job drew parallels with his former life in athletics. Now he’s sharing his success. In 2011, he gave $50,000 to establish an endowed award in memory of his friend and former teammate, Jonathan Walsh, who passed away in 2010. The endowment is his tribute to a friend and a time in his life that significantly influenced his current accomplishments.
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“ It is important for me to give back to something that had such an impact on my life.” – Cory Paddock, BComm'03
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Student-Athlete Academic Development STUDENT: Tamara Jarrett, fourth-year Kinesiology
ALUMNA: Julie Hendrix, BComm’84
HOMETOWN: Calgary, AB
OCCUPATION: Tax Director, Bacardi International Ltd., Miami, FL
SPORT: Women’s Basketball, Guard, #7
SPORT: Women’s Basketball, 1979-1984
Tamara Jarrett As a natural born leader, Tamara Jarrett exudes infectious energy. Whether she’s on the basketball court or in classroom, mentoring young students or helping her teammates build homes for poverty-stricken families in Mexico, Tamara’s positivity is nothing short of inspirational. Being a Dino has given her the opportunity to shine and to apply her energy on the court to her academic and volunteer commitments. She’s proud to bear the Dinos name that represents the values and skills she has worked hard to aquire. And it is this education—one that tests her strength in character—that she believes will be her foundation in realizing her future goals and dreams.
Julie Hendrix It has been almost 30 years since varsity basketball ended for Julie Hendrix, but the lessons she learned as a Dinnie—as the women’s basketball team was known then—remain ever-present. Julie calls being a Dinnie the backbone for her many achievements, which include a young family and active home life, community commitments, and a demanding career as an international corporate accountant. The passion to compete and the values of sport will always play a big role in every aspect of her life—and the Dinos spirit is never far behind. Julie recently connected with her former Dinnie basketball teammates and they will compete in the 2013 World Masters Games in Torino, Italy.
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“ Skills like leadership, communication, time management—these are the key things that are needed in real life. I’ve learned to do whatever it takes to get where I want to be.” – Tamara Jarrett
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“ I think there are more opportunities and doors opening for these young men beyond football. That’s why I try to mentor these guys and help them focus on what is next.” – Marcello Rapini, BA'91
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Coaching and Leadership Development STUDENT: Docctor Cassama, third-year Psychology and Kinesiology
ALUMNUS: Marcello Rapini, BA’91
HOMETOWN: Kristianstad, Sweden
OCCUPATION: Vice-President, Trade and Marketing, Perpetual Energy
SPORT: Football; defensive back, #25
SPORT: Football, 1985-1989
Docctor Cassama In his hometown of Kristianstad, Sweden, Docctor Cassama had dreams of earning a university football scholarship. That dream came true in 2009, when Docctor caught the eye of Dinos football head coach Blake Nill, at the Junior World Championships in Ohio. Docctor was impressed by Coach Nill’s leadership and genuine interest in guiding students to succeed beyond the football field. And the mentorship he has received from coaching staff and alumni has encouraged him to become a community leader. Though he hopes to play professional football in the future, he knows his education and experience will enable him to make a difference in multiple ways, wherever he ends up.
Marcello Rapini From August to November every year, Dinos alumni Marcello Rapini takes on an additional full-time job helping recruit, coach and mentor 15-20 young men on the Dinos football team. Marcello is part of an exceptional group of alumni—the 5th Quarter— committed to seeing these players succeed on and off the field. The 5th Quarter is heavily engaged in raising funds in support of Dinos scholarships and operational costs while also helping to increase the football program’s profile on campus and in the city. Marcello’s devotion to the Dinos and belief in coach Blake Nill has inspired him to give more years supporting the team than he did actually playing on it.
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“ I think that athletics—regardless of the sport—teaches you the concepts of hard work, dedication, commitment, perseverance and having a passion for something that you do.” – Talia Webber
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Sport Science STUDENT: Talia Webber, first-year MSc Kinesiology
ALUMNUS: Dr. Reed Ferber, BPE’93
HOMETOWN: Brandon, MB
OCCUPATION: Director, Running Injury Clinic; Associate Professor,
SPORT: Track and Field, Cross Country
Faculties of Kinesiology and Nursing
Talia Webber Before studying at the University of Calgary, Talia Webber’s interest in sports was purely academic. So when she chose the University of Calgary for its kinesiology program, it came as a big surprise when the Dinos track and field team chose her to be their newest member. Scouted from the Dino Dash—the team’s annual fundraiser—Talia’s love of running suddenly found a competitive edge. Now in her first year of graduate studies, Talia’s athletic background has given her a new perspective on sport. Working at the Running Injury Clinic with Dr. Reed Ferber, her research on the interaction between injured and uninjured limbs in runners and its influence on rehabilitation will help keep runners on track.
Reed Ferber When Reed Ferber didn’t make the final cut on the Dinos football team, he found a way to contribute to the Dinos’ biggest plays from behind the bench, including a stint as student-athletic therapist for the men’s basketball team. His work with athletes began in 1989, when he was one of only eight undergraduate students accepted into the athletic therapy program. Six years of graduate school and two post-doctoral fellowships later, Reed is putting his research into action, discovering innovative ways to build a better Dino. His work in the Running Injury Clinic, which he started in 2003, continues to improve rehabilitation practices for athletes, helping to predict and prevent future injuries.
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“ The team environment is very important. Thinking back to when I was an athlete, I see so many parallels today. It takes a very well-rounded team to be successful.” – Kelly Bechard, BComm'03
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Elite Competition STUDENT: Iya Gavrilova, second-year Economics
ALUMNUS: Kelly Bechard, BComm’03
HOMETOWN: Krasnoyarsk, Russia
OCCUPATION: Manager, Sponsorship and Community Investments,
SPORT: Women’s Hockey, forward, #8
Scotiabank SPORT: Women’s Hockey, 1997-1999
Iya Gavrilova Every Olympic hopeful will tell you it is a long road to gold. Iya Gavrilova’s journey began at the age of 14, when she left her home in Siberia to play for the Russian national hockey team in Moscow. The road since has led her to two Winter Olympics— in addition to Sochi 2014—the University of Minnesota Duluth and now to the University of Calgary, where she will add an economics degree to the accounting and education degrees she earned at Duluth and Moscow. For Iya, the experiences that come with travelling and playing the game at the highest level is preparing her well, not only as an elite athlete, but also for a career beyond the hockey arena.
Kelly Bechard As a highly competitive student-athlete while at the University of Calgary, Kelly Bechard played on four high profile teams. One team in particular netted Canada’s first gold medal in women’s hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. From her small town in Saskatchewan, Kelly’s world opened up exponentially through her experiences as a student-athlete playing on elite teams and competing around the world. Having realized her Olympic dream, Kelly says her hockey days are well behind her. Now she is supporting someone else’s Olympic dream by giving back to the Dinos hockey program as an assistant coach.
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“ At the University of Calgary, we’re not only trying to become better players, we're trying to become better people.” – Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson
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Student-Athlete Spaces STUDENT: Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson,
ALUMNUS: Wayne Thomas, BA’67
fourth-year Communications and Culture
OCCUPATION: Men’s Basketball Volunteer
HOMETOWN: Winnipeg, MB
SPORT: Men’s Basketball, Men’s Soccer, Football,
SPORT: Men’s Basketball, point guard, #3
1964-1967, 1969-1970
Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson Moving from his hometown of Winnipeg, Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson wasn't expecting to feel so at home at the University of Calgary. But the instant friendships he made with his teammates and other Dinos players have built a community and a connection that have inspired him to give back. Jarred volunteers—along with his teammates from both the men's and women's basketball teams—every week mentoring young students. He says being a Dino has taught him more than just how to play a sport. It has taught him about the responsibility he has to make a positive contribution.
Wayne Thomas With 32 years as a high school teacher and coach under his belt, Wayne Thomas has touched the lives of thousands of students in Calgary. Now retired, Wayne is not content to sit on the sidelines. Instead, he continues to coach and mentor students, currently at the University of Calgary through men's basketball and as a guest coach at the elementary and junior high school levels. Drawing on his own time as a Dino, Wayne believes athletics enhances the university experience and can be a unifying force for all students, be it as an athlete or spectator. For Wayne, the pride and confidence that emerge through university athletics help to build a greater connection to the university community.
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Turning Dinos into leaders. Becoming a leader doesn’t just happen on its own. It takes individual drive and passion, as well as commitment from educators, coaches, mentors and donors like you. More than
450
student-athletes on campus
with your support,
we can graduate student-athletes who will bring the best of themselves into everything they do. To become a Dino, our student-athletes have honed their skills for years. With you on our team, we can all help them get where they want to go. Investment in our six key areas will produce: Student-Athlete Awards… leaders who understand the value and responsibility
that come from receiving the support of others. Student-Athlete Academic and Leadership Development… leaders who know
what it takes to work hard and encourage others to reach their goals. Coaching and Leadership Development… mentors and leaders at the top
of their fields who can help student-athletes find the best within themselves. Sport Science… leaders in research and clinical expertise whose discoveries
directly affect student-athlete performances. Elite Competition… life experiences that come from travelling and competing at
the highest level and shape the mind-set of leaders. Student-Athlete Spaces… leaders who understand what it means to build
an inclusive community that provides a sense of belonging.
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Contributing to community. A champion for the Dinos women's hockey program, philanthropist Joan Snyder's generosity has changed lives and proven to be transformational in helping young athletes realize their potential. in many sports, Calgary philanthropist Joan Snyder’s mother, Phoebe, began playing hockey in the 1920s and continued through the hardships of the Great Depression. a gif ted athlete
Inspired by her mother’s passion, Joan wanted to see other young women take up the sport and have the opportunity to play at the highest level possible. In 2011, Joan made a transformational gift of $500,000 to the Dinos women’s hockey program to establish the Joan Snyder Program of Excellence in Women’s Hockey. The first of its kind in Canada, the program significantly enhances the financial resources of the team related to four cornerstones: coaching excellence, elite competition, sport services, and studentathlete scholarships. In less than 18 months, the program proved its might—in March 2012, the Dinos women’s hockey team captured its first national championship in University of Calgary history. The win marked the 44th Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship in the University of Calgary's history and the first hockey title— an impressive debut for the Joan Snyder Program of Excellence. DONOR PROFILE: HOMETOWN: RESIDES:
Joan Snyder; Doctorate of Laws '11
Eatonia, SK
Calgar y, AB
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Join our team. We invite you to be part of our Dinos team. If you are interested in learning more about the University of Calgary Dinos and funding opportunities, please contact us. Lisa Robertson University of Calgary Dinos 403.220.7249 l.m.robertson@ucalgary.ca
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