University of Alberta

i n t o u c hactivealumni

t started with a dream to install a second ice surface in the

Clare Drake Arena as far back as 1982 when the Faculty began

turning away would-be users because ice time was tight.

The Van Vliet Centre is still without the second ice surface but

today the Faculty’s dream is coming close to reality. And it’s

morphed into a large-scale physical activity complex, nicknamed

PAC, that will not only have the sorely-needed second ice

surface, but renovations to the Arena that’ll mean more and

better seating and other upgrades, and a new 35,000 sq.ft. fitness

and lifestyle centre that will be able to meet the needs of the

growing campus population. In doing so, the spectacular new

PAC will give physical activity on campus a rocket-like boost.

“PAC will help us to fulfill an important mandate we have on

this campus very well,” says John Barry, assistant dean, Services,

“and that’s to provide quality sport and recreation facilities and

programming to all students on this campus.” Barry, who has

been working patiently on plans and funding formulae to realise

the addition to the Faculty’s existing facilities, says PAC isn’t

window dressing, it’s essential to maintain a fit and healthy

Leader of the PAC: proposed new Physical ActivityComplex aims to keep burgeoningcampus fit, strong, on its toes

w i t h y o u

2005Published annually for the alumni and fr iends of the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation

I

Continued on page 2

PAC in a nutshell: what’s proposed

A new Physical Activity Complex (PAC) will

be connected to the Van Vliet Centre

and include:

� A new 35,000 sq. ft. fitness and lifestyle

centre with approximately

� 30 treadmills, 30 elliptical trainers, 60

strength and conditioning machines, 50

stationary bikes (variety), 12 rowing

ergometers, 30 televisions, and a wide

variety of free weights, benches and

accessories

� A new 3,500-seat ice arena

� Upgraded Clare Drake Arena

� Conversion of existing fitness and

lifestyle centre into a recreational gym

� New climbing wall in fitness and lifestyle

centre; exterior climbing wall near

basketball courts

� Major renovations to men’s and women’s

locker rooms

� Outdoor sport park with jogging trails,

beach volleyball courts, activity spaces and

basketball courts

� Upgrade of main gym amenities

2University of Alberta

campus. “Our current Fitness and Lifestyle Centre is a quarter of the size it should be for the population on campus. At

just 8000 sq. ft. it falls far short of the 32,000 sq. ft current standards require,” he says. “Bottom line – the current fitness

and lifestyle centre just can’t meet demand.” And with the single sheet of ice in the Clare Drake Arena busy from 0700

to midnight every day, and would-be users turned away often, it’s more than a timely project, it’s long overdue.

Concession areas, locker rooms and dressing rooms in the Arena and West Wing are slated for upgrading too. “One of

the biggest issues is infrastructure renewal,” says Barry. “It’s 45 years old and deteriorating rapidly and a Band-Aid

solution just won’t work anymore. The features we’re planning for the new PAC – enhanced way-finding, developing an

outdoor sport park, building indoor and outdoor climbing walls – will add years of life to our facilities and provide

more and better avenues for physical activity.”

There’ll be more space for research projects too. “That’ll mean a bigger, more centralised space to allow for more

collaboration. Different researchers are currently located in different areas of the building and many of those spaces are

quite inadequate. With the PAC, researchers in health and wellness can be in closer proximity in a setting more

conducive to collaboration.”

The best part, says Barry, “is what comes next!”

“This is when we actually get past the conceptual stage to design exactly what we want. We’ve done a programming

study that’s identified what we need, but now we need to put these needs into a building design.”

If the PAC is built as Barry envisions it, it’ll put the

University of Alberta in the number one position for sport

and recreation facilities in Canada. “The new PAC will be

a good recruitment tool for staff and students too,” says

Barry. “For anyone who believes in healthy lifestyle to

have the opportunity to come to study or work at a

university that has the best physical activity facilities, it’s

an added incentive.”

Now it’s up to the student body to put the PAC on the

table. Funding for the Complex depends on students

agreeing – in a fall plebiscite – to a facility enhancement

fee of about $38 per year. “Once students agree to it, and

we have a partnering source of funding, we’ll proceed to

hire an architect and start designing the PAC. We hope to

have it constructed by 2008.”

Access to the new PAC will be available to University of

Alberta alumni at a reduced rate and Barry hopes alumni

will support the new venture. “In donating they’d be

providing for future generations of physical education and

recreation students by enhancing our facilities and making

them the best in the world and lending to U of A

fulfilling its promise to be the healthiest campus in

Canada. Then we truly will be the leader of the pack.”. �

Proposed new Physical Activity Complex… continued from page 1

activealumni

Active Alumni is published annuallyfor the alumni and friends of theFaculty of Physical Education andRecreation. Comments, questions,suggestions for stories arewelcomed. Please contact

Jane Hurly, communications strategistFaculty of Physical Education and RecreationE415 Van Vliet CentreUniversity of AlbertaEdmonton, Alberta T6G 2H9Ph: 780-492-6821; fax: 780-492-2364Email: jane.hurly@ualberta.cawww.physedandrec.ualberta.ca

Publication Mail Agreement No. 40063741

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:

Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation,

University of Alberta, E415 Van Vliet Centre

Edmonton AB T6G 2H9

3University of Alberta

Message from the Deanhis year we accomplished something that’s been needed for 55 years: we

have instituted the Faculty’s first Academic Alumni Association.

An academic alumni association will, we hope, bring our alumni community

together more closely, strengthen the bonds between our academic alumni and the

Faculty - and be a valuable resource for our students. We want you to share your

career and life experiences with our undergraduate students and to help us sow

the seeds of what it means to become an alumnus in the minds of these young

men and women who will help shape the future of this country.

Often when students graduate, they don’t completely understand their importance

as alumni to their alma mater. This Academic Alumni Association’s mandate is to

change that – to build a sturdy, and, I trust, well-trodden bridge between our

alumni and the Faculty.

For more details about the Academic Alumni Association, please call or email your

alumni representative, Wendy Andrews, at 483-2570 or mii@shaw.ca.

As part of Campaign 2008 – the University’s fundraiser to raise $310M - one of the

projects on our wish list is to build a spectacular new Physical Activity Complex by

2008 – which will include a spacious new fitness centre, much-needed renovations

to the Clare Drake Arena and a second ice surface. The new ice surface has been

needed since 1982; the present fitness centre is filled to capacity and the

infrastructure is deteriorating. It’s a project that, when built, will benefit everyone

on campus and it will, naturally, be available to you – as alumni of the University

of Alberta – to use. I hope that you will, through your generous support, help us

to bring this worthy project to fruition.

I know Reunion 2005 is months away, but I’d like to extend a warm invitation to you

to attend this celebration of the unique relationship between alumni and the

University. Reunion 2005 will be held from September 30 to October 2 and we have a

wonderful line-up of events for you to enjoy!

The signature years being recognized this year are those ending in ‘0’ or ‘5’ – if

you’re celebrating a milestone year as a graduate of the University, come and

celebrate with us! There’ll be so much to see! We’re in the process of branding the

Faculty with new signs and banners, and display cases to recognize excellence in

teaching and research, and a wall of recognition for doctoral graduates. We’ll have

a red-carpet welcome for you at Reunion 2005, and always!

Enjoy Active Alumni 2005 and stay in touch.

Mike Mahon, PhD, Dean

T

“This AcademicAlumni Association’s

mandate is to change that

– to build a sturdy,and, I trust,

well-trodden bridge between our alumni and

the Faculty.”Mike Mahon

4University of Alberta

From your alumnirepresentative, WendyAndrews

t is with a touch of sadness that I write this final note to you in my role as

Alumni Council Representative for the Faculty. I have thoroughly enjoyed

my role as your representative on the Cross Faculty Alumni Council and the

three years have literally flown by.

The position of Alumni Council rep has allowed me to learn more about the

Faculty which I have happily shared with my colleagues on the Council. Our

excellence in leading edge research, our recent branding initiatives, our award

winning faculty members, our new facilities and of course our outstanding

athletics teams are all topics I raise at our meetings.

The Faculty plays a major role across campus in providing sport, recreation and

physical activity opportunities to thousands of students and providing quality

facilities for use by students, staff, alumni and the surrounding communities.

After leaving Alumni Council, I will chair our new Academic Alumni Association.

Please join me in pioneering this endeavour. We will formally set up the

Association prior to Reunion 2005. Much work is already being done in

contacting potential and existing class reps.

A number of you responded to my request for involvement in the Association as

a result of my last note and I would dearly love to hear from a few more

alumni, both from recreation and physical education

We are working hard to encourage record numbers of alumni at Reunion 2008

for the University’s 100th birthday celebration.

I cordially invite you to attend Reunion 2005. We have a football game against

Calgary on Saturday, October 1 at 2:00 p.m. Come and gather. It does not get

any better than this! Our vision is to gradually increase attendance by alumni at

our Panda and Golden Bear games so that we have standing room only at all

our events.

Take a minute and think about what you might do this year to connect to your

alma mater. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have ideas or questions.

Contact Wendy at 483-2570 or mii@shaw.ca.

I

“Our vision is tograduallyincreaseattendance byalumni at ourPanda andGolden Beargames so thatwe havestanding roomonly at all ourevents.”

Wendy Andrews

5University of Alberta

“We are nothing without our past.” So goes a line in the

biography Jacqulynn Mulyk has scribed on her website. The

Vancouver artist has plenty of past – a zigzag trail that’s lead

her from a career as a fitness instructor, to a BA in recreation

and leisure studies (2002) and finally to a career as an in-

demand artist whose work graces the walls of countless

Canadian homes and businesses.

“When I graduated, I didn’t really feel drawn to anything in

the recreation field,” she says. “I really enjoyed the

educational experience. I felt I was growing and learning a

lot but I had no idea how I wanted to apply that degree. I

just liked the education.”

A love of art had always simmered beneath the surface

though. “I would paint at home on tiles and walls but I never

really thought it was worth pursuing.” She opted for the RLS

degree because “I liked the business side of it.”

While a student Jacqulynn became involved in the Student

Society of Artists, volunteered at theatre and arts festivals;

became a docent at the Edmonton Art Gallery. “It was as

though I was trying to immerse myself in art.” A first year

course called ‘Art Essentials’ kicked the door wide and she

started painting. During her six-month practicum in Hawaii,

which she financed from sales of her work, she worked for a

special events company. At night, she’d paint at her studio at

the University of Manoa, eventually holding a successful

show there before returning to Canada.

She moved to Calgary after graduation and began carving a

niche in the arts scene there. While living in the quaint

neighbourhood of Mission, Jacqulynn was captivated by the

unique character and charm of houses and buildings there. “I

wanted to capture them architecturally - and the vibrant

community ‘feel,’” she says.

“I love to going outside, putting my easel up and just

painting,” says Jacqulynn. It was during one of these sessions

on the street that she met Jon Walters – now her fiancé.

(They’ll marry in June 2006.)

“As an artist I always wanted to be mobile and to travel,”

says Jacqulynn, who has relocated to Vancouver. She is

currently creating a new body of work, the buildings on

Vancouver’s long-established Commercial Drive. “It’s not so

much the architecture, but there’s a life in this district. When

you go there if makes you feel good – it’s that life I want to

capture, rather than merely a streetscape.”

She’s also branching out into other media and beginning

work on her first radio documentary. “It’s about older

women in extended care facilities,” says Jacqulynn. “My

grandmother died in one of these and I’ve always been

profoundly affected by what her life there must have been

like.” Another project she’s working on is painting scenes

from her travels in Belize and Guatemala on driftwood.

Lately, she’s been digging through garbage, retrieving the

disposable coffee cups tossed away every day in their

thousands, for her latest project. She’ll use 200,000 of them to

build 4 to 5ft ‘homes’ – a project she says that marries the

concepts of shelter – “of which there’s never enough” and

our throw-away society creating an environmental headache

with its manic consumption habits. Her aim, she says, “is to

create an impact, through my work, that we need to reduce

the amount of garbage being created and thrown into

landfills. If I can contribute to that end then I’d feel like I’d

made a difference.”

Looking back, she says, “I really appreciate my family’s

support, they come out to all my shows when they can and

my dad really encourages me to be an ‘artist’.” �

You can see Jacqulynn’s paintings at

www.pastelcreations.com and she welcomes former

classmates to get in touch with her by email at

jjmulyk@pastelcreations.com.

Jacqulynn Mulyk – successful Alberta artistcaptures the essence ofarchitecture on canvas

6University of Alberta

Vince Poscente: Olympian, author and in-demand business strategist helps others reach the top

ince Poscente will try pretty much anything once. The former Olympic speed

skier took up that sport of daredevils at 26 just four years shy of the 1992

Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France – with no funding, coaching or

know-how. So vigorously did he apply himself though, he not only scored a berth on

the Canadian team for the demonstration sport, but was ranked 10th in the world. And

while a medal wasn’t on the cards in the end, he shrugs off the disappointment as just

another life experience – but one that changed his life.

“The Olympic experience pushed me into a fascination with human performance

and how we can perform at the highest level,” says Vince, who graduated with a

BA in recreation administration in 1985 and holds a master’s degree in

organizational management from the University of Phoenix.

“Doing something extraordinary” and living large was what Vince promised

himself in high school he’d enjoy in spades. He learned the hard way, at a

classmate’s funeral, the importance of taking life in both hands and wringing

every ounce out of it! Listening to the eulogy of a life cut short, he says, “I made

a decision then that if life is short, I want to do everything at least once.” He’s

lived that lesson with passion ever since.

Today Vince is in high demand as a peak performance business strategist with a

client list that reads like a ‘who’s who’ of corporate America! Based in Dallas

Texas, he’s CEO of a successful business consultancy aptly named ‘Be Invinceable

Group’, which every year coaches hundreds of executives and employees in

corporate North America to maximise their on-the-job performance with a simple

five step strategy he calls the 5Cs. Applying the strategy means having a clear

vision, committing totally to your goals, applying consistent strategies, leading

with confidence and “controlling what you bring to the environment by

influencing what you have control over,” he says.

He’s passionate about the vital role the subconscious mind plays in getting us what we

want. So much so he’s just authored and published a book about the subject that’s

getting plenty of buzz on the business scene. “The Ant and the Elephant” is a quick-

read – but powerful - parable about how to align our conscious and subconscious

minds to achieve the vision we have for our lives. “It’s really about the empowerment

of the individual,” says Vince, whose signature wit peppers the footnotes.

His success as a speaker – something he’s done for 10 years – was recognised by

his peers when he was inducted into the National Speakers’ Association Speaker

Hall of Fame recently alongside orators like the late Ronald Reagan, business guru

Ken Blanchard and actor and film producer Art Linkletter. “It doesn’t do much for

the career,” laughs Vince, “but it’s a very good feeling!”

How does a degree in recreation administration lead to career in business strategy? “I

wanted to be involved in the Olympic movement and sports administration,” explains

Vince. “Recreation administration offered courses in business and the social sciences

and it was a small department and I liked the environment. My undergraduate

experience at U of A prepared me to be a citizen who could contribute.”

Fast Facts aboutVince Poscente

CEO of Be Invinceable Group

– a business consulting firm

Managing partner in a

media/communications agency

Master’s degree in

organizational management

CSP, CPAE certified (Certified

Speaking Professional, Council

of Peers Award for Excellence)

Author of two business/self-

help books

1. The Ant and The Elephant –

Leadership for the self

2. Invinceable Principles –

Essential tools for life

mastery)

Past Board of Directors –

Canadian Olympic Hall of

Fame

Former VP, Marketing of North

America’s largest real estate

investment service

Accomplished award-winning

real estate sales with world’s

largest real estate company

1992 Olympic Winter Games -

Speed skiing finalist and five-

time national record holder

(135 mph/216.7 km/ph)

www.beinvinceable.com

V

7University of Alberta

Vince Poscente’s5C Strategy topeak performance

Clarity of Vision – identify defining moments

and your emotional buzz

Commitment – lead by example as you 100

percent commit to your next

steps

Consistency – apply 360° research as you

do what the competition is

not willing to do

Confidence – accelerate personal

confidence without trial and

error

Control – design “pre-race” routines for

peak performance

“It’s rewarding to be able to enlighten people, help them progress their livesand make their companies more successful. If I can serve with love in some

way that enriches the world that would be the biggest reward.”

Vince Poscente

And contribute he does – helping organisations tap into what he calls their ‘emotional buzz’ – “the thing that gets you

out of bed in the morning and fired up all day!” - at meetings as small as 10 exhausted graveyard shift workers at a

cardboard box factory, to 16,000 pumped up Amway distributors! “Emotional buzz is when something gives you a

physical reaction up and down your spine – that’s the litmus test of whether an idea is worth pursuing,” he says.

Today, as a successful entrepreneur, Vince says time with his family, wife Missy and three children Max (7), Alexia (6)

and Isabella (4), is precious as he’s on the road so much. “I’m like many dads today who are very aware of the

importance of family and of children having their dad around.” So he limits his engagements to 70 each year but

admits, “I carry my bags and my guilt when I go away!”

Despite the travel, time away from home and long hours, Vince has found his life’s emotional buzz. “It’s rewarding to

be able to enlighten people, help them progress their lives and make their companies more successful. If I can serve

with love in some way that enriches the world that would be the biggest reward.” �

8University of Alberta

hen Edmonton hosted the World Athletics

Championships in 2001, an international spotlight

shone on the city. The legacy of those

competitions lives on today at the University of Alberta’s

Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation thanks to

some forward thinking by representatives from athletics

organizations and the University of Alberta.

Their vision to establish the Canadian Athletics Coaching

Centre at the U of A was unique and now promises to

build a more successful, secure future for the sport.

A complementary goal to improve the health and fitness

of Canadian young people through the Run Jump Throw

initiative is seen as a way of developing a pool of high

potential track and field athletes.

In September 2004 the Centre’s first director, Kevin Tyler,

was appointed. In enthusiastic and optimistic leaps and

bounds, this Olympian and top Canadian coach has

already laid down significant groundwork for what he

believes will become a national base for Canada’s track

and field coaches and athletes.

For the first six months the Coaching Centre has been a

“one man band” governed by the 2001 Legacy

Foundation Board and housed in a small office in the Van

Vliet Centre. By the end of summer Tyler hopes to have

his small team up and running and settled into offices at

Foote Field.

“Our aim is to raise the bar for coaching in Canada and

our first focus is on developing real grassroots interest

and skills in the sport again,” Tyler says. “We have an

underdeveloped system and we need to make coaching

relevant in athletics again,” he adds. Funding has come

from money set aside after the 2001 World Championship

in Athletics, a condition set by the federal government

when it supported the event.

The Centre’s first focus is co-coordinating the successful,

school-based Run Jump Throw (RJT) initiative, which

focuses on teaching the fundamentals of running, jumping

and throwing movements – the bedrock of track and field.

Previous RJT programming has revealed that many 12 year

olds have lost the ability to hop on one foot.

The Canadian Athletics Coaching Centre – Building a Secure and Successful Future for Athleticsby Wanda Vivequin

Hitting the Ground Running – Kevin TylerKevin Tyler raced home from the

Athens Olympics on August 28

2004 to prepare for the birth of his

and wife Lara’s second child.

His yet-to-be-born son had other

ideas and kept Tyler wondering

whether he would make it to

work on time for his first day on

the job as director of The

Canadian Athletics Coaching

Centre at the University of Alberta.

Finally on September 5th Kai was

born and a couple of days later

Tyler, along with the family dogs

was driving westwards towards

Edmonton for his first day on

September 8th.

It was a somewhat nerve-wracking

start to a new career although

stress is nothing new to this world-

class athlete and top-ranked

Canadian coach.

Tyler left his job as Sports

Marketing Manager for running at

Nike Canada to join The Canadian

Athletics Coaching Centre,

something he says was a perfect

career move. “It’s something that

combines the many aspects of my

career to date,” Tyler says.

Tyler is a former track athlete from

Simon Fraser University and

represented Canada in bobsleigh at

the 1988 Olympics. He has also

coached a number of elite athletes

including Canadian 400m record

holder and 2002 Commonwealth

Games medallist Shane Neimi.

The job of Coaching Centre

director is the culmination of all

these involvements in the sport and

an opportunity, says Tyler, to use

his many contacts and experience

to secure a positive future for

athletics.

W

9University of Alberta

Today there are only two to three full time high

performance athletics coaches in Canada, and this,

says Tyler, is another real issue for the sport. “It’s

very difficult to access high performance coaching

services in Canada outside the main centres and if

coaches are the people who drive the sport, then

the Coaching Centre has a critical role to play in its

future success,” he says. “We are unique because

we are focusing on coaching and one sport.”

“Athletics is the one sport that every kid can do. It’s

part of growing up to compete with other kids in

who can run the fastest, throw the furthest, jump the

highest,” he says.

Two staff members will soon be appointed by the

Coaching Centre to co-ordinate the delivery of, and

coach training for, the RJT program. An intern program

for coaching students is also planned.

“The RJT program is a great way to generate interest in

athletics and anything to get kids moving is a good

thing,” Tyler says.

The Coaching Centre will also become a national base for

track and field coaches, their athletes and researchers, all

focused on all facets of training and performance

techniques.

Tyler envisages top athletes and their coaches will

eventually be attracted to the Faculty of Physical

Education and Recreation at the U of A for training, study

and the promise of being at the cutting edge of sport

science.

“Its all connected, grassroots programming, high

performance activity, coaching and sport science he says.

“The Coaching Centre will become a unique sports

specific centre for coach development committed to

developing techniques that enable all athletes to

maximize their performances. ”

Dean Mike Mahon says the Centre will have a positive

effect on the delivery and calibre of coaching education

in the Faculty’s degree programs.

The Centre will also become a “virtual” base for coaches,

with access to databases and the latest research. All of

this will be discussed at the National Technical Congress

being hosted by the Coaching Centre later this year at

which 150 people are expected to attend.

Tyler says the Centre’s performance will eventually be

measured by the

• Number of athletics coaches employed fulltime

• The quality of teaching material and number of people

capable of delivering the RJT program

• The reach of the RJT program

• The number of youths competing at athletics events.

• The success of club development

• Attendance at regional events

• Number of medals at international events.

“It’s not just a case of throwing more money at the sport,”

Tyler said. “It’s about getting smart and thinking ahead

and I believe The Canadian Athletics Coaching Centre is a

crucial step in the right direction.” �

Kevin Tyler (l) working with promising young athlete, Tyler Christopher

“Athletics is the one sport that every kid can do.”

Kevin Tyler

10University of Alberta

t’s just halfway into March but Tom Hinch just can’t

wait for September. That’s when the Faculty will see

the first intake of high school and transfer students

into its brand new Bachelor of Arts degree in Recreation,

Sport and Tourism. “The new degree is designed to be

“more attractive and connect with students more readily,”

says Hinch, Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Programs.

“Whether people are recreating in their home

environment, travelling for pleasure or involved in

recreational sport, they are doing so in the context of

their leisure,” says Hinch. “Developing an understanding

of leisure and the ways it is manifest in recreation, sport

and tourism will enable students to contribute to the

delivery of those services in the communities in which

they live and work. Graduates will have an impact on the

quality of life in those communities.”

Prospective employers will like the look of the BARST

degree too, says Hinch. “It’s going to be easier to sell the

degree to potential employers because even the degree

name makes it explicit as to what kind of career paths or

roles graduates might play in an organisation. We feel this

degree offers graduates a better chance to get a foothold

in the field and enjoy success.” Greater emphasis on

management and administration also strengthen the

degree’s – and graduates’ - marketability.”

Hinch says the structure of the new degree offers plenty

of variety and includes opportunities for interdisciplinary

and cross-faculty studies. Core courses will be available

every year now instead of in alternate years and that’s a

strong selling point for transfer students – Hinch hopes to

attract many of these to the degree.

Also, says Hinch, “There’s a liberal arts foundation in the

humanities, social sciences, fine arts and languages.” In

addition students can take senior level faculty options for

advanced studies in recreation, sport and tourism and

they’re able to take up to 12 credits with an out-of-faculty

focus. This will enable them to advance their education in

something they’d enjoyed and want to explore in more

depth, to bring their degree focus in line with their

interests. “Students can take courses that complement

their interests not only within our own faculty, but in

other faculties across campus.”

“The new degree places more responsibility on the

student,” he adds. “They’re going go have to think their

way through what they want from their degree. Our

Undergraduate Programs office is open all year to help

them do that.”

The BARST degree interlaces more closely with the

Faculty’s other offerings which all study sport, but in

different ways. “It you put our degrees on a continuum”

says Hinch, ”we have a BSc in kinesiology that’s sport

science focused; a combined physical

education/education degree with a focus on physical

education; a physical education degree focussed on

physical education and physical activity, but looking more

at sport in terms of performance, and the BARST degree

which not only looks at recreation and tourism, but also

looks at sport in terms of leisure consumption – the

reason spectators come to the game or event or will pay

to see a sporting event - rather than in terms of sport

performance.”

The BARLS degree is presently being phased out. Current

BARLS students with fewer than 60 credits (first and

second year students) are being transferred into the new

program and those with more that 60 credits – typically

third and fourth year students - are being given the

option to transfer into the BARST program. Existing

students, says Hinch, are embracing the move to the new

degree enthusiastically.

Hinch says he’s expecting between 35 and 40 students to

enroll in the program this fall. Deadline for admissions

has been extended to May 1.

“The BARST degree is a better fit with our Faculty and is

positioned strategically for challenging career

opportunities,” says Hinch. “That’s good for students.” �

New Recreation, Sport and Tourismdegree offers students fresh study focus; marketable skills

“We feel this degree offers graduates a better chance to get a foothold in the field and enjoy success”

Tom Hinch

I

11University of Alberta

yan Williams (BA Rec Admin ’98) is an expert at

managing pain, yet there is not a lab coat or bottle

of pills to be found in his Vancouver offices. The

pain this 29-year old company president deals with is

what he calls “organizational pain” and his work has

already won him a prestigious top American Business

Award in 2004.

Ryan, a former Golden Bears football player, is today

president of TWI Surveys, a company that specializes in

diagnosing organizational health problems. It is a far cry

from some of the work he did while attending the

University of Alberta. “I ran a couple of different

companies including one being a band promoter running

gigs at the Thunder Dome Club,” Ryan says.

He joined forces with his father Tudor Williams in 1998.

Williams senior was already a respected member of the

Canadian business communicators’ community with his

own company and together with his son now makes a

formidable team specializing in improving company

health.

It’s all about listening to the people who matter, says

Ryan. “My passion is for finding out what people do and

why and then helping them by using that information to

make meaningful changes,” Ryan says.

It was Ryan’s experience on a co-op placement with an

American company, The Adobe Group, in the winter of

1997, which convinced him strategic communication,

surveying and improving the health of organizations was

what he wanted to do.

It opened his eyes to the potential of online surveying

and made him realize there were real opportunities for

traditional survey companies to use the Internet. It is not,

however, something that would have occurred to him

when he was recruited onto the Golden Bears from

Vancouver College in the Fall of 1995 as a

fullback/running back.

“My aspirations back then were really just playing

football,” Ryan says. As well as training, studying,

representing football on the University Athletics Board

and playing football at the U of A, he also found time to

run another small company called All the Right Moves. It

offered small groups of keen young kids the intensive

football coaching that was not possible at the bigger

summer camps.

Today Ryan continues his involvement with the sport by

coaching his old school team at Vancouver College,

something he has done voluntarily for the last seven

seasons. “We have made it to three provincial champs

and are very good at being the bridesmaid,” he laughs.

Nurturing young football talent is important to Ryan for

more than just sporting reasons. “You can develop a real

sense of community with a team and it’s a great way for

kids to develop a sense of place,” he says.

On top of all this he still finds time to run the local

offices of Delta/Richmond’s Conservative Party MP John

Cummings and also developed a strategic business plan

for his church.

Ryan says he uses the word pain in his discussions with

clients because he believes healing an organization is all

about meaningful and productive communication through

which everyone is heard.

Some of his clients to date have included Shell Chemicals,

Petro Canada, NorskeCanada, Southern Railway, NEXEN,

TELUS, AT&T Wireless, E-Bay and BC Hydro. With these

names already under his belt the future looks promising.

Asked if a political career lurks on the horizon, Ryan

hedges a little but says he would not rule it out right

now. Right now he’s focused on healing pain. �

Ryan Williams welcomes emails from former class mates

and Golden Bears football alumni. He can be reached at

ryan@twisurveys.com or www.twisurveys.com

Ryan Williams – Healing Organizational PainBy Wanda Vivequin

“My passion is for finding outwhat people do and whyand then helping them byusing that information tomake meaningful changes.”

R

12University of Alberta

In another lifetime University of Alberta Pandas basketball coach Trix Baker

(Master of Arts in Physical Education, 1985) might have become a professional

golfer. She talks passionately about the “other sport” in her life. “I just love

playing golf,” says Trix, a Stettler Alberta native whose Dutch parents settled here after

WW2. “It’s a perfect sport for my personality because I am so competitive and playing

golf is competing against myself,” she adds.

Spare time outside the winter months is spent either with 13-year old son Jordan, or

on the golf course with husband Doug, who has coached basketball teams alongside

Trix for a number of seasons. They made a formidable - often vocal - team over the

years, pacing behind the bench and racing along the sidelines trying to get the most

out of their teams.

Trix is the first to admit her bark is worse than her bite. “I know I have something of

a reputation for being quite hard-nosed and vocal on court but I am actually quite a

caring person at heart,” Trix says. “My main priority has always been to help players

perform to their full potential and sometimes you have to get a little vocal,” she adds.

Trix’s life has been completely consumed by basketball. For well over 25 years – more

than half her life – she has been a regular fixture either on the bench or behind it at

provincial and national levels. “Coaching a team is always a challenge especially in

basketball where there is no goalie and success really depends on the performance of

everyone,” Trix says. When the Pandas won the CIS National Championships in 1999,

Trix says her theories were proven true. “We were the underdogs but we performed

well as a team and won,” she says, referring to the win as a real highlight in her life.

Trix made her first appearance as a Panda player in 1976 and has been coach of the

squad for the last 14 years. She got into coaching partly because she did not want to

teach in the school system, something many of her fellow BPE graduates did.

After completing the course work for her Master’s degree in 1981, Trix spent time

coaching and teaching at Grant MacEwan College. In 1985 she finally submitted her

thesis on coach/athlete compatibility. This study has helped Trix understand her

players better and to get the best performance from her players. “It’s important to

focus on the process and not just the outcome,” she says.

Coaching the Pandas has been a demanding job that often takes Trix away from

Edmonton. To balance her life Trix says there are three things she absolutely cannot

do without: her family, her hot tub/spa pool and sunny days.

Without exception, the Bakers spend time in the hot tub every night they are in

Edmonton to soak away the pressures of their respective jobs. “It’s a perfect way to

unwind at the end of a day and soak away all the stresses,” Trix says.

Although basketball means a lot of travel, Trix says she is basically a homebody and

right now can’t wait for the snow to melt so she can dust off the golf bag and take to

the greens. �

Off Court with Trix BakerBy Wanda Vivequin

Trix BakerBasketballHighlights1976:

Graduated from William EHay High School, Stettler,Alberta

1976-81: University of Alberta Pandasbasketball player (during thistime made three nationalchampionship appearancesand was named All Canadianthree times)

1981-82(86): Basketball coach at GrantMacEwan College, Edmonton

1985:Completed Master of Arts insports psychology

1986-87: Assistant coach with husbandDoug Baker of Mount Royalmen’s basketball team

1987- 91: Coach of University ofLethbridge PronghornsBasketball

1993-99: Assisted Canada’s nationalbasketball team

1991: Appointed head coach ofPandas basketball

1999: Pandas won CIS nationalbasketball championships

I

13University of Alberta

n any given day at a lively little school just

north of Bangkok, Thai children giggle and

squirm as they learn English from their young

Canadian teacher, who in turn is equally hard at work,

mastering the complex intonations of the Thai

language.

“I never imagined I’d be working in Thailand,” says

Kari Mohn, who completed a Bachelor of Physical

Education degree in 2003. She’d specialised in adapted

physical activity and the Play Around the World

practicum experience, working with some of Thailand’s

most needy children, adults and youth, opened her

mind to the possibilities of making a real difference

elsewhere in the world. And it’s here, at the Global

English School – a private Christian school attended by

about 250 Thai and Cambodian children, that the

Sherwood Park native has found her calling. “I fell in

love with Thailand,” she says simply.

“I really didn’t know what to do after I graduated,”

says Kari. “Play around the World opened my eyes. I

wanted to travel. I considered doing an MA or maybe

occupational therapy, but really wasn’t sure what

direction I wanted to take. Play Around the World was

the turning point for me. I wanted to come back.”

That wish turned to reality when Kari was approached

by Joy Ronald. Ronald is a co-founder of the Global

English School, and offered Kari a chance to teach at

the school, which focuses on the teaching of English as

a second language. Kari leapt at the chance and today

teaches her 14 enthusiastic Grade 3 charges English,

science, physical education, mathematics, art, health,

citizenship and geography.

“I’ve learned to read and write a little Thai myself – it

certainly helps to be able to communicate!” says Kari,

who will stay in Thailand for another year. The former

gymnast, who taught the toddler to eight-year olds at

the U of A Gymnastics Centre and a member of the

Salto Gymnastic Club since age five, organizes school-

wide activity afternoons, children’s day games, and has

helped out with overnight camp games. She also runs

‘fitnastics’ classes – using dance and ribbon - every

Sunday for women of all ages.

Teaching in Thailand: land of contrasts becomes home to Kari Mohn

Continued on page 14

O

14University of Alberta

“This is a wonderful place to live,” says

Kari. “The people are so friendly, the

food is wonderful and it’s a fantastic

school that is so supportive and

welcoming. It’s safe and inexpensive to

live here and there are plenty of

opportunities for travel.” Kari has

travelled in northern and southern

Thailand revelling in the pristine

beaches and enjoying rock-climbing

adventures.

“When I look at what I want to

accomplish here, I’d say I want to be here

for my students, to be a positive influence

in their lives,” says Kari. Next year, Kari

will teach English as a Second Language

(ESL) classes as well. “I will have to use

my adapted learning skills to help

students who are having not only

difficulties with the English language, but

also with other different learning

difficulties,” she says. “It’s a challenge I’m

prepared to face and I’m excited to apply

more theoretical knowledge learned at

university.”

“I’m very thankful to Jane Vallentyne

and Play Around the World for opening

my eyes to the world and to the

pleasure of teaching,” says Kari. “Being

a leader for Play Around the World

brought out my skills – I’m still testing

what works and what doesn’t - but the

pleasure of discovery, and the growth

and meaning I find here every day is a

most enriching, satisfying experience.”

Once her teaching experience comes to

an end, Kari hopes to return to the

University of Alberta to read for a

Master’s degree in occupational therapy.

“It’s a good career choice, that fits my

path,” she says. �

Kari Mohn may be reached by email at

kari_mohn@yahoo.ca

Diary of a Tsunami survivor

Kari and boyfriend, Adam, and some friends decided to spend Christmas

at Phi Phi. As it happened, the popular resort area was one of the worst

hit by the fateful tsunami of December 26, 2004

“We met up with the others to go

for Christmas dinner and discuss

our travel plans for the next

couple of days. We were all

contemplating staying one more

day on the island, but decided

that there was more to see so we

would push on.We caught the

only ferry that left to Krabi at 9

a.m.and made it to the port, with

no mention of anything wrong,

until it was time to get off the

boat.

All of a sudden the Thai workers

started shouting “REO, REO!”and

they had a crazy panicked look

in their eyes - they wanted us to

get off the boat really quickly. I

saw a lot of black smoke coming

from the engine of the boat we

were on and figured the boat was

on fire and they were trying to

get all of us off before it exploded.

Helga and I were pushed off, then

the boat left the dock! Adam,

Joyce and Hilary were still on the

boat. I didn’t know what to do.

We were told to get off the pier

quickly and all of the boats were

beginning to speed away from

the dock.

We then saw off in the horizon a

great wall of white stretching

across the entire ocean. I gawked

at the sight, still trying to make

sense of what just happened.

Then I thought,“if that wave

looks that big that far away, we

may just be in a little trouble and

should probably go somewhere a

little higher than sea level.”

We went in to find Adam and the

others - thank heavens I can

speak a little bit of Thai! We were

taken to the old pier and two

hours later we were all back

together again, safe and sound.

After watching the news and

talking to several victims we

found out we had left Phi Phi

island just 45 minutes before the

tsunami annihilated the place!

We stayed in Krabi town for the

next few days listening to

haunting news reports, victims’

stories, and hearing the sirens.

That sound rang in my head for

days even after we left. We didn’t

witness much damage to

property - just a couple of homes

floating through the canal. We

mostly witnessed the

psychological and physical

damage it wrought on people. It

was dreadful. We didn’t volunteer

because we didn’t even know

where to start. Instead we tried to

get things back to normal and

continued with our vacation. Of

course we were plagued with

guilt, but part of me feels we were

exactly where we were supposed

to be, doing exactly what we

were supposed to be doing.”

Teaching in Tailand… continued from page 13

15University of Alberta

ow do you keep a major sports

facility on top its game? Ask the

Golden Bears Football Alumni

Association! They’re going big with their

Foote Field Buy-a-Seat program, which

aims to raise $1.5 million to bankroll

upgrades and expansions to the three-year

old multi-sport complex.

Donations to the ambitious fundraiser

– $1000 buys a new seat with a plaque

inscription of the donor’s choice - will

fund the installation of new stadium

seating in the main football stands seating

area. But, stresses Rick Henschel, former

Golden Bear football alumnus and one of

the directors of the Golden Bears Football

Alumni Association, “this isn’t just for

football.” Funds will also provide new

and expanded coaches’ meeting, video

review and training rooms, administrative

offices to house The Canadian Athletic

Coaching Centre (the legacy of the 2001

World Championships in Athletics) as well

as an expanded indoor viewing area and

hosting facilities.

It’s an aggressive target, says

Henschel. “We want to achieve our target

within 16 months, so we can go ahead

with the seats and the capital expansion –

and have enough money to fund some

endowments for Foote Field and the

players.”

Henschel says he’s passionate about

the fundraiser because the football

program here underpinned his success at

university and in life. “The program

supported me in a number of ways: I

developed lifelong friends and memories,”

he says. “My success in football and in my

education went hand in hand.

“So much of who we are today

developed at university – and football was

such an integral part of that, that most of

us see this as an opportunity to give

something back to a program which, in

many ways, shaped the men we became.”

Golden Bears Football Alumni

Association president, Tom Richards,

couldn’t agree more. “When you look

back at the events and periods in your life

that really meant something to you, my

university experience was one of those

defining moments in shaping the

individual I have become today,” says the

former Eskimo. “I want to ensure that

future generations of Golden Bear football

players are able to gain a similar

experience,” says Richards. “If I can

organise a group of guys to enrich that

experience, I’m all the happier.”

Bob Kinasewich, the Faculty of

Physical Education and Recreation’s

Director of Development and Alumni

Affairs, says there’s good reason to invest

in this prime facility. “The University of

Alberta has the finest athletic program out

of all the Canadian universities. Eldon

Foote envisioned both the need and

benefit of providing a first-class facility to

enable a top-ranked athletic program to

continue – and to allow high-achieving

student athletes to develop and excel in

their athletic endeavours. We now need to

build on that legacy by providing funds to

upgrade, expand and to ensure future

maintenance and operations at Foote Field

continue.”

Richards says response has been good

and football alumni have been incredibly

supportive. “There’s money in the bank

already!” he says.

This is a long-term initiative and

Henschel says the alumni association is

optimistic. “Ten years ago, our alumni

association was just a couple of guys with

a few ideas. We’re now to the point where

we’re taking in $20,000 to $30,000 in

scholarships for the football program. We

have momentum and we’re using that to

go to the next step.

“When you look at a Penn State or

Ohio State, where the football program

generates upwards of $100 million US per

year, I say here’s where we are, there’s the

target. Maybe we’re a hundred years away

from doing that but if we don’t start today,

we’ll never get there.” �

Ambitious Foote Field buy-a-seat program launches expansion drive

“So much of who we are today developed at university – andfootball was such an integral part of that, that most of us see this as an opportunity to give something back to a program which,

in many ways, shaped the men we became.”Rick Henschel

H

16University of Alberta

Reunion2004Lovely to see you again, my friend!

Reunion 2004 was a

blast! Many of you came

to Pub Night to raise a

glass with the Dean and

friends from yesteryear.

At the Dean’s lunch on

Saturday, we recognized

alumni celebrating their

25 and 50 year

anniversaries with

commemorative gifts.

We hope that many

more of you celebrating

milestone years will

come to Reunion 2005.

We loved seeing you

here and celebrating

your Faculty with you!

Reunion 2005 is from

September 30 to October

2 this year. Come for fun;

come to catch up with

old friends and new!

Gregg Meropoulis (BPE ’74), Tom Richards (AG'88) and Percy Gendall ((BEd '84)

Myrna Empey (BPE ’64) and former Dean Herb McLachlin

Elna Nash (BPE '64)

Ida Thomson (BPE '64), Myrna Empey (BPE ’64)and Audrey Ackroy, professor emerita

Deb Larsen (BPE '79), Cheryl Stewart (BPE '79)and Dean Mike Mahon

Billie Niblock (BPE '54) Joyce Cutts (BPE ’54)

Elna Nash (BPE ’64), Gareth Morgan, Ida Thompson (BPE '64), Marna Claerhout((BPE '64) and Euni Mattson (BPE '62)

Chuck Moser (BPE '64) andChristine Hunter (BPE '98)

17University of Alberta

Universityof Alberta

Reunion2005 and

Open HouseSeptember 30to October 2 Come home

and celebrate!

Reunion 2005Faculty Events:

� Friday, September 30Pub Night at

Saville Sports Centre

7 to 10 p.m.

Pizza and Wings

Host bar

� Saturday, October 1The Dean’s Pre-Game Lunch

Saville Sports Centre

12.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m.

Football: Bears vs.

University of

Manitoba Bisons

Foote Field

2.00 p.m.

Joyce Cutts (BPE ‘54)

Gordon Breitkreutz (BPE '59), Donna Enger (BPE ’59)and Irvin Servold (BPE '61)

Mike Eurchuk (BPE '64), Glenn Claerhout (BPE '66), Arnie Enger (BPE ’57) and Development Director Bob Kinasewich

Class of ‘64

Arnie Enger and Kim Gordon (BPE ’77), Pierre Gervais in background

Colin Williams (BPE '73) and Wendy Andrews (BPE '71)

Irvin Servold (BPE '61) and Wendy Duke (BPE '69)

Register for events online

http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/alumnireunion/

18University of Alberta

ohn Primrose

(BPE 65, BEd

66, MSc 71)

knows a thing or two

about bicycle security.

Ask this former World

and Commonwealth

trap shooting

champion, and

member of the Order of Canada, about

how to stop a pesky thief from stealing

a seat or wheel and be prepared for a

lengthy discussion! The solution says

John, should be arriving from Asia in

the next few months. Since 1998, he

and a small group of investors have

been embroiled in a business venture

to produce special locking skewer sets

that stop thieves from stealing seats

and wheels.

“There is enough in this saga to fill a

book,” says John from his Edmonton

apartment.

Always busy, enthusiastic and

prepared to talk, John leads an eclectic

life. He dabbles in the property

market, is an enthusiastic player on the

stock market, has a hobby farm

outside the city and is still very

involved in a sport he has competed in

at all levels for almost 50 years.

Trap shooting has been described as

“playing golf with a shotgun.” It’s a

good thing then that John was such a

good golfer! He won the Alberta Junior

Championships while still at school in

Edmonton.

Asked how he became interested in

trapshooting, he says, “I did a bit of

research back then and discovered that

if you wanted to see the world, trap

shooting was a good sport in which to

represent Canada.”

At his first trials in 1962 John won a

spot on the national team and travelled

to Cairo to compete in his first World

Championships, an event he

participated in 27 times. At 61, he still

has what it takes and remains ranked

as one of Canada’s top six shooters.

As a young man John was a natural

athlete representing the University of

Alberta in golf, badminton and

volleyball. But it was shooting that

took him all over the world, winning

two Commonwealth gold medals and

two world championships. “It was a

great way to see the world,” he says.

There aren’t many people who can say

they competed at the Olympic Games

in each of the past four decades. John

has competed at six of them.

He taught for a while in Edmonton and

Ottawa after graduating with a BPE and

BEd, then returned to the U of A in

1968 to read for his MSc in exercise

physiology. “I really missed the

academic stimulation and wanted to

specialize in something. I thought that

getting a Master’s degree would open

up some more areas to me,” he says.

John Primrose– Olympian thrives on business ventures and sport

by Wanda Vivequin

John Primrose:Outstanding athletefor four decades1960:

Won Alberta Junior GolfChampionships while still athigh school.

1962-66: University of Alberta GoldenBear in golf, badminton andvolleyball

1962: Selected for Canadian trapshooting team for the first time.Travelled to Cairo for first of 27World Championships

1965: Graduated with BPE.

1968: Competed in Olympic Gamesin Mexico City (first of sixappearances at the OlympicGames).

1971: Graduated with an MSc.

1974: Won Commonwealth Gamesgold medal in Christchurch,New Zealand.

1975: Won World Championship inMunich, Germany.

1977: Inducted into the CanadianSports Hall of Fame.

1978: Won second CommonwealthGames gold medal inEdmonton.

1983: Won second WorldChampionship in Edmonton.

1985: Awarded the Order of Canada.

2004: Selected for Canadian trapshooting team

John Primrose at the World Championships in Argentina, 1981

J

19University of Alberta

An invitation to work on further research in Australia led to an extended time in the Southern Hemisphere during the early

1970’s. The studies also gave Primrose an added advantage during his training for trap shooting. “Knowing at a

physiological level what it takes to be a good shooter was a real help,” John says. John spent spent many hours at

Edmonton’s Strathcona Shooting Range perfecting the techniques that turned him into a world champion.

A regret is that few young Canadians are interested in taking up the sport, something John puts down to a change in

attitude and the influence of gun legislation in the past few years.

While the effects of two motor accidents in recent years have forced John to slow his pace a little, he remains full of plans

for future projects to keep him busy. �

Track and fieldhead coach

Georgette Reedand formerDean Gerry

Glassford

2004 inductee StaceyWakabayashi with

U of A presidentDr. Roderick Fraser

InducteesMegan Delehanty, BSc 1990; MSc (UBC);

PhD pending – University of Pittsburgh

George Hughes, BSc 1950

Ian Newhouse, BPE 1980; MSc 1983;

PhD (UBC) 1987

Irwin Strifler, BPE 1965; Dip. Ed. 1966

Event scheduleNo host reception 5.30 p.m.

Silent Auction begins 5.30 p.m.

Dinner 7.30 p.m.

Guest SpeakerLori-Ann Muenzer, gold medallist in

cycling, 2004 Olympic Games (Athens)

Tickets$150 p.p.

$1500 – table of 10

Ticket purchaseJocelyne Lambert; Faculty of

Physical Education and Recreation

W1-34 Van Vliet Centre, University

of Alberta; Phone 492-3893

Email jocelyne.lambert@ualberta.ca

Please support theFaculty’s biggestfundraiser for student-athlete scholarships!

Sports Wall of Fame 20th Annual Dinner, Induction Ceremony and Fundraiser

2004 inducteeJanice McCaffrey

Thursday, May 12, 2005Shaw Conference Centre

9797 Jasper Avenue,

Edmonton, Alberta

activealumni

40063741Edmonton, AlbertaReturn undeliverable Canadian addresses to

Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation,University of AlbertaE424 Van Vliet CentreEdmonton AB T6G 2H9email: jane.hurly@ualberta.ca