Month: July 2024

Launch of “Play Fair” A Groundbreaking Anti-Racism in Sports Toolkit

Toronto, ON – July 23th, 2024 – The Inclusion in Canadian Sports Network (ICSN) is excited to announce the upcoming launch of “Play Fair”: An Anti-Racism in Sports Toolkit. This comprehensive resource is designed to address and combat racism within the sports community. Set to be released in the fall, this toolkit aims to foster an inclusive and equitable environment for athletes, coaches, and sports organizations across Canada.

The “Play Fair” Toolkit provides practical strategies, educational resources, and actionable steps to help sports organizations, teams, and individuals recognize and eliminate racist practices and attitudes. This toolkit is a crucial step towards promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in sports at all levels.

“We believe that sports should be a space where everyone feels welcome and valued,” said Shauna Bookal, President of ICSN. “The ‘Play Fair’ Toolkit is designed to empower those within the sports landscape to take proactive steps towards creating a more inclusive environment. We are committed to driving change and promoting equity in all aspects of sports,” added Bookal.

The development of this toolkit involves collaboration with experts in diversity and inclusion, athletes who have experienced racism firsthand, and sports organizations committed to change.

The “Play Fair”: An Anti-Racism in Sport Toolkit was funded by the Sport Support Program’s Gender Equity – Equity, Diversity Inclusion component through Sport Canada.

For more information about, Play Fair: An Anti-Racism in Sports Toolkit, and to learn more about the next steps, please email Lysa Lowe at: toolkit@inclusionincanadiansports.ca

ICSN is happy to announce that The Inclusion in Sports Webinar series is officially open for registration!

We’re a collaborative effort by ICSN, RISE, and Transathlete.com, dedicated to supporting administrators and student-athletes in fostering inclusivity within post-secondary athletic programs.

The webinars featuring RISE and Transathlete.com will be tailored for Sport Administrators within Post Secondary Athletics across Canada. There will be webinars specifically designed for Emerging BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour), aged 18 years old-30 years old

A ticket will include access to all Transathlete.com and RISE sessions for one Administrator and Access to all sessions for an emerging BIPOC Leader. This package will also include a ticket to the 3rd Annual Diversity in Sports Conference in 2025, for both respective parties.

For more Information visit our programs page website.

ICSN would not be able to make this possible without the funding provided by Sport Canada through the Sport Support Program’s Gender – Equity & Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion component.

Dalton Myers

Dalton Myers is currently the Director, High Performance Sport Programs at Queen’s University. He is a sport administrator, entrepreneur, sport consultant, sport columnist, and Authorized World Athletics Athlete Representative. Dalton recently served as Assistant Director, High Performance Sport at Carleton University. He was the Corporate Planner at the Jamaica Olympic Association, and a former Director of Sport at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus. He has also been a President of the Jamaica Intercollegiate Sports Association, a member of FISU Americas, and a Director of both the Jamaica Cricket Association and Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association. He also served as Project Manager for the Council for Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) sports program in Kingston Jamaica.

Dalton joined Queen’s University in May 2023 and is responsible for the development and delivery of strategies for the competitive high-performance sports programs. He currently sits as a Board member of the Canadian Center for Mental Health and Sport (CCMHS) and serves as the Chairperson for the Ontario Athletics Association’s (OUA) EDI Committee and the Queen’s Safe Sport Committee.

Dalton was also an adjunct lecturer at The UWI in undergraduate and postgraduate courses examining sport, politics science, sport governance and cultural studies. He is a Co-founder and Lead Consultant at Strategic Sports Consultancy Limited and Director of JAD Professional Management Limited – an athlete management company based in Kingston, Jamaica. Dalton is a former student-athlete, in addition to being involved in numerous sporting activities at both the undergraduate and graduate levels at UWI.

He has also been the Chef de Mission for several national teams including Team Jamaica at the World Junior Para-Athletic Championships, the World University Netball Championship, the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast Australia and the 2019 Pan-American Games in Lima, Peru. Academically, Dalton completed a Bachelor of Science degree in International Relations (Major) and Political Science (Minor) in 2004 at the UWI, Mona Campus. He later attended Graduate School at the UWI, completing a Master of Philosophy in Cultural Studies in 2011, before receiving a Master in Sports Administration from Ohio University in 2014. He is Safe Sport trained and has completed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Advanced Sport Management Course.

Arshay Cooper

Arshay Cooper is a Rower, Bestselling and Award-winning Author, A 2x Golden Oar recipient for his contributions to the sport of rowing, a motivational speaker, activist, and the protagonist of the film, A Most Beautiful Thing. (Executive produced by Academy-Award and Grammy winner Common, NBA stars Grant Hill and Dwyane Wade, the Winklevoss Twins, and Olympian Mary Mazzio). Arshay grew up on the West Side of Chicago in a community surrounded by gangs and drugs. In 1997 he joined (and later became captain of) the country’s first All-Black high school rowing team at Manley High School, an experience that changed his life. He then dedicated two years of his life to AmeriCorps, focusing on DEI, and soon after that attended Le Cordon Bleu, becoming a personal chef for World Wrestling Entertainment, Warner Brothers film sets, and professional athletes.

After years as an entrepreneur in the food service industry, Arshay returned to his true passion: working with young people. He founded the NY East Side Rowing Club and worked as the national youth program guidance counselor for Victory Outreach International. Arshay also helped start several rowing programs for low-income youth across the country, anywhere a puddle of water exists, so that other young people can experience the profound change that can happen on the water. Arshay is the founder of the National Award-Winning Non-Profit, The A Most Beautiful Thing Inclusion Fund, which introduces thousands of under-resourced youth to the sport of rowing. Arshay’s mission has sparked the MLK Day of Service “DAY ON” for collegiate and high school sports teams across the country and community rowing events between local police and community members. Arshay’s message has spread all across the world, speaking for the members of Congress, the NBA and WNBA, the NAACP, the Obama Foundation, the Congressional Black Caucus, and professional sports teams (including the Oakland A’s, the Atlanta Hawks, the Miami Dolphins, the Atlanta Falcons, and the Chicago Bulls). The British, New Zealand, Australian, German, Dutch, Italian, French, Egyptian, Turkish, Canadian, and other Olympic teams are supporting Arshay and the film profoundly, including creating new charitable organizations and initiatives with underserved communities. Universities and athletic directors across the United States (from Morehouse and other HBCU institutions to the University of Washington to Harvard, Yale, and Princeton) are all hosting events with Arshay.

Arshay has spoken at UPS, Bank of America, Target, JP Morgan, Delta Airlines, Starbucks, Microsoft, and many other companies hosting conversations around the film, digging into access and opportunity, and the importance of bringing people together. The book was nominated for an NAACP Image Award and won the 2020 Nautilus Award. The film has won the 2021 Gracie Award, was nominated by the NAACP for an Image Award, was nominated by the Critics’ Choice Association for Best Sports Documentary, was nominated by the International Press Academy for Best Documentary, and was named one of the best films of 2020 by Esquire. A MOST BEAUTIFUL THING (executive produced by Academy-Award and Grammy winner, Common, NBA stars Grant Hill and Dwyane Wade; and directed by Olympian Mary Mazzio) chronicles the first African American high school rowing team in the country, made up of young men, many of whom were in rival gangs from the West Side of Chicago, all coming together to row in the same boat. It is an amazing story based on the memoir by Arshay Cooper.

The film is currently streaming on Peacock and Amazon Prime, and a scripted series is now being developed with Amazon Studios. Arshay and his work have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, LA Times, Today Show, NBC Nightly News, BBC, Men’s Health, Sports Illustrated, Hollywood Reporter, Chicago Tribune, BET, NPR, and many others.

Sherali Najak

Meet Sherali Najak, a Live Multi-Camera Director, Producer, and Executive Producer, celebrated for his exceptional contributions to the world of live entertainment and sports broadcasting.

With an impressive 25-year tenure at Hockey Night in Canada, Sherali has directed and produced captivating live events, earning worldwide acclaim for producing more than 17 Stanley Cup Finals and directing Wayne Gretzky’s final game. Despite his executive producer role, Sherali is from the trenches and is dedicated to the grind of learning something new in every production.

His mastery extends beyond sports, leaving his directing imprint on diverse occasions, from the inaugural Legacy Awards (2022 and 2023) to the HHOF’s induction ceremony, live New Year’s Eve concerts, Battle of the Blades, and the directing the World Feed for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation.

Sherali’s expertise lies in seamlessly directing multi-camera entertainment specials, infusing unique artistry into each production. Collaborating with producers, technicians, and choreographers, he elevates the visual and narrative impact, ensuring that the nuance of storytelling through imagery is captured in every frame. Sherali cares about the process, the people, and the outcome.

Beyond the glitz and glamour, Sherali’s commitment to mentoring and empowerment shines brightly. An advocate for nurturing talent, he believes in empowering others to reach their full strut! His dedication to community service, volunteering with the Aga Khan Development Network, an organization dedicated to improving living conditions and opportunities for the poor, with a focus on health, education, culture, rural development, institution-building, and the promotion of economic development. This work reflects his belief in the power of community and social responsibility.

Recognized with multiple Gemini and Screen Awards, Sherali’s ability to orchestrate live multi-camera productions has set a standard for industry excellence. His commitment to delivering seamless and captivating entertainment experiences, combined with his mentorship ethics, has made him a sought-after director in the world of live production.

Drawing inspiration from the rhythms of his musical influences, Sherali holds onto a notion expressed by Prince: “Prince never liked doing the same show twice.”

Sherali Najak stands at the forefront of live multi-camera entertainment. In a world where every event is an opportunity for excellence, Sherali directs with precision, passion, and dedication to creating space for the viewer to feel every moment.

Arash Madani

If it is a major sporting event, chances are Arash Madani has been there to cover it for Sportsnet. From the Super Bowl to the Olympics, the Stanley Cup Final to the World Series, Wimbledon to the Raptors’ championship run, Arash has travelled the world to chronicle some of the biggest moments in sport. He was at The Masters when Tiger Woods made his return to golf, on the play-by-play call for Canada winning the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup to become the world champions of tennis and has handled rinkside reporting on Hockey Night in Canada. Over the years, Arash has also been the host and sideline reporter for Blue Jays broadcasts, ATP and Davis Cup tennis, the FIBA World Cup and was pitch-side when Canada’s men’s national soccer team clinched a spot into the FIFA World Cup.

Arash is a storyteller at heart and has interviewed the biggest names in sports. He’s had in-depth conversations with Roger Federer and Christine Sinclair; insights from Usain Bolt and David Beckham as well as Marie-Philip Poulin, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Mark Cuban. Gaining the trust of start athletes and sports personalities, and allowing them to be unfiltered and vulnerable on-screen, is one of Arash’s strength. The stories that he shares peel back the layers and helps the audience understand what makes an athlete tick.

In addition to his television work, Arash has been a regular co-host on Sportsnet 590 The Fan and is a contributor to the online print content on Sportsnet.ca. In 2017, he was the recipient of the ‘George Gross Award,’ presented annually to Canada’s top sports broadcaster.

Prior to his time at Sportsnet, Arash was with The Score after stints in sports radio, daily newspapers (including his hometown, Truro Daily News) and twice as a media relations director for CFL teams. Arash has become a regular on the speakers’ circuit, travelling the country providing keynote addresses, as well as handling master of ceremonies duties for corporate and charity functions nation-wide. Blending stories from his travels, he provides real-life examples of leadership, teamwork, resiliency and empathy, using an array of ‘lessons from the locker room,’ and unique behind-the-scenes moments that engage audiences. Arash also mentors aspiring broadcasters and works as a broadcast consultant with companies looking to create their own content channels.

Vittoria Wikston

As one of Niagara’s first Certified Meeting Professionals (CMP); as well as attaining her Certified Meeting Management (CMM) designations, Vittoria is passionate about the events industry with the sole purposes of bringing people together and creating awe-inspiring sensory moments. With over 35 years of experience in sales, marketing and front-line event operations, Vittoria has held the reputation as being a powerful economic driver in the hospitality, tourism, and special events industry.

During her director tenure with Niagara Falls Tourism, event highlights would include destination project management of Rendezvous Canada 2015; Canada’s largest and impactful tourism trade marketplace involving in-bound travel product purchasers from 31 countries. International sporting events would include IIHF U18 Women’s Hockey Tournament – 2016, FIBA U18 Men’s Americas Championship – 2018 and the Canadian Wrestling Trials – 2019. She is currently working on the World Rowing Championships coming to Niagara in August 2024.

Her passion, persistence and determination have not only secured her a successful & rewarding career; but have also driven her to the summit heights of Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Everest Base Camp and through the Peruvian Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

As a member of the Niagara Bid Committee, she was responsible for launching the “Niagara Are You In”campaign that contributed to the Region’s successful win. Just concluding her role as Director, Marketing & Community Development for the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, Vittoria was committed to inspiring, transforming, and unifying Niagara in its delivery of a phenomenal games experience for all.

As an interwoven Niagara veteran, you’ll continue to find Vittoria leading her spin classes as a Mad Dogg | Johnny G instructor of 25 years; or romancing her grade nine high-school sweetheart husband; playing mom; or yet, being enriched and challenged with her most rewarding role – Nonna; to grand-daughter Sofia.

Vittoria’s professional portfolio highlights include:

Director, Marketing & Community Development, 2022 Canada Games Host Society
Proprietor, LuvVITT Solutions
Director, Business Development, Niagara Falls Tourism
VP | Sales & Marketing, White Oaks Conference Resort & Spa & The CLUB at White Oaks
Professor – Niagara College; Hospitality & Tourism Management

Month: July 2024

Launch of “Play Fair” A Groundbreaking Anti-Racism in Sports Toolkit

ICSN is happy to announce that The Inclusion in Sports Webinar series is officially open for registration!

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Month: July 2024

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Dalton Myers

Kelly Kasper

Greg Douglas

Marika Warner

Minister Carla Qualtrough

Arshay Cooper

Bryan Heal

Jean Merrill

Chris Mosier

Danne Diamond

Geneva Coulter

Morgan Cathart

Avish Sood

Dale Williams

Sherali Najak

Lori Gagnon

Kelly-Ann Paul

Mihira Lakshman

Ken Koester

Candice Maxis

Arash Madani

John Grant

Jonathan Chang

Dia Syed

Sabrina Razack

Gill Orris

Daria Joquera Palmer

Vittoria Wikston

Judy Joesph Black

Jo Chu

Sarah Smith

Craig Brown

Aisulu Abdykadyrova

Alia Atkinson