Dylan Armstrong crack over 21 meters (photo by Reese Raybon)

National Track League set to launch in 2011
If the National Track League succeeds, Canada’s top track
and field athletes will be able to take a break from their annual busman’s
holiday in Europe.
Top track athletes spend much of their summers competing at
high-profile European events, such as the Diamond League series,
where they can earn significant appearance fees and purses. The
National Track League, which will launch next summer, is a 15-day
schedule of five top track meets that is meant to draw the likes of
Perdita Felicien, Priscilla Lopes-Schliep, Gary Reed and Diane Cummins
back onto home soil where they can face top international
competition and the prospect of lucrative reward. League events will
also serve as high-end competitive opportunities for emerging Canadian
athletes. Other competitions at league events will be geared
toward local and regional athletes.
The National Track League will offer a coherent and consistent
platform for league sponsors to activate against nationally and onsite
in five major markets, says Brian Levine, Vice President, Partnership
Marketing with The Arnoldi Group, which is selling the league
on behalf of Athletics Canada. Competitors will earn points that will
culminate in the crowning of league champions during the final
weekend of competition.
Four of the five meets are already established events on the Canadian
track and field calendar, with their own roster of sponsors.
They are the Edmonton International Track Classic, the Harry Jerome
International Track Classic (Vancouver), the Victoria International
Track Classic and the Aileen Meagher International Track Classic
(Halifax). A fifth meet, yet to be named, will crown the competition
and the National Track League champions, in Toronto.
There are two wild cards in this deck: the Toronto meet and the
National Track League itself. With respect to Toronto, community
response to the 2009 Festival of Excellence was very encouraging.
Admittedly, says Levine, much of that was borne on the shoulders
of the then freshly-crowned Olympic and world champion Usain
Bolt, undoubtedly the most prominent track and field athlete on the
planet. But Levine also points to the expected impact of Toronto’s
2015 Pan Am Games. As those games approach, athletics will gain
an increasingly large profile in the city.
As to the marketability of the National Track League as a property,
Athletics Canada and the Arnoldi Group are banking on sustaining
momentum from the 2010 Winter Olympics.
“The appetite for amateur sport, and the equity in amateur sport,
has never been higher,” says Levine. A whole new class of armchair
athletes was born during those two weeks, and the backers of the
National Track League are hoping that they will make a seamless
transition from half pipe to hurdles.
The 2012 London Olympics and Toronto’s 2015 Pan Am Games
will be influential as well. Athletics Canada national team rights can
be bundled into National Track League sponsorship, giving national
team sponsors tangible assets across the country and a broadcast
component for 2011 and 2012. Domestic Pan Am Games sponsors
will have access to a relevant sporting property to build their brands
in the period leading up to 2015.

Much like any other sports league, assets of the National Track
League will be split between the league and local meets, though the
balance is tilted locally. Most of the local meet sponsors are on one year
contracts, says Levine, and many of the Tier 1 categories are
available. Several of those categories will be reserved for the league,
though what those categories will be depends on how the marketplace
responds. Banking, automotive, telecommunications, footwear
and apparel, and footwear and apparel retailer, are all prime prospects
for league-wide deals. Title and/or presenting sponsorship of
the National Track League are both on the table, he says.
“There’s going to be an overarching brand identity; that’s being
created right now.,” says Levine. There will be an inventory of assets
exclusively available to league sponsors. League sponsors will
have category exclusivity at the local events. “We’re coordinating
very closely with individual meet directors to ensure that sponsor
conflicts are avoided.”
The league will also be a new platform for existing Athletics
Canada sponsors, though it will be an incremental buy. RBC (banking)
and Nike (footwear and apparel) are current Athletics Canada
sponsors.
Discussions with broadcasters are underway. The Toronto meet will
be broadcast nationally and internationally, Levine promises. Broadcast
opportunities for the other meets are uncertain for now.

from

The Sponsorship Report

Volume 25 Number 12
DECEMBER 2010

Canadian track star Gary Reed set to retire

November 2, 2010

Sultana Strikes Gold

By MARK HUNTER
Daily News Sports Reporter

Dylan Armstrong likened his hectic lifestyle to that of a rock star. Sultana Frizell has only slept in her own bed 30 times between March 26 and Oct. 21.

You can bet these two Kamloops Track and Field Club throwers were glad to take a break to hobnob with their fans Monday. Armstrong and Frizell were at the Noble Pig, showing about two dozen fans and friends the gold medals they won last month at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India.

Although both athletes’ schedules remain hectic, they couldn’t have been happier to catch up with old friends and supporters, if only for a night.

“We have a following here,” Frizell said, with a laugh. “There is a throwing clan.”

Dylan Armstrong crack over 21 meters (photo by Reese Raybon)

Since returning from India, Armstrong has been throwing twice a day, five times a week. He will remain busy trotting the globe for the next few months, despite the fact his next outdoor meet isn’t scheduled until May.

“I got to spend a few days with family . . . then I’m off to Vancouver, and Tennessee for a clinic, and then I go to Toronto, then I’m back for four days, and then back down south,” said the 29-year-old Westsyde grad who won gold with a Games record heave of 21.02 metres. “I was (in Europe) 18 times this year, twice to the middle east and then once in India.”

Frizell, who turned 26 on Oct. 24, also set a Games record (68.57m) in winning the women’s hammer throw.

Her busy season continued when she returned to Kamloops on Oct. 21. She can’t even count the number of times she jetted overseas for meets.

Her travel has abated and she’s not competing right now, but her workload hasn’t lightened any.

“It’s intense, intense, intense,” said Frizell, who is from Perth, Ont. “The training remains the same, but there are no competitions. It’s still not a break.”

There really is no break for either of the athletes, who have set their sights on the 2011 world championships, scheduled for Aug. 27 to Sept. 4 in Korea, and the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Neither of them got a chance to see much of India, with Frizell spending about five days in New Delhi and Armstrong spending about 48 hours. There were many complaints about the state of the facilities in India leading up to the Games, but Frizell didn’t notice.

“It was very calm and collected for me,” she said. “Everyone did the legwork before the athletes got in there. All I had to do was go in there and throw – that’s what I like.”

It was Armstrong’s intention, from the time he knew he was going to the Commonwealth Games, to only spend a couple days in India. It had nothing to do with the pre-Games complaints - with his busy lifestyle, he’s used to going into a city for a weekend, competing and leaving.

“A lot of people thought that was crazy, but I do that every week almost,” Armstrong said. “It’s nothing for me – I train like that. I knew I was going to do that in September.”

mhunter@kamloopsnews.ca

Perdita Felicien and Priscilla Lopes Schliep

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2010

Athletics Canada to launch National Track League in 2011

OTTAWA – Modeled after the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Diamond League, the National Track League (NTL) will deliver a coherent and sustainable points based Grand Prix style series of meets while in the process harmonizing national, provincial and international calendars with long-term athlete development.  The series will begin a few days following the completion of the 2011 Canadian Track and Field Championships which take place in Calgary June 22-25.  The Edmonton International Track Classic will kick off the inaugural NTL series on June 29.

Dr. Doug Clement, Achilles International Track and Field Society President and co-founder of the Harry Jerome International, “Athletics Canada has provided Canada’s track and field athletes with a great opportunity in their development for success at the Olympic Games and World Championships by founding the National Track League.”  Clement who himself was an Olympian in adds, “This series of international competitions from coast to coast will create the stage to lift Canada’s finest athletes to the Olympic level.”

The National Track League will serve as a delivery agent of Athletics Canada’s strategic plan in three core areas; Athlete Development, Competitions and Organizational Capacity.   Athletics Canada Chief High Performance Officer Martin Goulet on the launch of NTL, “The creation of this series will support athlete development by providing our athletes with a chance to compete against top international talent on home soil.”  Goulet adds, “The high performance competitions within the series will integrate several National Program elements and will serve as dynamic marketing platform to help grow the brand of track and field in Canada while helping raise awareness of our athletes and the sport.”

2011 National Track League

With participating meets and dates finalized for 2011, the focus now shifts to raising sponsorship dollars to support the prize purse and ensure sustainability.  Stay tuned as Athletics Canada releases more information about this venture in the coming weeks and months.

About NTL

The NTL will provide Canadian track & field athletes with the opportunity to compete and win against world class talent at home and abroad by developing a memorable sports and entertainment experience that engages fans and sponsors, inspires future generations of athletes, and builds the capacity of Athletics Canada for the benefit of all stakeholders.

-AC-

>>>>>

POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE
2 novembre 2010

Athlétisme Canada lancer la Ligue nationale d’athlétisme en 2011

OTTAWA – Prenant comme modèle la « Diamond League » de l’Association international des fédérations d’athlétisme (IAAF), la Ligue nationale d’athlétisme (LNA) livrera un circuit cohérent et viable de compétitions de style Grand Prix, basé sur points, tout en harmonisant les calendriers provincial, national et international avec le modèle de développement à long terme de l’athlète.  Le circuit commencera quelques jours après le Championnat canadien d’athlétisme de 2011, qui aura lieu à Calgary du 22 au 25 juin.  L’Edmonton International Track Classic inaugurera le circuit de la LNA le 29 juin.

Le Dr Doug Clement, président de l’Achilles International Track and Field Society et co-fondateur de l’Harry Jerome International : « Athlétisme Canada donne aux athlètes canadiens d’athlétisme une opportunité formidable pour le développement du succès aux Jeux olympiques et aux championnats du monde, en fondant la Ligue nationale d’athlétisme. »  Clement, qui fut lui-même un olympien, ajoute : « Ce circuit de compétitions internationales, qui s’étend d’un océan à l’autre, créera le stage qui permettra aux meilleurs athlètes canadiens de se hisser vers le niveau olympique. »

La Ligue nationale d’athlétisme permettra la mise en œuvre du plan stratégique d’Athlétisme Canada dans trois domaines principaux : développement des athlètes, compétitions et capacité organisationnelle.  Le chef de la direction technique d’Athlétisme Canada, Martin Goulet, sur le lancement de la LNA : « La création de ce circuit soutiendra le développement des athlètes en donnant à nos athlètes la chance de concourir contre des talents parmi les meilleurs au monde sur notre propre sol. »  Goulet ajoute : « Les compétitions de haute performance du circuit intégreront plusieurs éléments des programmes nationaux, et serviront de plateforme dynamique de marketing afin d’accroître la portée de l’athlétisme au Canada, tout en aidant à conscientiser la population concernant nos athlètes et le sport. »

Ligue nationale d’athlétisme de 2011

Avec les dates finales des compétitions de 2011 déterminées, le focus se déplace vers la levée de fonds de la part de commanditaires afin de fournir les bourses monétaires et assurer la viabilité du circuit.  Demeurez à l’écoute car Athlétisme Canada publiera plus d’information concernant cette entreprise dans les prochaines semaines et mois.

À propos de la LNA

La LNA donnera la chance aux athlètes canadiens d’athlétisme de concourir et gagner contre des talents de classe mondiale, en sol canadien et à l’étranger, en développant une expérience mémorable de sports et de divertissements qui séduira les fans et les commanditaires, inspirera les futures générations d’athlètes et bâtira la capacité d’Athlétisme Canada pour le bénéfice de tous les intervenants.

-AC-

Medal streak continues in Delhi; track and field takes 3 more medals

Friday, October 08, 2010

OTTAWA – Jamie Adjetey-Nelson of Windsor, Ontario, Diane Roy of Sherbrooke, Quebec and Tabia Charles of Pickering, Ontario all earned medals today at the Commonwealth Games.  Adjetey-Nelson and Roy both captured gold while Charles won bronze bringing the track and field total to 6 (5 gold and 1 bronze).

Jamie Adjetey-Nelson captured gold in the gruelling 10 event decathlon with 8070 points. Heading into day 2 of the decathlon he was in first place and secured the victory with strong performances in the 110 metre hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin and finally the 1500 metres.  Notably he set a personal best of 4.70 metres in the vault. Adjetey-Nelson is one of only five Canadian athletes to ever break the 8000 point barrier; the others were Michael Smith, David Steen, Michael Nolan, and Massimo Bertocchi.

Diane Roy also had the golden touch today winning the T54 wheelchair classification 1500 metres race in a time of 3:53.95. This is Roy’s second Commonwealth Games medal and first gold; she won the bronze in the 800 metres in 2006.

Tabia Charles won her first major international games medal by triple jumping to a mark of 13.84 metres.  Charles received additional jumps by qualifying in the 8th position; her 5th jump earned her the bronze.

More from Day 3

Day one of the heptathlon is now in the books with Jessica Zelinka of Calgary, AB on top with 3658 points. Zelinka won her 100 metre hurdles heat in 13.19 seconds, jumped 1.69 metres in the high jump for fifth place, threw 13.30 metres for second in the shot put and ended first in her heat in the 200 metres in 24.08 seconds.  The quest for the Canadian multi event gold medal sweep will conclude tomorrow as Zelinka will take to Jawaharlal Nehru stadium to complete the seven event heptathlon.

Carline Muir of Edmonton, AB finished 7th in the women’s 400 metres final running in 52.43 seconds.

Winnipeg’s Nicole Edwards placed 5th in the 1500 metres final in 4:08.16 while Hilary Stellingwerff of Sarnia, ON was 11th in 4:12.87.

In qualification of the 1500 metres T54 wheelchair classification both Josh Cassidy of Guelph, ON and Jean-Paul Compaore of Sherbrooke, QC qualified for the final which is set for Sunday October 10 at 8:40am (Eastern Time).

For all information on the Commonwealth Games including the schedule, results, start lists, live streaming on CBC and more visit www.athletics.ca/page.asp?id=341.

Follow on Twitter > http://twitter.com/athleticscanada
Follow on Facebook > http://www.facebook.com/pages/Athletics-Canada/295494888051

-AC-

• 8 Oct 2010
• The Vancouver Sun
• BY YVONNE ZACHARIAS yzacharias@ vancouversun. com
• VANCOUVER SUN

The story of Harry Jerome is a moving piece of sports history

Jerome died far too young. Having suffered seizures, he was struck down by a brain aneurysm at the age of 42 in 1982.

In an interview from Toronto, Officer said making the film posed a number of challenges. Just tracking down former journalists like Allan Fotheringham and Brian Pound involved some sleuthing. “ It’s the most investigative thing I have ever done.” Then he had to set up faux museum installations in Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver, where he gathered his interview subjects for one intense day of shooting in each location.

Anyone remotely familiar with the story will note immediately the absence in the film of Harry’s sister, Valerie, a former Vancouver school teacher, an athlete herself and a tireless promoter of her brother’s memory.

Officer said he tried several times to get Valerie into the film, but she refused. He said he never really fully understood why although he is aware that she disagreed with Fil Fraser’s book on Harry upon which the film is based.

“ I’m disappointed in that, but the film had to be made and I think it still stands up for Harry.”

Contacted at her home in Vancouver, Valerie would only say, “ I wish I could endorse the project, but there are too many difficulties. But I am very pleased that Harry is being honoured with a film, that his name and contributions continue to be celebrated.”

Officer says he gets chills down his spine every time he sees the part where Jerome tells his former Olympic coach, John Minichiello, after his severe injury in Perth that he is not ready to turn his paraphernalia over to the sports hall of fame. The indomitable sprinter vowed to run again and he did. It showed Officer that Jerome had the athlete’s gritty determination to push through difficulty.

The film is important for setting the record straight regarding shocking media accusations that Jerome was a quitter and faking injury. He was a kid thrust in the limelight while being ill-equipped to handle it. Great expectations were heaped on his shoulders. It also shows the racist temper of the times. Neighbours in North Vancouver tried to drive the Jerome family out because they weren’t “ the right kind of people.”

Sultana Strikes Gold

Canadian throwers re-write Commonwealth Games and World record books

Thursday, October 07, 2010

OTTAWA – Canadian throwers made their mark today as the track and field team took 3 gold medals in grand fashion in Delhi, India.  Kamloops’ Dylan Armstrong earned his first major games victory in the shot put, his throw of 21.02 metres is a new Commonwealth Games record. In the hammer throw Sultana Frizell of Perth, ON also established a new Games record bringing home the gold with a throw of 68.57m. Rounding out today’s gold medal hat trick was Brampton, Ontario’s Kyle Pettey in the F34 classification shot put with a world record performance of 11.44 metres.  Pettey is the first para-athletics Canadian thrower to ever win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

Dylan sets CWG record

Other track and field results from Day 2

Also joining Frizell in the women’s hammer throw final were Kamloops’ Megann Rodhe and Crystal Smith.  Rodhe finished in 7th place with a best throw of 62.36 metres while Smith landed in 11th throwing 59.65m.

In the men’s 100 metre final Sam Effah of Calgary, AB ran 10.37 and placed 7th.

After day one of the decathlon Windsor, Ontario’s Jamie Adjetey-Nelson is leading the event with 4238 points. He won his 100 metre heat in a time of 10.87 seconds; placed second in the long jump with 7.37 metres; won the shot put in a personal best mark of 15 metres; placed 5th in the high jump with 2.02 metres and finished off the day in third in his 400 metre heat in 49.61 seconds.

In the women’s T37 classification 100 metre final Leah Robinson of Petersburg, ON finished 5th running a personal best of 15.27 seconds while Megan Muscat of St. Thomas, ON finished in 15.73, a seasonal best performance.

Edmonton, Alberta’s Carline Muir advanced to the women’s 400 metre final which takes place tomorrow at 8:50am (Eastern Time). Carline placed second in her semi-final heat running 52.55; Calgary’s Amonn Nelson placed 6th in semi-final 2 and will not advance.

Also in action were Nicole Edwards of Winnipeg, MB and Hilary Stellingwerff of Sarnia, ON who both advanced through to the finals in the 1500 metres. In the fastest and opening heat Hilary placed 8th with a time of 4:13.01; Edwards placed 3rd in the second heat in 4:13.90. The final takes place tomorrow at 9:10am ET.

Mike Mason of Nanoose Bay, BC automatically qualified for the final in the high jump later this week by clearing 2.16 metres; the finals are scheduled for Saturday at 8:20am.

For all information on the Commonwealth Games including the schedule, results, start lists, live streaming on CBC and more visit www.athletics.ca/page.asp?id=341.

Follow on Twitter > http://twitter.com/athleticscanada
Follow on Facebook > http://www.facebook.com/pages/Athletics-Canada/295494888051

-AC-

Former track stars enjoy hype of Moncton 2010

Published Thursday July 22nd, 2010

At first the soon-to-be 97-year-old former track and field coach didn’t recognize the bubbly and pleasant woman who interrupted his bingo game at the Veterans Health Care Centre.

Enlarge Photo

ED ST. PIERRE/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT

Doug Clement and Diane Matheson-Clement look over a scrapbook with Meddy Cormier at the Veteran’s Health Centre.

He didn’t, however, mind it one bit when his former track and field star pupil of more than 50 years ago gave him a big hug and kiss with misty eyes.

The meeting was the first in more than five decades for Diane Matheson-Clement, a member of Canada’s track and field team at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, and a bronze medal winner at Commonwealth Games with Canada’s relay team at Cardiff, Wales in 1958, and her old coach, Amedee (Meddy) Cormier, who is recuperating from a femur bone surgery after falling two weeks ago.

“My God,” said a surprised Cormier, when he recognized the unexpected visitor who wore a big smile.

“You haven’t changed a bit,” said the 74-year-old Diane, who was president of Athletics Canada (1973-76 and host country president of the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976).

“It’s the same old face,” quipped the Second World War veteran who turns 97 next Wednesday and helped Diane become one of Canada’s best track and field athletes during the 1950s.

“We’ve always loved each other. You were so good to me. You were a mentor and taught me about life and to give back,” said Diane.

Today, Diane and her husband, 77-year-old Dr. Doug Clement, are still heavily involved in track and field (they first met was at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne and have been married for 51 years and they have two children.)

An all-around athlete at Moncton High School, Diane ran for the Moncton Olympic Track Club founded by her late father Rand and Meddy in the 1950s.

Diane broke the Canadian records in the 100 and 200-yard dash at the Canadian Olympic training program meet in Toronto in 1954.

“The record was 11 seconds flat for the 100-yard dash and Diane did it in 10.9,” recalled the old coach in a previous interview. The sports shrine coach (he was inducted into the N.B. Sports Wall of Fame in 1992 and the Moncton Sports Wall of Fame in 1986, both as a builder) himself ran the 100-yard dash in 10.2 while attending Sacred Heart College at Bathurst in the 1930s.

Diane, who was inducted into the N.B. sports shrine (1979) and Moncton (1986), and her old coach reminisced for a half-hour about the good old days, looking through Meddy’s scrapbook. This columnist and Dr. Clement got a charge of the conversation, especially when Diane mentioned her running on the cinder track at the Moncton High School field near the banks of Hall’s Creek. “I had to run fast because of the mosquitoes,” quipped Diane.

A 1957 picture in the scrapbook showed Meddy flanked by Diane and Jennifer Saunders at the Canadian training plan interprovincial championships at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium.

Another showed Meddy at the Moncton airport with Franz Stamplfl and his wife. Stampfl, coach of Roger Bannister, the first man to run a mile under four minutes, was making a cross-Canada tour,

Diane was impressed with the picture of her former coach and the world-renowned Stampfl.

“I told him (Stampfl) that you may be a big cheese everywhere else in the world, but I’m the boss here,” quipped Meddy, referring to the time the famous coach stayed at Meddy’s home on Henry Street. The two had first met at the Canadian Olympic Training Plan and Interprovincial Track and Field Championships in Toronto in August of 1957.

Diane was very impressed with the scrapbook, especially when she spotted a picture and story when Meddy was honoured in 1971 by the Royal Canadian Legion. Cormier was presented with a certificate of merit by Moncton Legion Branch No. 6 second vice-president, Edward J. MacDonald, for his for his outstanding contributions in track and field and other facets of sports through the province for the legion.

In 1953-60, Cormier served as secretary-treasurer and registrar for the New Brunswick Amateur Athletic Union of Canada; served on the civic recreation and parks commission; in 1957, was head coach of the N.B. track and field team at the Canadian Olympic Training Plan held in Toronto, sponsored by the Royal Canadian Legion for all areas of Canada, During this period of community service, Cormier estimated he aided in the training and developing more than 7,500 “promising stars” and recalled one star, Miss Diane Matheson of Moncton – now Mrs. Douglas Clement – living in Vancouver.

One of the flag bearers at Monday’s official opening ceremonies, the proud Monctonian said it was “very, very emotional.”

“As we held the flag, just before we went on the track, Larry Nelson (the president of the Local Organizing Committee) looked over at me. I had never met him yet I recognized his picture. I looked over at him and tears came to my eyes. They were playing O Canada. I got very emotional. I just blew a kiss at him and I said: Larry thank you very much.’”

“It’s very emotional for me right now, because it’s my roots, the Moncton Olympic Club, Meddy Cormier, my dad Rand (he died four years ago at 94), the history and everything else.

“It changed my life and my life has been six decades of wonderful traveling with the Olympic fraternity, meeting my husband Doug at the 1956 Olympics, married now for 51 years, giving back to the sport that we love. We are very blessed.

“And it all started in Moncton. Driving by 91 Portledge Avenue, where I lived, driving by Moncton High, going on the track with my twin brother Dave (a long jumper and sprinter) last summer when we visited, getting down in the blocks on the grass. It’s were it all began.”

* Eddie St. Pierre is sports editor emeritus of the Times & Transcript.