The importance of athletics to a university education was the focus and inspiration in establishing the BLG Awards.

In the business world, we realize how similar the challenges in business are to the challenges in sport, and that a university education is enhanced when combined with athletics. Success in business is more readily achieved when an individual is a team player, has faced competition, and developed passion and an ability to effectively communicate. In the early 1990s, when Canadian universities were facing financial cutbacks and athletic programs seemed the first to be cut, it was hoped that by introducing the BLG Awards, we could assist in focusing attention on the importance of athletics at Canadian universities and at the same time, showcase the great student athletes we produce in Canada.

Since 1993, BLG Calgary has hosted the BLG Awards to honour the top university athletes in the country and promote post-graduate studies at Canadian universities. The BLG Awards are held in conjunction with the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) organization. The CIS is the national organization governing interuniversity sport in and for Canada. Each of the 52 CIS universities select a male and female athlete of the year from which a male and female nominee are chosen to represent Atlantic Canada, Canada West, Ontario and Quebec. These eight nominees are the focus of the evening, each hopeful of taking home the prestigious BLG Award. The Awards honour the top CIS Male and Female Athletes of the Year based on their athletic accomplishment, outstanding sportsmanship, demonstrated leadership and academic excellence. Winners are selected by the Canadian Athletic Foundation , a not-for-profit board established to administer the Awards and protect the integrity of the selection process.

All the nominees are rewarded. Each of the eight nominees receive a commemorative gold ring. In addition, the two BLG Award winners each receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship to attend a Canadian graduate university and a trophy.

We continue to monitor the progress of past BLG Awards winners and are pleased to see their continued success in their professional and personal lives.

Canadian Interuniversity Sport

Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) is the national governing body of university sport in Canada. The original CIAU Central was founded in 1906 and was composed only of universities from Ontario and Quebec. In the East, the Atlantic Intercollegiate Athletic Association (AIAA) was founded in 1910, with members from Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. The Western Intercollegiate Athletic Association (WIAA) was founded in 1920 and included members from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. With the rapid development of interuniversity sport in the late 1950s, it became quite apparent any future successful development needed to be coordinated and administered in a centralized location. Athletic Associations across the country found that there was a need for discussion on common issues pertinent to athletics and the provision for a communication vehicle among teachers, coaches, athletes and researchers. Thus, the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) was reconstituted in 1961 and was represented by the various universities from coast to coast. It continued until 2001, when the name was changed to Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).

To learn more about the CIS, visit www.universitysport.ca.

Selection Criteria

The eight nominees are selected based on the following criteria:

• must have participated in a CIS sport for a period of two years (including the current year of nomination)
  
  
• must be in a course of study leading to their first undergraduate degree or graduate program (minimum second year)
  
  
• must be his/her university’s Athlete of the Year or runner-up
  
  
• must not be a previous BLG Award winner
  

The Canadian Athletic Foundation

The Canadian Athletic Foundation is a non-profit organization established for the express purpose of administering the Awards and protecting the integrity of the selection process.

The Board of Trustees has 23 members from seven cities across Canada who are committed to this endeavour and to ensuring that Canadian university athletes receive the recognition they so richly deserve.

The Canadian Athletic Foundation Board of Trustees

BLG and CIS extend their sincere thanks and appreciation to the Canadian Athletic Foundation Board of Trustees and their respective organizations for their support.

Douglas H. Mitchell, C.M., Q.C., Calgary
Chairman, Board of Trustees, The Canadian Athletic Foundation

Rewarding the Athletes

To recognize the dedication and hard work of the athletes in both their athletic and academic programs, and to support their continued education, the BLG Award winners receive:

• a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship
  
  
• a unique custom-made sculptured fossil-stone trophy

In addition, each of the eight nominees receives a commemorative gold ring.

The Jim Thompson Trophy

In 2003, the Women’s Athlete of the Year trophy was named “The Jim Thompson Trophy” in recognition of the contribution of the late Jim Thompson, an original Trustee of the Canadian Athletic Foundation Board. Mr. Thompson served on the Board of the Canadian Athletic Foundation since its inception in 1993. As President of TSN at the time, he was responsible for bringing the Awards to television. Mr. Thompson was not only a strong supporter of the BLG Awards but a firm believer in the value of athletics at Canadian universities and of amateur sports.

At the time of his passing in 2002, Mr. Thompson was the Chief Executive Officer and Secretary General of the Canadian Olympic Committee.