Dean Giesbrecht appointed as Vice Chairman at the Gymnastics Canada National session

The Gymnastics Canada (GCG) Board of Directors hosted a National session December 7/8 with leaders from the Provincial/Territorial Gymnastics Organizations and GCG management to review the new quadrennial Strategic Plan.  I am very pleased to announce that the participants not only endorsed the Strategic Plan for implementation, but also reached a consensus to significantly improve the funding strategy associated with our National Team athletes and coaches between now and 2020.

GCG’s Strategic Plan is built to enhance delivery on the technical services of the Federation, while placing significant new focus on the business aspects of GCG, such as marketing, communication, and technology development.  Improvements in the delivery of products and services to all stakeholders will also be a central theme of activities over the next quadrennial.  The Strategic Plan was developed with the feedback received from an extensive survey and consultation of gymnastics members from coast to coast. Many of the sport’s experts were involved, along with GCG management staff during the formation of the Plan.

Along with endorsing the Strategic Plan, an agreement in principle was reached between leaders to significantly increase funding for Canada’s National Team athletes and coaches.   The additional investment is projected to begin in 2014 and increase progressively each year up to 2020.  The influx of additional funds will assist with the Strategic Plan objective of achieving consistent top 8 and podium results across all Olympic disciplines.

Changes to the GCG organizational structure to better align it with delivery of the Plan were also discussed with participants debating the merits and risks involved with the restructuring process.  The Board reviewed all of the feedback at its Sunday meeting following the session, with the objective to re- align the structure within reasonable timelines.

Finally, the Board appointed Richard Crépin as its new Chairman, and Dean Giesbrecht as its new Vice Chairman following the resignation on Sunday of current Chair Allister Paterson, who advised the Board of his relocation to Europe at the end of December to accept a new work position.

I would like to thank all of the management staff and volunteers who invested tremendous time into creating our new Strategic Plan, and to all of the weekend session participants who have put their support behind its implementation.  I would especially like to thank the Provincial leaders for their enthusiastic support of our National Team programs, as evidenced by their championing of significant new investment for the Olympic disciplines.

While 2013 will be a difficult transition year toward our new objectives and program investment, I firmly believe that the future of gymnastics in Canada has never looked brighter.

Jean-Paul Caron
President/CEO
Gymnastics Canada