FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Winnipeg (November 12) – Today marks the opening of the 2015 Petro-Canada Sport Leadership sportif conference (SLS15), Canada’s conference for coaches, researchers, and sport executives and administrators. Organized by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), it runs from November 12-14 at the RBC Convention Centre and the Delta Winnipeg.

“We are delighted to bring the Petro-Canada Sport Leadership sportif conference back to the great and sports city of Winnipeg,” said Lorraine Lafrenière, Chief Executive Officer of the CAC. “This year’s conference is designed to give Canada’s sport and community leaders the chance to reflect on the success of the Year of Sport and to drive the industry forward through continued collaboration,” she added.

The conference schedule is filled with local flavour, including Winnipeg’s own Jennifer Botterill, John Olfert of True North Sports and Entertainment, and an all-Manitoba panel discussion that consists of national team coaches. Other highlights of the conference include presentations from John Herdman of Canada Soccer, Olympic gold medalist Chandra Crawford, John Furlong of the 2010 Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC), and Former NHL Coach of the Year Ted Nolan. Canada’s top coaches will also be celebrated at the Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Awards Gala on Friday, November 13th.

#SLS15 will host 400 delegates over three days and is presented in partnership with Petro-Canada, a Suncor business, who has been supporting Canadian athletes, coaches, and their families for more than 25 years. “We are excited to once again take part in the conference,” said Marc Goodman, director, loyalty and strategic partnerships, Suncor. “We look forward to celebrating this year’s recipients.”

EMBRACING CANADA’S POTENTIAL: What’s your piece to play? As part of Canada’s Year of Sport, the 2015 conference theme will explore the unique role each of us plays in fostering and embracing Canada’s sport leadership potential. “I am very proud to be here in one of my first events as Canada’s Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities and I look forward to working with all of you to strengthen and enhance Canada’s sport system. Congratulations to the Coaching Association of Canada for your work to support all coaches, from those at the grassroots level through to our high-performance coaches who help our athletes push for the podium. During this, the Year of Sport in Canada, we celebrate the critical contribution coaches continue to make in the development of our athletes and to sport in Canada,” the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons With Disabilities.

#SLS15 kicks off at noon (CST) today with an inspiring presentation from Yvonne Camus, an Eco-Challenge participant. For more information about the conference, including a detailed schedule and full list of speakers, please visit www.coach.ca/sportleadership, follow @SLSConference, or like www.facebook.com/coach.ca.

About Suncor

Suncor is Canada’s leading integrated energy company. Suncor’s operations include oil sands development and upgrading, conventional and offshore oil and gas production, petroleum refining, and product marketing under the Petro-Canada brand. A member of Dow Jones Sustainability indexes, FTSE4Good and CDP, Suncor is working to responsibly develop petroleum resources while also growing a renewable energy portfolio. Suncor is listed on the UN Global Compact 100 stock index and the Corporate Knights’ Global 100. Suncor’s common shares (symbol: SU) are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges.

Petro-Canada Retail and Wholesale:
Petro-Canada, a Suncor business, operates more than 1,450 retail stations and 250 Petro-Pass wholesale locations nationwide. Petro-Canada’s retail loyalty program, Petro-PointsTM, provides Canadians with the opportunity to earn and redeem rewards. Petro-Canada is proud to be a National Partner of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic committees, supporting Canadian athletes, coaches and their families for more than 25 years. For more information, visit www.petro-canada.ca.

About the Coaching Association of Canada

The Coaching Association of Canada unites stakeholders and partners in its commitment to raising the skills and stature of coaches, and ultimately expanding their reach and influence. Through its programs, the CAC empowers coaches with knowledge and skills, promotes ethics, fosters positive attitudes, builds competence, and increases the credibility and recognition of coaches.

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For more information , contact:

Michel Hachey
Manager, Communications
Coaching Association of Canada
613.235.5000 x 2382
613.858.0242 (Nov. 11-15)
mhachey@coach.ca