Corporate
Getting to know your U SPORTS coaches: Amy Anderson, Winnipeg Wesmen
U SPORTS sits down with one key athlete, coach, and staff member of each U SPORTS athletic program in our new interview series “Getting to know…”
- Name: Peter Baxter
- School: Wilfrid Laurier University
- Position: Director, Athletics and Recreation
- Seniority: 20 years
- Previous job/position: Director of Athletics and Recreation, University of Toronto Mississauga
- Hometown: Greenfield Park, Que.
1. How did you get to your current position, and what do you enjoy most about our job?
After professional preparation in sport management at both the University of Toronto and Western University, including student leader positions in athletics, I have always worked in the realm of high school and university educational sport. What I enjoy most about my job is watching a student develop over four years athletically, academically and as a leader who I know will go onto achieve great things in life.
2. Who has had the most influence on your career?
I learned early in my professional career the power of sport and recreation as a powerful medium to teach and develop young people for life, career, family and community from Andy Gibson, former Executive Director of the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA). When I got to Ontario University Athletics (OUA), Thérèse Quigley took me under her wing and taught me the importance of collaboration, ensuring the integrity of rules amongst fellow members of U SPORTS, and focusing on the best experience for student-athletes.
3. What is your greatest sporting moment or achievement?
Over 20 years now at Laurier many come to mind but two happened in 2005. Laurier’s women’s hockey team defeated the University of Alberta in the gold medal game, snapping the Pandas’ 102-game win streak and winning the national championship. Standing beside me at the medal presentation was my 12-year-old daughter, Haley, who was inspired to go on to play five years for the Golden Hawks enjoying two OUA championships over her career with her teammates.
The second moment was Bryan Devlin kicking a field goal with 30 seconds on the clock to win the 2005 Vanier Cup.
4. How would you define a Wilfrid Laurier University student-athlete?
Our definition and vision for a Laurier student-athlete is an individual who strives for excellence in academics, athletics and leadership serving others.
5. What does success look like for the Wilfrid Laurier University athletics program
“Invest in people, improve the product and win.” If you invest in great leadership, top coaches and student-athletes the other two happen. Winning is defined not just on scoreboard success but also on developing the whole person.
6. What’s the biggest challenge you face in today’s sports world?
The biggest challenge in university sport today that, as a collective of 56 member institutions who need to recognize that we, as athletic directors, must collaborate so our coaches and student-athletes can compete. We are getting there with many provincial and national initiatives and by doing so the Canadian public and sport system will see us as leaders.
7. Where would you like to see Canadian university sport in the next three to five years?
U SPORTS has the opportunity to be the leader of the entire Canadian sports system. We are the biggest employers of full-time coaching leadership, collectively have the most high-performance facilities, support infrastructure and research in the country. Our product can no longer be the best kept secret within the Canadian public.
8. If you could sit down for dinner with one person in the sports industry (athlete, coach or manager), who would it be? Why? What would you talk about?
Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors instills core values of “joy, mindfulness, compassion and competition” in his team. Coach Kerr knows that winning is about developing the whole person. He also speaks out on issues of social justice and I admire his passion, integrity and straight talk.
9. What would you say to a sports fan who’s never watched a U SPORTS game/tournament/competition?
My son and daughter grew up watching U SPORTS events and it gave them the incentive to keep their marks up to attend university and play university sport. The U SPORTS student-athlete is accessible and real and are wonderful role models for youth. I encourage parents to have their children experience our games.
10. What do you enjoy doing when you’re away from work?
My spouse, Wendy, and I love to cycle different parts of the Waterloo Region and Ontario. I also love to read beside my backyard pool after quiet walks with my dog.