Corporate
U SPORTS sits down with one key athlete, coach, and staff member of each U SPORTS athletic program in our interview series “Getting to know…”
- Name: Roly Webster
- School: University of Waterloo
- Position: Director of Athletics and Recreation
- Seniority: Four years
- Previous job/position: Executive Director and COO, Wilfrid Laurier University Students' Union
- Hometown: Peterborough, Ont.
1. How did you get to your current position, and what do you enjoy most about your job?
I started by cutting the grass at Seagram Stadium, flipping burgers, and cleaning up garbage. Eventually, I moved through different layers of the athletic department, and had great opportunities to learn all of the nuances that go into a variety of different roles. Gradually, I earned greater responsibilities and expanded my portfolio which gave me an opportunity to appreciate the important details that make a successful team work.
While I’ve always aspired to become a director, after 13 years, I left athletics and recreation to work in advancement for five years. Though I loved the work I was doing there, to engage our alumni and donors, I missed working directly with students. My most recent role – working with the undergraduate students in the student union at Laurier – helped to provide another experience and perspective that is invaluable when understanding all facets of the student experience.
I think the most enjoyable part of my job is that I truly love what I do. It doesn’t feel like a job when you get to pursue your passion. I am so grateful to work in higher education and sport, with students. Being surrounded by coaches, staff, and students that have a similar passion is contagious. It provides momentum and focus to keep on striving to improve, while positively impacting the student experience, as well as, the student-athlete experience.
2. Who has had the most influence on your career?
No doubt, the students. It is so inspiring to have been surrounded by such bright and driven individuals throughout my roles in higher education. They motivate me every day to be the best, to provide the best, and to continually work towards improving their experience. Individually, I would mention Rich Newbrough and Don Smith. These were the men – the athletic director, and associate director respectively – at Laurier that hired me fresh out of my undergrad and gave me a chance. I will be forever grateful for the empowerment they provided, and the trust they had in me. I still admire their authentic, servant leadership styles that allowed us all to perform and grow through our experiences. This empowerment continued under Peter Baxter – the current director of athletics and recreation at Laurier – and his leadership, always providing me with new opportunities for growth.
The other individual I consistently reference is a rugby coach I had in high school, Tony Askew. Tony led by example in all facets of the game when it came to expectations and performance. This approach influenced our ability to exceed expectations on the field as a team, allowing us to have a very successful season. His “lead by example” approach is an underpinning to my philosophies in both my personal and professional life.
3. What is your greatest sporting moment or achievement?
Success in sport is such a tricky thing to define. Sure, we are all trying to work towards championships, however the gold medal truly lies in the journey. If we aren’t in it for the journey, championships can become pretty hallow, pretty quick. Seeing my children and brothers succeed in their own platforms of sport truly makes me proud. Watching both my son and daughter learn through defeat and failure and, watching their pure joy in overcoming those setbacks to win a medal or championship is everything to me.
My brothers both continue to make me proud as they make significant impacts on sport. My brother Kevin has had such amazing opportunities with Hockey Canada as their lead of domestic-international events for several years. Now he is the executive director at KidSport Calgary. He is doing a phenomenal job bringing an entire city together to eliminate the financial barrier, providing kids with access to sport. His twin brother Paul began his career as a high school teacher but took a leap of faith in the curling world and is now a full-time team lead and coach with Curling Canada. Paul is such an educator and has the ability to be strategic, yet pragmatic in his approach to being at the forefront of high-performance sport. His attitude is what sets their mission or expectations of winning Olympic gold medals. Four Olympic Games later, he continues to be a leader in his field. In defining sporting success, there has been a lot from my family, and I hope to continue to be a model for my children, that pursuing your passion with integrity and commitment can only lead to success.
4. How would you define a University of Waterloo student-athlete?
Waterloo student-athletes are extremely hard-working people. These young men and women come to our institution as elite academic students. Couple that with their commitment to their sport and these young adults are some of the most impressive individuals around. There are no shortcuts at Waterloo, and our student-athletes take pride in their ability to succeed both academically and athletically. We are proud to support that!
Ultimately, we are focused on a student-athlete experience that emphasizes the priority of academics but also supports athletic high performance and a comprehensive approach to student development that will be the foundation for success in their lives.
5. What does success look like for the Waterloo Warriors athletics and recreation program?
One that is holistic and integrated into the student experience and provides a sense of community and pride that will galvanize the campus. It’s a campus that places a priority on physical activity, and the impact it has on our students’ experience and their well-being. It’s an interuniversity program that gives our student-athletes the best possible platform and support to be successful in their competition, while giving them the necessary tools to thrive in their future endeavours.
6. What’s the biggest challenge you face in today’s sports world?
I feel that we need to work as a collective to solidify a key position of influence within the Canadian high performance sporting landscape. While also influencing the power of play and creating a more inclusive approach to sport that provides access and participation on a variety of levels. Students and staff are no doubt working hard towards achieving this. People are busier, and time is precious. We need to ask ourselves: how do we help people see that investing in their health is the most important thing they can do for themselves?
7. Where would you like to see Canadian university sport in the next three to five years?
I would like to see Canadian university sport being recognized as a platform for student-athletes in our country to compete in their sport at the highest level. Also, to have a better alignment with the sports that have direct connections to or from the Provincial and National Sports Organizations. This recognition and integration will hopefully provide better opportunity for national partnerships, and broadcasts which will provide the recognition it deserves.
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?
I would sit down with Terry Fox. When my kids ask what a hero is, I say his name. His courage, achievement, and sense of bravery were all so selfless. He has left a legacy that continues to grow in education, awareness, and impact on cancer research. As a hero, it is phenomenal that we actually talk about Terry Fox the person meanwhile, as an athlete he was unparalleled, running a marathon daily.
9. What would you say to a sports fan who’s never watched a U SPORTS game/tournament/competition?
I would tell them to come to a game. There is nothing more exciting in sport than watching the commitment student-athletes have towards being the best they can in their sport. They are true role models playing the purest form of sport.
10. What do you enjoy doing when you’re away from work?
I enjoy planning date nights with my wife amidst our chaos. Sometimes, date night is dinner in the stands at a Warriors game, as a family. Having my wife Brigitte, son Riley and daughter Brynn, completely embrace my work life gives me more time with them and gives our children a great environment in which to grow up. The fact that they enjoy it and are truly excited to be there makes everything better.
Spending time with friends and family is so important to me. In the end, I love to be with people, and creating memories with those that care to create them with me. We love to travel and explore the world around us. Having said that, a game of cards, a great meal, a good concert, sporting event or a game of golf makes me happy too. From simple to more adventurous, as long as I’m with great people.