Seeking Excellence

"I feel people need to see excellence. Excellence impacts all of us. It inspires people to do things they haven’t done; to look at their own lives and explore where they can be excellent. We create a better country when we have great leadership and great citizens". ~ Jane Roos


In 1997, former athlete Jane Roos, founded the "See You in Sydney Fund”, a not-for-profit devoted to raising funds and awareness for Canada’s athletes in their quest to reach the Olympic Games. The fund (now named the Canadian Athletes Now, or CAN Fund) has raised more than $6 million: funds which Jane and her team redistribute directly to the hands of upcoming Canadian athletes.

Jane has been listed on CAAWS Most Influential Women in Sport, in the Globe & Mail’s top 30 most powerful people in sport, and awarded a “Leadership in Sport” award for her outstanding contribution to the betterment of sport. In between launching her most recent campaign “Snowdays”, and in preparation for her upcoming gallery fundraiser, Jane found time to share her inspiration.


The Fund has had so much success and you are continually recognized for your passion and your creativity. What are you working on now?

My latest favorite would be our upcoming fundraiser. I have mixed my two passions: sport and art. This September 15 - October 20th, famous Canadians are creating a painting to exhibit in my Gallery and all the funds raised will be donated to our Canadian athletes ... talent supporting talent!


What would you say is the best thing about what you do?

Rallying people to help others succeed. Providing athletes the financial support they need so they can afford new equipment, better nutrition, coaching, pay their team fees, and travel to training camps and international competitions - we do our best to take the financial strain off their shoulders so that they can focus on being successful.


And the worst thing?

One of the hardest things is that when the Games roll around Canadians develop such a sense of pride for our athletes - but we want people also to give when our athletes need it the most - when the Games are not going on. I collect 10 NO's a day.


What makes you want to keep doing this?

I learnt very early in life that life is short, and so many of us give up on dreams too early, I think it is incredible that our athletes have the courage to strive to be the best in the world. I love that sense of risk and boldness, and I think we all can help each other be the best version of ourselves. I want my daughter to grow up in a country full of excellence and great role models


What are the goals for the fund going forward?

My goal is to provide unique opportunities for all Canadians to donate what they can and find out which athlete they have supported. I believe we all can do what we can to help people succeed.

What about on a more personal level?

I'm always trying to reinvent myself - to play more and to be committed to my dreams and not attached the results. To continue to contribute to the success of people who are willing to risk everything for a complete unknown. And to be a good Mom to Ruby (my four year old daughter).


Is there one thing you’d like people to know about the CAN Fund?

With every donation you find out which athletes you've helped!



For more information go to: http://www.canadianathletesnow.ca/

A Contribution of Consequence

With over 35 years as a Masters ski coach, a pioneer of Alpine Canada’s Patrons Program, 10 years as a pro ski racer, film, broadcast & media careers intertwined, over 30 knee operations (including double total knee replacement), a Cosmopolitan Magazine’s Bachelor of the Month spread and an ill fated photo shoot with Playgirl; the mountains have led Collingwood’s Greg Lee to a nomination in the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame.


A Brief Bio

Masters Coach of the Year (2004)
Coach of the year, North York Ski Centre (2005)
Head Coach/Supervisor of Skiing, Blackcomb Ski Club (1985)
Director & Head Coach, Greg Lee International Ski Camps (1985- present)
Alpine Canada Alpin, Director, Patrons Program (1989 – 2001)
Head Coach, International Masters Academy (2001 - 2009)
Head Coach, Alpine Ski Club (1987 - 1989)
Georgian Peaks Ski Club (2002 –2006)
International Masters SL Coach, North York Ski Club (2002 – present)
Craigleath Ski Club, Masters Coach (2007 – present)
Blue Mountain / Jozo Weider Ski Club (2006 – present)


Skiing is a dance, and the mountain always leads. ~Author Unknown

Originally born in Halifax, NS and now a Collingwood mainstay, Greg Lee first skied at Don Valley. With a vertical drop of only 72 feet, it is a curious place to have launched a number of national level athletes, but, in hindsight, a fitting place for Greg to begun his colourful career.

As though being a top ten ranked tennis player in Canada wasn’t enough, Greg spent much of the 1960’s and 1970’s competing on world pro ski circuits. “Things were a little different then,” he says. “There were a lot of different circuits, some larger than others and all with different ways to qualify. Typically people would ski on the amateur circuits and then go pro,” Greg laughs, “but Al Green thought some of us may have had too many ‘discipline problems’ for the amateur circuit, and figured we might as well just turn pro.”

“Lots of us would race for a few weeks, stop and coach for a while, then rejoin the tour. You might win $10,000 – which was a big deal back then.”


Greg was sponsored by K2 (a $10,000 deal which was big industry backing for the time) when he and his teammates were approached by Playgirl. Being the high-spirited guys they were, they agreed. They were each paid $1000, but because of a morality clause in their K2 contract, they lost the sponsorship in its entirety. “We made $1000 and lost $10,000.”


Turn right, turn left, repeat as necessary. ~Author Unknown

The transition from racing to coaching was a natural one. Greg began coaching at the Toni Sailer/Dave Murray Summer Ski Camps, where the masters format was initially introduced, and for the next 30 years coached alongside triple gold medalist Toni Sailer, Dave Murray and a host of other Hall of Fame athletes. He went on to develop his own Greg Lee International Ski Camps which have been held throughout Canada, the USA & Europe.

Today Greg is recognized as one of the top Masters ski coaches in the world, and along with the late Dave Murray, is considered a founder of the masters ski movement in Canada.

Legendary freestylist and Hall of Famer Wayne Wong recalls Greg “ …coaching from the bottom of the race course while sitting in a life guard chair. Greg’s favorite line was "you made some good turns and you made some bad turns. Now go back up and make your bad turns like you made your good turns!"

His list of national Champions spans from the first national Masters meet held in Whistler to the latest in Sun Peaks where Greg had 32 individual and overall champions, including 87 year old, Midland’s Rolf Hauge who has been training with Greg for over a quarter of a century.


Canadian Ski Hall of Fame nominee - criterion for submission:
a national contribution
a sustained contribution
a unique contribution
a contribution beyond the primary reasons for submission


Woven throughout his racing and coaching, Greg was hired as a color commentator for CBC Sports, created and hosted a World Cup radio show (which is now in it’s 7th season), spent time in LA modeling and doing film work (1991’s ‘Ski School’ and Jim Carrey’s first film, ‘Copper Mountain’). He was a Cosmopolitan Magazine’s Bachelor of the Month, (garnering some colourful fan mail), has written about skiing in the desert (among other things), and is currently helping launch a ski and snowboard simulator.


Pioneering a Patrons Program

“One of Greg's major contributions to Alpine Skiing was his position as the chief of fund raising for the Canadian Ski Team,” says Wayne Wong. In addition to providing top level coaching to masters athletes, these camps also linked influential enthusiasts to Canadian national ski programs. The direct result was the formation of the Patrons Program for Alpine Canada; a program that was unheard of at its inception and which Greg was instrumental in developing. The program has since raised millions of dollars for ACA.

Greg Lee, from a 1987 interview:
“I’d also like to make it to the Canadian Skiing Hall of Fame someday. Not so much on skiing ability, but hopefully from the career, the coaching and as someone who has put something back into the sport.” ~


His nomination for consideration to the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame was put forth by the National Ski Academy co-founder Dan Hadley in May of this year, and was seconded by current Hall of Fame Skiers (Jungle) Jim Hunter and freestyle legend Wayne Wong. During the summer the Hall of Fame’s steering and election committees were reviewing submissions that will culminate in a vote scheduled to take place in early Fall / Winter ‘09.

Also from a 1987 interview: “I’ll be happy to still be skiing when I’m fifty, but I’ll be skiing long after I’m not walking. I can promise you that.”

Hopefully the mountain will continue to lead him - right into the Hall of Fame. Good Luck Greg!

Lifestyle Factors and Risk Reduction

Health and wellness is not simply a retail industry. It is not a collective of nutritionists, massage therapists and alternative medicine gurus intent on selling their trades. Health is the state of our beings. Are we healthy? Are we well? How long will we live? How well will we live?

I recently came across a study evaluating the relationship between “healthy lifestyle factors” and chronic disease. Data from almost 25,000 adults was evaluated over a period of about 8 years. Participant’s health factors were measured by 1) smoking, 2) BMI, 3) physical activity and 4) diet. Follow-throughs measured relative risks of developing major chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer).

Not surprisingly the study found that there was a significant relationship between choosing healthy lifestyle factors and lowering the risks of chronic disease.

“the data … show the unfulfilled potential of preventing chronic diseases.”

“because the roots of these factors often originate during the formative stages of life, it is especially important to start early in teaching the important lessons concerning healthy living.”

The study title, “Healthy Living is the Best Revenge” is straightforward and to the point.


To read the entire methodology and commentary follow this (cumbersome) link:
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/search?sendit=Search&pubdate_year=2009&volume=169&firstpage=&author1=&author2=&title=&andorexacttitle=and&titleabstract=&andorexacttitleabs=and&fulltext=healthy+living+is+the+best+revenge&andorexactfulltext=and&fmonth=Jan&fyear=1908&tmonth=Jan&tyear=2010&fdatedef=1+January+1908&tdatedef=25+January+2010&tocsectionid=all&COLLECTION_NUM=&flag=&RESULTFORMAT=1&hits=10&hitsbrief=25&sortspec=relevance&sortspecbrief=relevance

or go to www.archinternmed.com and search the article title “Healthy Living is the Best Revenge”.