Builders

Richard Way (2022)

An architect of the Long-Term Athlete Development Framework, Richard is the founding CEO of Sport for Life Society – a non-profit organization formed in 2014 to improve sport and physical activity experiences for everyone through the advancement of quality sport and physical literacy development.

Richard has facilitated the use of Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity for over 60 sports in more than 100 countries. He has contributed to more than 200 resources on sport and physical literacy development, including Canada Soccer’s first strategic plan (2009-2013), and co-authored the book, Long-Term Athlete Development, with Istvan Balyi and Dr. Colin Higgs. Richard was also a catalyst for the development of the Indigenous Long-Term Participant Development Pathway.

Richard was instrumental in the introduction of physical literacy in Canada. He is a founding member of the UK-based International Physical Literacy Association, and of the International Physical Literacy Conference, which has been hosted on six occasions drawing in delegates from more than 50 nations.

Throughout his career, Richard has been a catalyst for advancing quality sport and developing physical literacy. In 2005, to mobilize knowledge, Richard created the Sport for Life Canadian Summit, an annual conference bringing together practitioners and leaders in diverse sectors including sport, recreation, health, and education. Since relocating to Victoria in the early 1990s, he has been involved in the founding of several other knowledge transfer opportunities within the sport and physical activity sphere, including the International Coaching Conference, the BC Regional Sport Network, the Olympic Youth Academy of BC, and the Coaches Association of BC.

Under Richard’s innovative leadership, the Sport for Life team was awarded the Canadian Medical Association's National Award for Excellence in Health Promotion, and the team was a finalist in the 2021 Global Design Challenge to find solutions to the challenges facing sport and physical activity due to COVID-19.

Richard has been involved in the successful garnering of several multi-million-dollar multi-year contracts to advance sport and physical literacy development both in Canada and internationally. In 2013, Richard was involved in the conception of Sport for Life’s Physical Literacy for Communities which has now positively impacted more than 175 communities throughout Canada. Internationally Sport for Life, under Richard’s leadership, is designing a school-based curriculum for the Apex Academy in Cairo, Egypt. Prior to incorporating Sport for Life, Richard was the Director of Sport for Vancouver’s successful 2010 Winter Olympic Games Bid Corporation.

Richard’s significant contributions to the sport and physical activity sector are fueled by his immense passion for sport. In addition to being the proud father of three sporty young adults, he has represented Canada in nine Natural Luge World Championships and was an All-Canadian West in soccer for the University of Calgary. Richard has served as a Commission member of the International Luge Federation, as a Board member of the Canadian Luge Association and is the founder of the Calgary Luge Club and the BC Luge Association.

Roger Skillings (2021)

Roger Skillings

Roger has had a long and storied career in sport, both as an athlete and as an administrator. In 1974, while teaching physical education, Roger became the mid-Island High School Athletic Association volunteer Vice President. A few years later in 1977, he was hired as the Racquet Sports Coordinator at the Oak Bay Recreation Centre, a post he held until 1980 when he got his start in the provincial government’s Recreation and Sport Branch. In 1986, Roger became the Assistant Director of Recreation and Sport, and the following year he became President and CEO of the BC Games Society.

Roger travelled extensively during the following decade, hosting BC Summer and Winter Games as well as the BC Senior Games, Northern BC Winter Games, and Athletes with Disabilities Games in communities across the province. It was during this period that Roger developed a vast network of colleagues and friends in all areas of sport and government, and these associations and friendships have lasted through the years. Roger was awarded the Caring Canadian Award by former Lieutenant-Governor Judith Guichon for his significant contributions in his volunteer and professional leadership positions.

Through these years, Roger was also working behind the scenes to realize his vision for a national sport centre in Greater Victoria. In 1997, he became President of the Commonwealth Centre for Sport Development (CCSD) – the first iteration of the 1994 Commonwealth Games legacy organization. Under Roger’s direction, the organization evolved and grew over the following few years, becoming the PacificSport National Sport Centre in 2000 with Roger as its President and CEO.

In 2004, after combining the National Sport Centres in Vancouver and Victoria, Roger’s role changed again when he was named CEO of the Canadian Sport Centre Pacific. During this time, Roger worked closely with Liz Ashton, former president of Camosun College, to develop the Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence at the Interurban Campus of the College. By 2008-9, the Canadian Sport Centre Pacific had offices and athlete training centres in Whistler, Vancouver, and Victoria. Roger was instrumental in leading a team of exceptional individuals at these sites to help prepare the winter games athletes for the 2010 Winter Olympics - a hugely successful Games for Canada.

Roger retired in late 2009, but he continued to be involved heavily in volunteer provincial sport administration. He joined the Board of Directors of Tennis BC in 2011 and became its president in 2014. Roger completely turned around the struggling organization over the next two years, and eventually left the board in 2018. As an athlete, Roger always maintained a very high level of competitive play, and he holds two junior national tennis titles. He has also coached tennis extensively throughout his lifetime, and he is widely regarded as one of Victoria’s true “Champions of Sport.”

Builders

Richard Way (2022)

Roger Skillings (2021)

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