Smith looks to passion, integrity and respect in Canadian Olympic Committee role

As a rower, Smith enjoyed a remarkable career including multiple world championship medals and being a four-time Olympian (silver medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games). “[I] loved it from day one,” Smith says. “Loved being on the water, loved being part of a team, loved the feel of the boat, always was able to set short and long term goals that kept me motivated.”

Throughout her training, Smith continued her studies and completed law school. “It helped tremendously that I was able to go to university at the same time,” she says, “although I took a few extra years to do my degree. “Training and going to school not only keeps you balanced, it keeps you motivated while at the same time preparing you for future career possibilities.”

Smith considers the lessons she learned from her own involvement with sport as important in shaping her life. She includes highlighting strength, handling adversity, tackling any problems, confidence, team work, big picture thinking, goal setting and achieving.

“I believe in the positive power of sport,” says Smith, “in terms of what it can do for individuals, for developing communities, domestically and internationally to build confidence, strengthen ties and unite globally.

“The Olympic Committee is a leader in the sport community and as its leader, I have the opportunity to collaborate with others, openly and with respect to achieve the above. Additionally, sport can only play a positive role if it is played with integrity. For me, it is essential that the COC lives and operates by the same code that our athletes do, a code of conduct that is based on integrity and respect.”

After retiring as an athlete, Smith went on to balance a successful business career with a determined passion to promote sport as a vehicle for transforming lives. Her service to sport has taken many forms since her initial involvement in the 1980s as an athlete representative for rowing on the COC’s Athlete’s Council.

In the sport of rowing, Smith has played a strong role in the development of FISA rules and regulations, co-authoring the rules and bylaws for para-rowing at the World Championships and Paralympic Games. She has also been an influential voice for the advancement of women within rowing and sport in general.

“Definitely we are better,” she says regarding the challenges still faced by women athletes today. “Attitudes of those who make the decisions are obvious barriers. Also, there are so many places where girls and women still don’t see a pathway for themselves in sport.” Yet, she remains hopeful and points out that, “we are getting there.”

To women athletes Smith says; “Just do it. I have found that if you show up, do good work, show who you are and that you are about what sport should be about – passion, integrity and respect – that you will have allies, men and women and eventually together you will make a difference.”