Courtesy: Swimming Canada
Swimming Canada is welcoming an experienced Canadian sport leader to guide its Paralympic program through the coming year.
J-P Lavoie will join the high performance leadership team May 1 in the role of Interim Technical and Program Lead, Paralympic Program.
Lavoie served as high performance director of Wheelchair Rugby Canada from 2020 through earlier this year. He was responsible for the planning, and delivery of the high performance program, increasing targeted high performance funding and leading wheelchair rugby to be one of only three team sports to be designated an OTP Core Sport for the Paris 2024 quadrennial. He is a veteran of multi-sport Games including Team Leader roles for WRC at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games.
“The opportunity to join Swimming Canada and the Paralympic program is out of this world. Swimming Canada and its Paralympic program are recognized as a program leader in high performance sport in Canada and the world,” Lavoie said. “I’m humble, grateful and excited.”
Lavoie will lead the program through at least next spring and his first month will include time working alongside outgoing Associate High Performance Director, Paralympic Program, Wayne Lomas, who will conclude his role on May 31. Both will be at the Olympic & Paralympic Trials, Presented by Bell May 13-19 in Montreal, along with other key program staff.
“The appointment of J-P will allow a smooth transition to his leadership from Wayne,” said High Performance Director and National Coach John Atkinson. “The most important factor is that all athletes will continue with the well made plans they have in place to the Trials, and from the Trials to the Games. This is a very positive situation and one we have considered in the forefront of all our planning.”
Previously Lavoie was a High Performance Summer Team Sports Advisor with Own the Podium from 2011 through 2020. He led Canada’s Team Sports Strategy which saw Canada increase its number of teams qualified for Olympic and Paralympic Games in two successive quadrennials. He advised and assisted national sport organizations in developing and implementing high performance plans aimed at providing quality
training and competition environments, identifying gaps and prioritizing areas of focus.
“J-P brings a tremendous amount of experience into the role,” said Acting CEO Suzanne Paulins. “He will provide stability for the team up to, and during, the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, allowing the existing Swimming Canada staff to focus on their roles in getting the team ready for Paris.”
In addition, he has experience working with other high performance partners such as the Canadian Paralympic Committee, the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSIN), Sport Canada and Own the Podium. He will work with High Performance Director and National Coach John Atkinson to build the Paralympic High Performance program plan for the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 quadrennial.
“J-P will help us define and build out what the Paralympic program structure will look like into the next quadrennial,” Atkinson said. “We look forward to his leadership as we review the program and its needs towards the Los Angeles 2028 Games and beyond.”
“The OTP team looks forward to working closely with J-P in this interim role to both support and further enhance the Paralympic program and its people leading into the 2024 Paralympic Games,” added Own the Podium Vice President, Summer Sport, Alex Davidson.
Lavoie’s experience also includes serving on Canada’s High Performance Directors Advisory Committee, three years as a high performance consultant with the Coaching Association of Canada, and a background coaching alpine skiing and rugby.
“Swimming Canada has a great program in place. The opportunity to work alongside John and the Swimming Canada team, it’s really intriguing and exciting to work alongside them and do what I can do complement Swimming Canada’s success,” Lavoie said. “We’re in a people business, from athletes to coaches to staff. How do we connect on the human side first, build trust and relationships and go further together?”