Canadian Interuniversity Sport

[

[http://www.universitysport.ca CIS Logo] .]

Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprised of the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Founded in 1906 as the Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union (CIAU), it changed its name to CIS in June 2001.

Clint Hamilton will succeed Dick White as president following the 2009 AGM. The 52nd member of the CIS is University of Ontario Institute of Technology. [cite news|url=http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/sports/article/333000|title=Sports Digest|date=2008-06-21|publisher=Daily Gleaner|accessdate=2008-06-22]

Sanctioned Sports

In the spring of 2005, CIS members voted to add both men's and women's curling to its roster of sports. CIS curling competition will commence in September 2006.

Other sports, like lacrosse and baseball, are likely to be considered for additions to the CIS roster in the future

Athletic funding

The primary difference between the CIS and the NCAA is that CIS member institutions do not offer athletic scholarships; although, universities do provide partial athletic awards, as well as academic scholarships and needs-based grants for athletes who have to forgo part-time employment to participate. In a CIS study for the 2002-2003 academic year, across all sports, the average award per student athlete was $522.00 for men and $311.00 for women. The highest average was for male ice hockey players, getting $1,108.00 annually [. Canadian Interuniversity Sport. [http://www.universitysport.ca/e/story_detail.cfm?id=1910 "CIS Announces Results of Data Collection on Athletic Awards"] and [http://www.universitysport.ca/e/research/awards-stats040209.htm "Sport by Sport Comparison - 2002-2003"] . (accessed 9 April 2007).] This funding falls far short of NCAA athletic scholarships, but does not include funding for Sport Canada national team members and athletes who qualify through outstanding classroom achievement for full academic scholarships. Increasingly, CIS schools are offering booster-support programs, where alumni, parents and/or corporations can donate money to a targeted fund especially designed to off-set a student-athlete's tuition and living costs. The University of Windsor has an "Adopt-A-Lancer" program, [Lancer Sports News. University of Windsor (website). [http://www.uwindsor.ca/units/pac/view.nsf/main/36E75C6B3D7A5F7A852570C3004B270B?OpenDocument "Lancer Football Introduces Touchdown Club"] accessed 9 April 2007)] for example. The CIS has no regulations, unlike the NCAA, regarding how much each school can provide to teams through private support. The Université Laval's Rouge et Or football team, winner of the last 4 of 8 Vanier Cups, is so successful fund raising, the team trains in Florida during the spring. [CBC News. Laval's team was profiled during their training camp in Florida. Broadcast before Vanier Cup 2006.]

NCAA institutions can offer full and partial- depending upon the sport- athletic scholarships which cover the cost of books, tuition, housing and travel. Therefore, many of the best high school level athletes in Canada continue their careers in the United States, where their education is paid for. [Places Rated Almanac, by Savageau and Boyer, 1999]

Canadian Hockey League teams offer financial support for their graduates - who attend school within two years of playing major junior - who choose to play for a CIS school after graduating from major junior hockey. Hockey players who play in the CHL are ineligible for NCAA athletic scholarships, although they many attend a CHL training camp. However, they can only stay a max of 48 hours and can not dress in any games.

Championships

*Vanier Cup (men's football)
*Molinex Trophy (women's rugby)
*Canadian Interuniversity Sport women's ice hockey championship
*University Cup (men's ice hockey)
*Canadian Interuniversity Sport men's basketball championship
*Canadian Interuniversity Sport women's basketball championship
*Canadian Interuniversity Sport men's soccer championship

Members

The 52 member universities of CIS are further organized into the four following regional associations. In some of these sports, these associations are the basis of divisional alignment, and thus are sometimes called "conferences".

*Atlantic University Sport

*Canada West Universities Athletic Association

*Ontario University Athletics

*Quebec Student Sports Federation

Basketball

The CIS basketball teams are organized in the following way:

Football

The CIS football teams are organized in the following way:

Atlantic University Sport

The AUS's Canadian football conference is generally referred to as the Atlantic University Football Conference. The Jewett Trophy is awarded to the championship football team from the AUS. From 1956 to 2001, the AUS has also hosted the Atlantic Bowl, one of the two national semifinal bowl games.

*Acadia Axemen - Wolfville NS
*Mount Allison Mounties - Sackville NB
*St. Francis Xavier X-Men - Antigonish NS
*Saint Mary's Huskies - Halifax NS

Quebec Student Sports Federation

The QSSF's Canadian football conference is named since 2004 Quebec University Football League. The Dunsmore Cup is awarded to the championship football team from Quebec.

*Bishop's Gaiters - Sherbrooke QC
*Concordia Stingers - Montreal QC
*Laval Rouge-et-Or - Quebec QC
*McGill Redmen - Montreal QC
*Université de Montréal Carabins - Montreal QC
*Sherbrooke Vert-et-Or - Sherbrooke QC

Ontario University Athletics

The Yates Cup is awarded to the championship Canadian football team from Ontario.

*Guelph Gryphons - Guelph ON
*McMaster Marauders - Hamilton ON
*Ottawa Gee-Gees - Ottawa ON
*Queen's Golden Gaels - Kingston ON
*Toronto Varsity Blues - Toronto ON
*Waterloo Warriors - Waterloo ON
*Western Ontario Mustangs - London ON
*Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks - Waterloo ON
*Windsor Lancers - Windsor ON
*York Lions - Toronto ON

Canada West Universities Athletic Association

The CWUAA's Canadian football conference is generally referred to as the Canada West Football Conference. The Hardy Trophy is awarded to the championship football team from Canada West.

*Alberta Golden Bears - Edmonton AB
*UBC Thunderbirds - Vancouver BC
*Calgary Dinos - Calgary AB
*Manitoba Bisons - Winnipeg MB
*Regina Rams - Regina SK
*Saskatchewan Huskies - Saskatoon SK
*Simon Fraser Clan - Burnaby BC

CIS football players in the professional leagues

As of 2007, there were a record 120 CIS football players on the rosters of Canadian Football League teams. [http://www.cisport.ca/e/story_detail.cfm?id=8891]

As of 2006, the CIS had produced 23 players who have earned a spot on an NFL roster (including three who did not play a regular season game; players listed in chronological order by entry year in NFL):

1945 Joe Krol, Western Ontario, K/RB.
1947 Les Lear, Manitoba, OG/OT.
1960 Bill Crawford, UBC, OG.
1965 Jim Young, Queen's, RB/R.
1976 Brian Fryer, Alberta, R.
1979 Ken Clark, Saint Mary's, P.
1986 Mike Schad, Queen's, OG.
1987 Brian Belway, Calgary, DE.
1987 Dave Sparenberg, Western Ontario, OG.
1987 Brant Bengen, UBC and Idaho, WR.
1988 Dean Dorsey, Toronto, K.
1992 Tyrone Williams, Western Ontario, WR.
1995 Tim Tindale, Western Ontario, RB.
1995 Mark Montreuil, Concordia, CB.
1995 Mark Hatfield, Bishop's, OL.
1996 Grayson Shillingford, UBC, SB.
1998 Jerome Pathon, Acadia & U. of Washington, R.
2001 Randy Chevrier, McGill, LS/DE.
2000 J. P. Darche, McGill, LS/LB.
2003 Israel Idonije, Manitoba, DL.
2004 Steve Morley, Saint Mary's, OG/OT.
2006 Daniel Federkeil, Calgary, DE.
2006 Jon Ryan, Regina, K.

Men's Soccer

41 of the 52 member schools participated in the 2007 Men's Soccer season. The CIS has been a stepping stone for some national team players like Pat Onstad,

See also

* Canadian Colleges Athletic Association
* International University Sports Federation
* QBFL
* CIS Football

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.universitysport.ca/ CIS web site]