Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), the organization that encompasses university athletic teams like the Carleton Ravens, celebrated its 50th anniversary during the 2011-2012 year.
According to the CIS website, the original Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (CIAU) Central existed from 1906 to 1955, but was only composed of schools from Ontario and Quebec.
In 1961, the CIAU was reconstituted to become an athletics association represented by universities from coast to coast. The idea was to provide Canadian universities with an opportunity for excellence in their sport programs, an increased schedule, year round coaches, and government funding.
Government funding increased from $1 million in 1961 to $20 million at the end of the decade. In June 2001, the CIAU members voted to change their name and logo to the current CIS design, according to the CIS website.
Now, with the recent addition of two schools, Mount Royal University in Calgary and the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George, the CIS has grown to 54 members.
Regarding the half-century milestone, CIS president Leo MacPherson said the accomplishment is nice, but the task is to focus on continued growth.
“Celebrating our 50th anniversary was great, but our primary focus has to do with ensuring we set out a positive path for prosperity over the next 5-10 years,” he said.
Jennifer Brenning, Carleton’s director of recreation and athletics, said she believes a key to further developing the CIS is their marketing tactics.
“I think [the CIS] is a great aspect of the Canadian identity,” Brenning said. “It just needs to be advertised more to the public for it to continue to grow.”
As a celebration of the 50th anniversary, each of the CIS’s 21 national championships offered a celebration featuring a reflection of the growth of the CIS, with the Ravens men’s basketball team being one of the programs who won the national championship in the celebratory season.
With the return of the men’s football team in the fall of 2013, along with the women’s rugby team attaining varsity status in the 2012-13 season, Carleton University will have ten teams competing in the CIS.
MacPherson said the plan is to continue trying to reach the full potential of Canadian university sports, but that task will certainly be a difficult one heading into the CIS’s 51st season and beyond.
“The sport market in Canada is crowded and we have to grow our niche,” he said. “It won’t be easy, but we are up for the challenge.”
