Release and photo courtesy of University of Toronto Athletics via http://www.varsityblues.ca/.
Long-time University of Toronto employee Paul Carson, who retired in 2009, received the J.P. Loosemore Award at the 2013 Ontario University Athletics Honour Awards Banquet on Thursday, May 9 at Taboo Resort in Gravenhurst, Ont.
The award is given to an individual who exemplifies the best in university sport in terms of ethics, integrity and honesty. Carson has been associated with the athletics and recreation program at the University of Toronto for more than 50 years.
He then served as the U of T’s Sports Information Director for more than 25 years before becoming executive assistant to former Dean Bruce Kidd for 11 years at the U of T Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. He retired from the university in 2009.
Paul becomes the first person from the Sports Information profession, media relations, and game operations to receive this prestigious award since it was initiated in 1975. The award is named after Mr. J. P. Loosemore, a well-respected individual involved in university sport at the University of Toronto and interuniversity sports in Ontario from 1930-72.
As a student, Carson was involved with game operations for men's football and hockey, and also was active in refereeing several intramural sports, particularly tackle football.
In 1965, Carson was the scorekeeper at the first Vanier Cup, Canada’s national university football championship game, and later was Vanier Cup media officer for 18 years, most recently in 2003. He also served as media officer for the University Cup for seven years, when the Canadian Interuniversity Sport men’s ice hockey championship was held in Toronto. He was co-coordinating SID for 27 Canadian national university championships hosted by U of T between 1973-1996 and during his career was involved in the operation of more than 100 OUA championship events. In 2001 Carson was manager of media services for Canada at the World University Games in Beijing.
Carson received a 25-year service award from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in 2004 and in July 2010, he was the first Canadian to receive a CoSIDA Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been and continues to be active with CoSIDA. Carson served for several years on CoSIDA committees, including the workshop program, job attrition & guidance and computer/new media technology committees. He was also deeply involved in helping organize CoSIDA’s 2004 annual workshop hosted in Calgary.
He participated in the formation of the Association of Canadian University Sports Information Directors (ACUSID) in the early 1980’s and served as ACUSID president from 1989-94.
At U of T, the Faculty has created two awards in his honour: the Paul Carson student leadership award and the Paul Carson intramural referee of the year award. In addition, in July 2010 the Faculty named the game operations room in Varsity Centre after Carson to recognize his service to U of T athletics.
In September 2011, he received a University of Toronto Arbor Award in recognition of his lengthy volunteer service to the University. He is currently the chairperson of the U of T Sports Hall of Fame selection committee and a PA announcer for Varsity Blues football.