Meet JJ Hawkrigg: Olympian turned COC Director of Marketing and Partnerships

The Canadian Olympic Committee is proud to put athletes at the heart of everything it does. At all levels of the organization, from our Board of Directors to our interns, our team is made up of people who truly believe in the power of sport – including an impressive group of Olympians, Paralympians, Games athletes Pan Am athletes, former national team athletes, recreational league athletes and sports enthusiasts. In this series of scripts, we will share the stories of our team members who have competed at the Games and are now dedicating their professional lives to helping the next generation of Team Canada athletes achieve their dreams.

JJ Hawkrigg achieved her Olympic goals by competing in the Beijing 2022 Games. Born in Toronto, she earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Metropolitan University of Toronto.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity..

How important is sport to you?

Sport gave me a basis for everything. Work ethic and teamwork are principles that I learned at a very young age and these are very important elements that I put into practice in all aspects of my life as I became a professional snowboard athlete. On a larger scale, especially in Canada, sport has this ability to bring people together. That’s why it’s so important to me. Not only has sport shaped my life in a big way, but it also has the ability to change the lives of so many people.

What do you bring to your role at the COC as an Olympian?

My strength in the position I hold is that I have seen how the Olympic Games are held at all levels. As an athlete, I have seen the direct effect that partners have had on my journey, a journey that has allowed me to achieve my Olympic dream. In my role, I always think about the influence we can have from the top down, from grassroots sport to high performance athletes. How we can activate a partnership to provide more opportunities for athletes in Canada, recognizing that finances are a significant challenge for Canadian athletes.

Have you had a particular experience with a partner that influences the way you work today?

The partnership that really allowed me to achieve my Olympic dream was with RBC. I really didn’t have high expectations about my chances of being accepted into the program. RBC Olympians. I almost retired from sports because I didn’t think it was possible for me to excel in school and in sports at the same time. Fortunately, I was accepted and was able to have this office job while being an athlete, while working on their Olympic partnership team for three years. I was able to enjoy the flexibility I needed working for them, while competing full time. This program has been a lifeline for me, it has allowed me to achieve my Olympic dream in 2022.

What is the effect of having so many athletes on COC staff?

I have always had admiration for the Olympians who then exerted a great influence in the world of sport, or even in the business world in general. It has always been a priority for me to do the same. I have always sought to achieve my sporting goals. I even wrote a letter to myself when I was 12, in which I wrote that I wanted to go to the Olympics one day.

More recently, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about ways to continue to grow the Olympic Movement in Canada, which is why it’s always been my dream to work with the Canadian Olympic Committee. To see that there are 20 Olympians, Paralympians and Pan American Games athletes on the staff and board of directors of the Canadian Olympic Committee and the Foundation, it’s crazy when you know that it’s still a small organization . We make decisions taking into account the Olympians and the athletes who have been through it, who have gone through it and who know what it means to be Canadian athletes and to devote their whole life to achieving their dream.