SportMedBC Governance

Mike Wilkinson
Mike practices sports and rehab medicine in Vancouver. He qualified at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa and completed an internship and medical officer post in East London (SA), conveniently close to excellent surf breaks. After further training in sports medicine, emergency, aviation and hyperbaric/diving medicine, he emigrated to Canada.

He holds the CASM Diploma in Sports Medicine and an MBA, Queens University, with a CMA designation. He is a designated team physician for the Canadian Rowing team, Canadian and BC senior Rugby Teams, Vancouver Canucks and was a physician for the Canadian 2004 Olympic team. Mike is a member of the BC and Canadian Rugby Sport Medicine & Science Advisory Committee, and a past Medical Director for the Vancouver International Marathon.

Mike has run ultra and standard marathons, competed internationally in sailing and windsurfing and has re-adjusted his Southern Hemisphere brain to skiing and snowboarding in winter.

Jim Verners
Jim received his post-graduate Fellowship in the College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences (Canada)in 2004. He graduated from the University of Alberta with a degree in Physical Education. He is also on the Board of Directors for the CCSS(C).

A former competitive runner, Jim plays recreational hockey and soccer but is most often found on the golf course.

Jim has worked previously with both the Men's and Women's National hockey teams, the Victoria United Soccer team of the Pacific Coast Soccer League, Pacific Coast Swim Club as well as many National and International events.

Joseph Stern
Plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, corns and calluses are just a few of the ailments that Vancouver Podiatrist Dr. Joseph Stern cares for in a typical day. From elite athletes and active seniors to babies, more and more people are turning to the expertise of a trained podiatrist for their foot care concerns.

Dr. Joseph Stern has been an active part of the Vancouver podiatric medicine community for over 20 years. Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, he grew up in Vancouver, and later went to the University of British Columbia where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree.

After finishing at UBC, Joseph wanted to merge his interests in health care, biomechanics and sport making podiatry an obvious first choice of professions. He went on to study at Pennsylvania College of Podiatric Medicine in Philadelphia. After finishing his four year doctorate program, Joseph did a 12 month residency at Mission Oaks Hospital in Los Gatos, California.

Once considered a relatively obscure profession, podiatrists are increasingly recognized as an important member of most health care teams. Today, podiatrists are responsible for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of both surgical and medical conditions involving lower legs and feet.

A doctor of podiatry provides support to sport enthusiast with overuse injuries as well as aging seniors, children with disability, and diabetics who need help in maintaining the health and mobility of their feet and lower limbs.

Dr. Stern says, "The thing I likes most about being a podiatrist is my diverse patient group. I love being able to care for the sport specific injuries of an elite runner to the general aches and pains of an aging baby boomer. All of it is interesting and challenging."

When Joseph isn't caring for his hectic downtown practice or acting as an advisor to various sport and health related advisory boards including his role as a SportMedBC board member, he can be found coaching his children's baseball teams or walking the trails of Pacific Spirit Park with his wife and the family dog.

Clyde Smith
Clyde Smith is a Sports Physiotherapist and was a founding principal of the British Columbia Sports Medicine Centre, which later was re-named The Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre. Clyde is a graduate of Oregon State University where he played football with the Legendary “Giant Killers” of 1967. He then attended The University of Alberta and assisted in coaching the Alberta Golden Bears to a National Championship in football.

Clyde was a member of the 1976 Montreal Olympic COJO medical committee and helped organize staffing for the games. Clyde was a member of the Canadian Olympic Medical Team for the 1976, 1984 (Chief Therapist), and 1992 games. He has been part of many other games medical staff including World Student Games, Pan America Games, World Championships, NHL, NBA and many local weekend warrior events. Clyde helped develop the Athletic Therapy program at Sheridan College, Oakville, Ontario. It was the first program and still the premier program for the development of Athletic Therapist in Canada.

Clyde served as education committee chairman for the development of the “Diploma in Sports Physiotherapy” in its infancy and later had to pass (along with all other committee members) pier group examination to receive his Diploma in Sports Physiotherapy.

He is a board member of the Sports Medicine Council of British Columbia (SMCBC) and served on the same Board during its early years of development. Clyde helped author the first tapping manual produced by SMCBC. He currently serves as a SMCBC team evaluator for British Columbia amateur teams.

Clyde held a Clinical position in the Department of Family Practice for the past 20 years and continues to mentor and teach physiotherapy students. All this between his cross country bicycle rides. Clyde now works as an associate contractor at the Allan McGavin Sports Medicine Centre at the Plaza of Nations.

Deanna Schick
Deanna is an instructor in the Human Kinetics Department at Trinity Western University. She also owns and operates Momentum Athletic Therapy. Deanna is pursuing a PhD at the University of British Columbia. Her research area is concussions in athletes.

Marc Rizzardo
Marc has been involved with elite athletics in Canada for the past 20 years. Through his strong relationship with EA Sports and the NHL's Minnesota Wild, Marc has worked with some of the world's top athletes from the NBA, NHL and NFL. He has been the head coach for the Langara Men's soccer team since 1986 and won a gold medal with the BC Western Canada Games Team in 2003.

Marc has a post graduate Diploma in Sports Physiotherapy and was the Chief Therapist for Canada's Pan Am Games Medical team in 2007. He is a Clinical Instructor in the UBC School of Rehabilitation Sciences and Pysiotherapy Consultant for the Riverdance Dance Company, Canada's National Soccer and Fencing Teams.

As a member of the medical team, Marc has been to the Canada Games, World University Games, Pan American Games and the Olympic Games. He is a National Examiner for Sports Physiotherapy Canada and volunteers extensively - BC Summer Games, the Vancouver Sun Run, the 24 Hr. Relay, Vancouver Marathon and Triathlons.

Holly Eburne
Holly is a member of SportMedBC's Board of Directors and a sports physiotherapist practising in Kamloops. She was a member of the core medical team for the 1999 Pan Am Games, 2001 FISU Games in Beijing, and the 2005 FISU Games in Turkey. She has also provided event coverage for many local, provincial and national tournaments. From 1995-2004 Holly was the physiotherapist for the National Water Ski team.

David Cox
Dr. Cox is a Clinical Psychologist and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University. He is currently the Director of Clinical Training for the Clinical Psychology program.

Over the past twenty-five years he has served as a Sport Psychologist for many of Canada's provincial and national sports organizations and athletes at both the amateur and professional ranks

David Cox is the Chair of the SportMedBC Board of Directors.

Leslie Clisby
Leslie began working with professional athletes in 1999. She has experience traveling with teams, working on site at events as well as within the clinical setting. She has enjoyed working with Rugby Canada since 2006.

Leslie holds post graduate certificates in sport physiology, sport first responder and athletic taping.

She is the BC Chapter President of the Canadian Sport Massage Therapy Association and a member of SportMedBC's Board of Directors. Leslie chairs the Sport PPG with the MTABC.

Jim Bovard
Jim Bovard is a member of SportMedBC's Board of Directors and a Sports Physician practicing in North Vancouver. He is also the Venue Medical Officer for Figure Skating for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Chief Medical Officer for the 2008 Canadian Figure Skating Championships. Besides his family practice in North Vancouver Jim is a team physician with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Skate Canada Team Physician and a consultant to the Canadian Sailing Team.

Lynda Cannell
Lynda Cannell is the President and CEO of SportMedBC, a professional not-for-profit society that serves as the focal point for sport medicine and sport science in British Columbia, Canada. As one of the original founders, Ms. Cannell has been an integral part of SportMedBC since 1982. From developing programs and services for the general sport and recreation communities to promoting and nurturing world-class podium performances, Ms. Cannell is a pioneer within the sport health, sport safety and sport science community. Among Ms. Cannell?ïs significant accomplishments is her high level of technical expertise in the delivery of medical and safety services at sporting events. In the capacity of Medical Coordinator and Medical Director, Ms Cannell has supported numerous Canadian Teams at the Olympics, the World University Games and World Police and Fire Games. Ms. Cannell has served on boards and advisory committees for a diverse group of organizations including the Canadian Centre for Ethics and Sport, Sport Medicine and Science Council of Canada, National Alliance for Safe Sport, Sport BC, BC Centre for Community Child Health Research, and BC Medical Association. She was also a member of USANA Health Sciences Sports Advisory Board and currently serves as a member of the medical advisory board for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee and Promotion Plus, an organization that advocates for girls and women in physical activity and sport.