BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
Despite being born in Sarnia, Kerry Salmoni
has always considered herself a true Northerner.
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Kerry Salmoni was recently hired as
the executive director of SportLink. |
Salmoni, 26, use to come to Sudbury as a
track and field athlete competing in provincial high school
events as a youth. Those experiences laid a foundation of
lasting love for Salmoni when it comes to the Nickel
City.
Years later, she returned to attend
Laurentian University. Upon graduating with an honours bachelor
degree of Commerce in Sports Administration, Salmoni left
Sudbury for work.
As years passed by, Sudbury was never far
from Salmoni's thoughts and she always wished she could come
back to work.
Recently, Salmoni's wish came true.
Salmoni was hired as the new executive
director of Sudbury's SportLink, a sports council dedicated to
maintaining, promoting and growing sports in the community and
beyond, and she can hardly wait to sink her teeth into the
job.
"I am definitely excited," said Salmoni. "I
have always wanted to come back to Sudbury, and to come back to
work in sport is great. I didn't know
there would be this opportunity, but I am
happy there is. I love Sudbury and consider myself a
northerner."
Part of Salmoni's duties will be to help
SportLink raise funds enabling the council to provide services
to area member sports groups, such as training
and development, as well as assisting the
council in bringing special sporting events to the
community.
Salmoni makes no bones about the fact she's
here to roll up her sleeves and get work done.
"I would really like to see a large event
come to Sudbury," said Salmoni. "An event that people walk away
from saying 'wow' and remember for a long time. It's great to
be involved...helping the city and local sporting
groups."
SportLink is ecstatic to have Salmoni on the
bandwagon.
"We were looking for someone with new energy
and a definite tie to Sudbury," said SportLink chairperson Lisa
Kivinen. "Being a Laurentian graduate and with her skills and
abilities, Kerry was exactly what we were looking for."
Hiring an executive director was vital.
"With our mandate...to move forward and have
an impact, we needed an executive director," said Kivinen. "The
task is huge. We want to seek out big events and help the local
groups. In order to do that, we needed someone to make the
contacts, find out what resources we needed and fill in gaps.
We were in the process of losing the ability to host events. We
will make all the necessary changes to bring this community
back to where it can compete again."
Salmoni is impressed with the local sporting
scene.
"I don't think people give Sudbury enough
credit when it comes to sports," said Salmoni. "The sporting
community here is diverse. I am extremely lucky to have my
passion in life (sport) related to my job."
Salmoni, like Sudbury, has a vast sporting
background. She has competed at Ontario Federation of School
Athletic Association (OFSAA) events, was a member of the
Laurentian cross-country running team from 1998 to 2003, and
was a member of the Junior and Senior National Figure Skating
Team from 1994 to 1998.
The hiring of Salmoni was made possible
through a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
