Don Stouffer (Mount Royal), Wayne Halliwell (Dawson), Al Hoffman (St. Clair), and Jack Costello (St. Clair) meet in Quebec City in conjunction with a CIAU meeting to discuss the possibility of a national college athletic association. The meeting results in the establishment of an ‘Ad Hoc Steering Committee on the Formation of a National Association to Promote College Athletics.’ Don Stouffer agrees to serve as chair of the committee.
The committee follows up their initial meeting a few months later by convening in Toronto (at the ACCC AGM) with 14 representatives from the regional conferences in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. The Royal York, with its historic ties to the CP Railway and nation building, serves as a symbolic and appropriate location to discuss the possibility of linking the provincial conferences under a national association.
Several essential components are deliberated upon during the October meetings, including the suggestion of a name – the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association. Another key decision is the designation of the four regional conferences (4-West, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia) which will go on to serve as the founding membership and framework for the association.
Sport Canada assists with funding for the first official meeting between regional representatives to develop the guidelines for a national association. Delegates from the four identified regions, 4-West (BC, AB, SK, and MB), Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes plan to meet in Calgary in June.
The CCAA’s original Executive members are selected at the June meeting. The members include: Don Stouffer, President; Wayne Halliwell, First Vice-President; Jerry Lloyd, Second Vice-President; Al Hoffman, Secretary; Ken Marchant, Treasurer; John Rostron, Four-West Rep; Jack Costello, OCAA Rep; Jean-Marc Lalonde, FASCQ Rep; and Doug Grant, Maritime Rep.
The regional delegates are asked to present their preferences for the sports which should be introduced at the national championship level. The combined results become the National Championship Priority List: 1. Men’s Basketball; 2. Badminton; 3. Women’s Basketball; 4. Men’s Hockey; 5. Curling; 6. Women’s Volleyball; 7. Men’s Volleyball.
