After nine years with Whistler Sport Legacies (WSL), longtime local Lucinda Jagger has been named the new vice president of sport for Canada Snowboard.
“I think what really jazzes me about this opportunity is that [Canada Snowboard] is a really progressive organization that wants to lead with values and people and culture first,” she said. “I’m so passionate about the power of sport, but the power of sport [is unlocked] when sport is done well, and it’s people-centric, and that’s what the organization for me represents.”
The organization, in turn, is glad to have her.
“What an amazing opportunity for Canada Snowboard to have such a strong leader, mentor, and sport visionary join our team as the VP of sport,” said Canada Snowboard CEO Dustin Heise in a press release. “Lucinda Jagger will undoubtedly bring a great deal of sophistication and leadership to Canada Snowboard’s high-performance systems while ensuring a connection to each stage of the snowboard pathway.”
In her new role, Jagger will serve as high-performance advisor to six Olympic and Paralympic snowboard programs, and as an athlete development advisor working with 10 provincial and two territorial snowboard programs. It’s a lofty set of responsibilities, but one that she is equipped for.
A decorated resume
In 2014, Jagger became WSL’s own vice president of sport—back then a brand-new role. In conjunction with WSL president and CEO Roger Soane and other directors, Jagger helmed the growth of athletics in the Sea to Sky corridor across multiple realms, including the Whistler Nordic Development Centre, BC Sliding Development Centre and Whistler Olympic Park. In total, she has spent more than 30 years contributing to Canadian athletics at various levels.
One of the largest feathers in Jagger’s cap is the key position she filled in training the 2006 Chinese Olympic aerials team, leading them to that country’s first snowsport gold medal and the first gold medal ever won by a Chinese man (Xiaopeng Han) at the Olympic Winter Games.
Also on Jagger’s resume are stints on the board of the Canadian Luge Association, the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, and Own the Podium. She has collaborated with major players like Sport Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and Canadian Paralympic Committee to arrange funding and other types of support for athletes across varied disciplines.
“My biggest takeaway [from those experiences] is how passionate people are about the opportunity to pursue mastery,” she said. “Once you get to a team of people who have that level of dedication and passion, you can do some pretty phenomenal things.”
Originally from a small town in rural Alberta, Jagger moved to Whistler with her family in 1981. Trading in her 4H cow for a pair of Crazy Canuck skis, she quickly found a place in the Whistler Mountain Ski Club (WMSC) under Nancy Greene’s tutelage.
Jagger competed in various provincial and national-level races in high school before coaching for 11 years. She holds the distinction of being the WMSC’s first female FIS coach and has worked with local athletic organizations like the BC Luge Association and Whistler Adaptive Sports Program in addition to WSL.
Sport as a continuum
Along the way, Jagger watched Whistler blossom from a small ski town into a diverse hotbed for all kinds of sports: skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, hockey and more.
“A really important part of my sport philosophy is that sport exists on a continuum, and everyone deserves access to a quality sport experience,” Jagger explained. “Young athletes come from somewhere, and giving youngsters the opportunity to grow themselves and learn about themselves is really important for me.”
In return, most athletes hold great respect for Jagger and what she brings to the table.
“On behalf of Canada Snowboard’s Athlete Council, we were delighted to be part of the VP of sport interview panel and ultimately having Lucinda Jagger demonstrate she is the right person for VP of sport,” said Canadian Olympic snowboard cross racer Zoe Bergermann in a release. “We are excited to welcome her to the CS family and see the great work she will lead in collaborating with the high-performance snowboard athletes on each team as they become the best snowboarders on the planet.”
