Skip To Main Content

University of Guelph Athletics

Tom Kendall Staff Development Award

General

Tom Kendall Staff Development Award

GUELPH, Ont. - The Tom Kendall Staff Development Award is presented annually to a staff member within the University of Guelph Department of Athletics who epitomizes professionalism and who goes above and beyond in support of staff and/ or student success and development. This award is named in honour of Tom Kendall, who served as the Gryphons Director of Athletics from 2004-2015. In this role, Tom committed passion, time, and resources toward staff development. Criteria for the Tom Kendall Staff Development Award include professionalism, mentorship, a strong sense of Gryphon pride, and a list of significant contributions or enhancements to the University of Guelph's Department of Athletics. 


Recipients - Tom Kendall Staff Development Award
 
Year Recipient Job Title 
2020 Michelle Pino Assistant Manager, Marketing & Communications
2019 Kevin Lindner Active Kids Coordinator
2018 Frank Cain Facility & Business Development Manager
2017 Andrew Godard Facility Supervisor
2016 Beth Fisher Supervisor of Aquatics, Safety Certification & Active Kids Programs
 

2020 Recipient - Michelle Pino (Assistant Manager, Marketing and Communications)

Michelle Pino was named the 2020 recipient of the Tom Kendall Staff Development Award after playing a crucial role in helping Gryphon Athletics successfully navigate one of the most challenging times in department history. In her role as Assistant Manager, Marketing and Communications, Michelle quickly emerged as a critical part of the Gryphon team during the various facility closures and re-openings which took place as a result of COVID-19. Michelle Pino - 2020 recipient of the Tom Kendall Staff Development AwardWhile balancing the needs of fitness and recreation as well as intercollegiate, Michelle took charge of all department communications, setting an example for universities across the province of how to creatively and effectively engage students, alumni and external stakeholders across multiple channels.

In her day-to-day role, Michelle is responsible for managing the workload of her communications staff (two graphic designers, one sports information coordinator). Like so many staff members across campus, 2020 also forced Michelle to adapt to a new role, with the Gryphon Athletics marketing and communication staff contracted out to multiple units across campus. Throughout this process, Michelle served as the lead contact, helping further establish herself as one of the top-performing and most reliable communications experts on the University of Guelph campus. 

Throughout her work, Michelle developed successful marketing and communication strategies, and as always, carried herself with a level of professionalism that is second-to-none within the department. 
 

About Tom Kendall

Tom Kendall was essentially interested in one thing when he took over as the Gryphon Director of Athletics in the mid 2000s – achieving excellence. That goal was evident not just on the fields of play but in every aspect of the department. Tom Kendall at 2018 Hall of Fame inductionAnd over the course of Tom's 11-year tenure (2004-2015), both the varsity program and the athletic infrastructure looked very different by the time he retired from his post in 2016. The Gryphon AD was notoriously intense, and not a fan of losing games.

That passion for winning was forged during his incredible run as head coach of the University of Winnipeg women's basketball team, when the Wesmen secured three consecutive national titles from 1993 to 1995, in addition to winning 88 straight games, tying a North American collegiate sports record set by the legendary John Wooden's UCLA Bruins. Guelph's varsity teams obliged by winning 45 OUA banners in addition to 29 national titles with Tom at the helm. Tom Kendall at Gryphon statueBut he also put his stamp on campus by building the Gryphon brand, placing a focus on academics, developing student-athlete scholarships, creating the Jr Gryphon programs, and augmenting the athletic facilities on campus.

The problematic grass at both Varsity Field and the Gryphon Soccer Complex was replaced with turf, while a new track at Alumni Stadium and the creation of the Field House were other projects Tom spearheaded. The sparkling new GGAC is another jewel made possible by Tom's work reaching out to students and alumni asking for funding. The athletic program and facilities, used by the entire community, that Tom left behind is the envy of many academic institutions across Canada.

"Tom's greatest impact has more to do with the students themselves than it does anything else," says Brenda Whiteside, former University of Guelph Associate Vice President. "He was an extraordinary director. In his 11 years at Guelph, the department grew significantly in terms of reputation. While many might speak to his impact on our facilities, I believe that his lasting legacy will be a culture that focuses on student growth and development." In 2018, Tom Kendall was inducted into the Gryphon Athletics Hall of Fame in the builder category. 
 



 
Print Friendly Version