Jason Kerswill appointed director of Dinos Athletics

Jason Kerswill, who began his career in Calgary, has been appointed the director of Dinos Athletics at the University of Calgary, starting Jan. 2, 2018.

Kerswill brings nearly 20 years of experience in high-performance sport as a varsity athlete, coach and manager, most recently at Seneca College in Toronto where his portfolio included the full varsity program, a comprehensive recreation program and the management of athletic facilities across four major campuses. 

“I am delighted to welcome Jason to the University of Calgary. He will be an exceptional addition to our Dinos Athletics and campus community,” says Dr. Penny Werthner, dean, Faculty of Kinesiology. “He is passionate about athletics and education. Our Dinos are among the most successful sports programs in Canada, combining both academic and athletic excellence on the national and international stage.”

Kerswill started in sport administration when he led the growth of the Edge School, a private sport school in Calgary. From there, he guided the University of Northern British Columbia’s transition from the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association to U Sports. Most recently, he led the athletic and recreation department at Seneca College, where he assisted in the design and development of three new athletic facilities — a synthetic turf field with a seasonal dome, a full recreation centre and the expansion of the fitness centre.

Kerswill has developed strong relationships with many key sport governing bodies in Canada, including U Sports, Canada West, the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association, Sport Canada, Own the Podium and sport-specific provincial and national sport organizations. 

“I’m extremely excited about this opportunity to lead Dinos Athletics, who consistently deliver outstanding performances,” says Kerswill. “I have been very fortunate that my past experiences have led me from coast to coast throughout Canada which has given me deep understanding of post-secondary sport.”

Kerswill has a master’s degree in sport administration (University of Ottawa) and a bachelor of science in human kinetics (St. Francis Xavier, in Nova Scotia). As a basketball player at St. Francis Xavier, Kerswill was a two-time U Sports National Champion, three-time Atlantic University Sport Conference Champion and a four-time Academic All-Canadian. He was inducted into St. Francis Xavier University Sports Hall of Fame.