The University of Ottawa is proud to welcome Darren Cates as the next Senior Director of Recreation and Varsity Sports.
Cates joins uOttawa following a 20-year tenure as Director of Athletics at the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) since 2004.
As a long-time resident of Ottawa, a U of O alumnus, and former Manager of Community Development for Varsity Sport for the Gee-Gees, Cates brings over 25 years of extensive experience in intercollegiate athletics with him to his post at Ottawa. Cates will officially commence his role on Aug. 14.
“I am deeply honoured to be selected for this position,” said Cates. “Having been a student at uOttawa and working there previously I know how important varsity sports and recreation are to the campus and the community.”
“I feel privileged for the opportunity to work with the incredible staff, coaches, student-athletes, and alumni,” he said. “I look forward to building upon the tradition of excellence that has been established. I can’t wait to get started! Go Gee-Gees!”
Cates holds a Master of Arts in Sport Administration from the University of Ottawa (’97), and a Bachelor of Kinesiology from McMaster University (’95).
During his tenure as Director of Athletics at RMC, Cates oversaw a diverse range of fitness, sports, and recreation programs, as well as managed and led significant capital development projects. He is recognized for his strategic vision and expertise in enhancing athletic program accessibility, transparency, and compliance with relevant policies.
“I am very pleased to welcome Darren back to the University of Ottawa to lead our Recreation and Varsity Sports sector,” said Éric Bercier, Associate Vice-President, Student Affairs. “As a uOttawa alumnus, whose passion and care for the world of sport has been evident in his 25-plus year career at the U SPORTS level, I am confident Darren will be an outstanding person to steer our RVS team into the future.”
Cates has also twice served as the Chef de Mission of Team Canada’s delegation at FISU World University Games, most recently at the 2017 Summer Games in Taipei and the 2015 Winter Games in Spain. Cates also served as Canada’s Transportation Manager at the 2011 Summer Games in China.
In his time at the University of Ottawa from 1998-2004, Cates first served as Program Coordinator with the Alumni & Development Office focusing on Homecoming efforts. Cates then joined Sports Services and acted as a key strategic figure in the business development growth of the athletic department. Cates built bridges with community stakeholders and the University of Ottawa Board of Governors in the process of the approval and construction of the Minto Sports Complex.
In the national sport world, Cates served as National Team Coordinator for Canada Basketball from 1996-98, coordinating logistics, servicing, and communications efforts for both the Women’s and Men’s National Teams.
Throughout his career, Cates has been a champion for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) efforts, regularly implementing initiatives to promote core values in his work. As a member of RMC’s Cultural Evolution Steering Committee and various committees and boards at the OUA, U SPORTS, and FISU, Cates has been instrumental in organizing Pride and International Women’s Day events, among others.
Outside of work, Cates is an avid recreational athlete and loves international travel, reading, running, skiing, and golfing, as well as spending time with his wife, Tara, and their two sons.
Message from the Commandant RMC
It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing the departure of our Director of Athletics, Mr. Darren Cates, as of August 2, 2024. Darren has been presented a new opportunity that will reunite him with his family in Ottawa, after twenty years of commuting four hours a day, including many weekends, along with road trips to attract promising athletes to RMC and strengthen our partnerships with other military academies and athletics associations.
Darren came to RMC in July 2004. He has been a pillar of the RMC community, serving as Director of Athletics for the past twenty years. He has been a dedicated servant-leader, who demonstrated genuine care for our students, staff and institution, and took a holistic approach to consider the overall needs of our organization and people. From the first day I met Darren, I have deeply appreciated his advice, candour, and positivity. He has been a strong advocate for culture evolution, equity, diversity, and inclusion. For example, he led several International Women’s Day events, served as a member of our cultural evolution committee, and proposed many ideas to improve the safety and wellbeing of our students.
Career highlights at the College include the opening of the Birchall Pavilion, the turf field and dome and the renovated fencing gym. Darren’s favourite memories include seeing the N/OCdts compete in their various sports and competitions, most notably winning several OUA fencing championships, Men’s Rugby qualifying for Nationals in 2022 and beating West Point in hockey in overtime in 2020.
Darren leaves RMC as the longest serving Director of Athletics in our history.
We wish him the best and we will have time to bid him farewell in the next few weeks. He will be deeply missed, and remains a member of the RMC family.
——————————
C’est avec des émotions partagées que j’annonce le départ de notre directeur des sports, M. Darren Cates, à compter du 2 août 2024. Darren s’est vu offrir une nouvelle opportunité qui le réunira avec sa famille à Ottawa, après vingt ans de faire la navette quotidienne de quatre heures, y compris de nombreuses fins de semaine, ainsi que des voyages d’affaires pour attirer des athlètes prometteurs au CMR et renforcer nos partenariats avec d’autres académies militaires et associations d’athlétisme.
Darren est arrivé au CMR en juillet 2004. Il est un pilier de la communauté du CMR, occupant le poste de directeur des sports au cours des vingt dernières années. Il a été un leader dévoué au service des autres, qui a fait preuve d’un souci sincère et continu envers nos étudiants, notre personnel et notre établissement, et a adopté une approche holistique pour prendre en compte les besoins globaux de notre organisation et de nos gens. Dès le premier jour où j’ai rencontré Darren, j’ai profondément apprécié ses conseils, sa franchise et sa positivité. Il a été un ardent défenseur de l’évolution culturelle, de l’équité, de la diversité et de l’inclusion. Par exemple, il a dirigé plusieurs événements de la Journée internationale de la femme, a été membre de notre comité d’évolution culturelle et a proposé de nombreuses idées pour améliorer la sécurité et le bien-être de nos étudiants.
Les faits saillants de la carrière au collège comprennent l’ouverture du pavillon Birchall, du terrain et du dôme en gazon ainsi que du gymnase d’escrime rénové. Les souvenirs préférés de Darren incluent avoir vu les élof-aspm compétitionner dans leurs divers sports, notamment remporter plusieurs championnats d’escrime des Sports universitaires de l’Ontario (SUO), se qualifier pour les championnats nationaux de rugby masculin en 2022 et battre West Point au hockey en prolongation en 2020.
Darren quitte le CMR en tant que directeur des sports ayant occupé le poste pour la plus longue période de notre histoire.
Nous lui souhaitons bonne chance et nous aurons le temps de lui faire nos adieux dans les prochaines semaines. Il nous manquera grandement, et demeure un membre de la famille RMC.
BGen/Bgén Pascal Godbout
(He/him/il/lui)
Commandant – Royal Military College of Canada