The SAIT Trojans’ Athletic Awards Online Gala has earned the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) institution the 2020 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Innovation Award.
The CCAA Innovation Award recognizes a member institution that has developed an initiative demonstrating unique marketing, communication or technological advances in its athletic program.
SAIT’s host committee for the 2020 Trojans Awards Gala was forced to pivot in response to the social distancing measures on campus due to COVID-19. The City of Calgary was unfortunately the centre of the coronavirus outbreak in Alberta which impacted the Trojans’ ability to traditionally host the annual Awards Gala.
“With fast turnaround, SAIT was able to move their Athletic Award celebration to an online platform, utilizing Zoom broadcasting for real-time exchanges and interactions with students, showing the innovative marketing and technological commitment of their institution,” said Brittany Tierney, CCAA VP Sport Development. “Maintaining the same energy and celebration of an in-person award ceremony, this online celebration was able to engage student-athletes virtually while recognizing their year’s achievements.”
Traditional Awards Gala events at SAIT feel like a wedding, or a black-tie affair with considerable pomp and circumstance. To create a similar, energetic and symbolic send off in a new social distancing climate pushed the host committee to drive student-athletes and coaches to engage through Zoom parties and digital exchanges.
“Our strong social platforms were leveraged to broadcast and create a newsworthy event in the face of dissonance,” said Wade Kolmel, Director of Athletics & Recreation at SAIT. “From the extensive interaction of student-athletes post-production, it is evident that our efforts to show innovative communications was worth the investment and energy expended.”
The Athletic Awards Online Gala enhanced attention to SAIT’s student-athletes and their respective accolades and served as a respectful and symbolic end to the shortened season. In addition, the initiative expanded SAIT’s digital platform alongside the ACAC.tv channel while also advancing their relationship with local media, donors and executive.
This is SAIT’s second CCAA Innovation Award, which has been bestowed annually since 2002. Their ‘Trojan Leadership Training’ earned the ACAC institution the honour in 2018.
