Ozzie Sawicki inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame

Ozzie Sawicki is being inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame for his contributions to sports as a Paralympic Builder. Sawicki’s dedicated career in sports spans over three decades, marked by an unwavering commitment to inclusivity.  

Ozzie served as the head coach for the Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team, achieving remarkable success at the Salt Lake City Paralympic Games in 2002, and starting a journey in Paralympic sport that would define his career. His leadership roles continued as head coach of the Canadian Para-Athletes team, and performance advisor to both the Canadian Para-Equestrian and Olympic 3-day Eventing Equestrian teams. His leadership extended to the position of Team Canada’s Chef de Mission for the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, where Canada exceeded performance goals. 

Beyond coaching, Ozzie’s leadership in Paralympic sport has seen him serve in roles including International Paralympic Committee Head of Technical Control and Officiating – World Para Alpine Skiing, and as a Board member with the Canadian Paralympic Committee. An international Ski Federation Alpine Skiing Technical Delegate, Ozzie has been a lead official in both the Para and Able-bodied alpine skiing community, serving as a lead Para-Alpine official at the Vancouver, Pyeong Chang, and recent Beijing Paralympic Games. 

Ozzie’s Para-sport development legacy is reflected through numerous initiatives including developing the initial Para-Alpine coach education programs, and staying close to his alpine skiing roots, acting as Program Director for Canadian Adaptive Snowsports Alberta since 2016. 

The induction ceremony will take place on May 24 at the Red Deer Polytechnic Cenovus Energy Common. The event will start at 5:30pm and tickets are available at albertasportshall.ca.

Text retrieved from Alberta Sports Hall of Fame's press release.