Arnold is the second recipient of the award after Carlotta Lee in 2023
Sharon Arnold was the named the 2024 recipient of Tennis Canada’s esteemed Prix Jacqueline L. Boutet Award at the annual UNMATCHED: Gender Equity in Sports Conference on Wednesday, August 7.
This award, named in honour of the late Jacqueline Lemieux Boutet, recognizes individuals whose dedication to the sport of tennis has made a lasting impact on advancing the equity, inclusivity, and accessibility of tennis in Canada.
Boutet made history by becoming the first woman to serve as the chair of Tennis Canada’s Board of Directors. From 1995 to 1998, Boutet advocated for government support to secure funding for the construction of what is now known as IGA Stadium in Montreal. Her goal behind this project was to elevate the National Bank Open presented by Rogers to the world-renowned tournament it is today.
READ: Champions of Equity Take Centre Stage at UNMATCHED Conference
The 2024 recipient of the award, Sharon Arnold, led the development of the first teaching manuals for physical education teachers and promoted tennis instruction in schools during her 20 years as Education Committee Chair at the Ontario Tennis Association (OTA). Arnold is also a founding Board Member of the Philpott Children’s Tennis Fund, with the mission to involve more children in tennis for development on and off the court.
Arnold’s tenure on the OTA and Philpott Children’s Tennis Boards of Directors is highlighted by her dedication to promoting inclusive and accessible tennis to all children in the community. She continues to lead and shape Philpott Children’s Tennis, which provides free tennis programs to Toronto’s inner-city communities.
“Sharon’s commitment to growing tennis is what the Prix Jacqueline L. Boutet Award is all about,” said Eva Havaris, Senior Vice President of Tennis Development and Partnerships at Tennis Canada. “This award honours Sharon’s outstanding contributions to accessibility and inclusivity in tennis, which continues to introduce more children to the sport each year. Her efforts to grow the sport are exemplary, as implementing tennis into the school curriculum has ensured a welcoming introduction to tennis for many children, especially young girls.”
Larry Tanenbaum honoured with the inaugural UNMATCHED Award
The third-annual UNMATCHED conference also honoured Larry Tanenbaum, a Toronto-based sports executive, with the first-of-its-kind UNMATCHED Award for Investment in Women’s Sport.
Tanenbaum is the Chairman of Kilmer Sports Ventures and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and was honoured by Tennis Canada for his contribution to the development and support of women’s sport in Canada after his recent acquisition of Canada’s first WNBA franchise.
The UNMATCHED Award will annually acknowledge an organization or individual for their material investment in the advancement and development of women’s sport.
