Bio

Danika Smith has dedicated herself over the past 15 years to the varsity sports high-performance sport sector at the University of Ottawa and has been a key force in the growth and development of the high-performance sport model operating today with the Gee-Gees.

In her role, Smith oversees the high-performance sector, including 19 coaches and nine administrators who work to support the University's 34 varsity sport programs. This portfolio oversees team logistics, eligibility, athletic and financial aid, integrated support services (including for academics, medical and athletic therapy, strength and conditioning, mental health support, performance nutrition, mental performance), among other essential areas to varsity operations. Smith oversees the annual sport program reviews with each Varsity Team and is lead on all sport related activities with U SPORTS, OUA, and RSEQ.

Prior to taking on the Associate Director role, Smith served as the Senior Advisor, Varsity Operations and Student-Athlete Services, High Performance and Compliance Advisor, and Student-Athlete Services and Compliance Officer dating back to 2009.

Outside of her experience with the Gee-Gees, Smith has worked as a Safe Sport Project Lead with ITP Sport, as well as a Sport Psychology Consultant.

Internationally, Smith has attended the 2019 FISU World Cup and 2022 FISU America Games as Head of Delegation with the Gee-Gees soccer team. Smith also represented Canada as mission staff at the 2013 FISU Games in Kazan, Russia.

A native of Munster Hamlet in southwestern Ottawa, Smith played for the Gee-Gees women's hockey program between 2003-09, serving as team captain from 2006-09.

A two-time conference All-Star at defence, Smith won both the RSEQ Community Service, Academics, and Sport Award and the U SPORTS Marion Hilliard Award for athletics, academics, and community service in 2009.

Transitioning from ice hockey to ball hockey, Smith is a two-time world gold medalist (2009 & 2013) and silver medalist (2011) as a player for Canada. On the coaching side, Smith was an assistant coach for Team Lebanon in 2022 at the World Championship and was an assistant coach for Canada's Master's team in 2016.

Smith graduated from the University of Ottawa first with an Honours Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics in 2007, and later a Master of Arts in Human Kinetics in 2009. Smith also earned a Graduate Certificate in High Performance Coaching and Technical Leadership from the University of British Columbia in 2018.