Theresa Hanson was still working in the financial sector when she was offered the opportunity to become the director of athletics and intramurals at Langara College. She was at a crossroads. Hanson took a leap of faith but said she soon realized that was exactly where she was meant to be. It was from this moment on that Hanson knew her passion was in sport administration and that she would spend her career pursuing it.
Hanson is now the senior director of athletics and recreation at Simon Fraser University. She worked in senior leadership roles at UBC Athletics from 2005 to 2015.
Her involvement in sports began as a young athlete in Trail, BC. Her parents always encouraged her to participate in sports and understand its value. Hanson focused on track and field and basketball, basketball earning her a varsity scholarship to play at Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho. She completed a business degree there.
After graduating, Hanson moved to Vancouver to work in the financial industry and joined a local senior women’s basketball league. It was during this time that she met Allison McNeill, SFU's women’s basketball coach at the time. Hanson helped McNeill coach at SFU. It was there that she met her husband and current coach of the UBC men’s basketball team Kevin Hanson.
Hanson began her career in sports during a time when there were fewer opportunities, but Hanson notes there was no job too big or too small.
“I think that's really important for young girls to get involved and really strive to be better today than you were yesterday. Stay grounded. Really have confidence and believe in yourself. That was something that I had to learn.”
Hanson said she is proud to have been a female in sports to help break the glass ceiling in the profession by being the first female athletic director at Simon Fraser University. “I had three kinds of foundations of my career: professionalism, integrity and respect was really, really important. And I really built my career on that. And preparation.”
Hanson said the best part of her job has always been working with student athletes. She said that if she can make a positive difference in the lives of student athletes, she and her team have done their job well.
“I love cheering them on. I love going to games and really watching student athletes not just to compete and be successful, but to grow throughout their time at university,” she said. “That's the best part of the job.”
When speaking to the toughest part of her job, Hanson said, “I really think that any strong leader, in any sport or in any career, has experienced those highs and lows, disappointments, and the obstacles.” However, she said all of the experiences she has gone through have made her stronger and helped her grow. “I really try to learn from those experiences and look at how it can help me the next time,” she said.
Theresa’s goal for the future is to make SFU one of the top programs in the NCAA Division II.
Hanson said that other aspiring athletes and women who want to work in sports should just get involved.
“There's so many rewards and the positive influence of sports, whether it's participating, whether it's helping organize, whether it's being involved in a sporting event, it is so worthwhile and so so rewarding.”
February 1 was National Girls and Women in Sports Day.