HIGH ACHIEVERS: Builder Dr. Andrew Pipe, coach Dave Smart entering Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame

By Martin Cleary

For more than 50 years, Dr. Andrew Pipe made a profound impact in the field of medicine and sport medicine as a professor, researcher and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute’s former chief of the prevention and rehabilitation division.

He passionately campaigned against the tobacco industry and became a foremost expert in smoking cessation, developing programs which are used around the world.

But when Pipe stepped away from his daily responsibilities of patient care, program development and writing research papers, he had an equally passionate interest in national and international sports.

A former soccer player at Queen’s University in the late 1960s, Pipe turned his off-hours attention to serving as a volunteer team physician or chief medical officer for various national teams at major international championships.

Starting in 1978, he made an extraordinary contribution as Canada Basketball’s team physician for more than 25 years at Summer Olympic Games, FIBA world championships, Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games and international qualifying tournaments. Pipe attended more than 12 Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

Basketball Canada gave Pipe its highest accolade earlier this month, when he was named as one of 10 individuals in the Class of 2026 to be inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame.

The other inductees will be athletes Miranda Ayim, Michael Meeks, Jamaal Magloire, Anna Stammberger, Dan Meagher and Teresa Kleindienst, coaches Dave Smart of Ottawa and Peter (Doc) Ryan, and official Janice Deakin.

The induction ceremony will be staged in late August in St. Stephen, N.B., in conjunction with the fifth annual Archie Weekend, which supports the revitalization of the world’s oldest basketball court.

“Pipe’s impact extended far beyond medical responsibilities,” the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame announcement stated. “Widely respected and trusted by players, coaches and staff, he was an integral member of the national team, known for his commitment to the collective success of the program.

“His approach reflected a team-first mentality, contributing in any capacity required – whether through direct medical care, operational support or simply ensuring the needs of athletes and staff were met in demanding international settings.”

In the 1980s, Pipe was alarmed by the increase of performance-enhancing drugs in the amateur sports world and warned of troubled times ahead. It happened at the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics, when Ben Johnson tested positive for steroids and lost his 100-metre gold medal and world and Olympic records.

During the federal government’s Dubin Inquiry, Pipe submitted a report outlining a structure to fight drug use in Canadian sport. He later was asked by the federal sports minister to develop the Canadian Centre for Drug-Free Sport, which is now known as Sport Integrity Canada.

Named to the Order of Canada in 2002, the Canadian Olympic Hall of Famer recently served as special advisor for the Future of Sport in Canada Commission.

“I kind of made a commitment to myself (early in my career) – I was going to try to maintain an involvement in sport because I see sport as such a powerful and positive cultural force,” Pipe said for a 2024 Queen’s University alumni story.

“Dr. Andrew Pipe is an esteemed alumnus, who has made a global difference in public health and sports medicine, while always remaining committed to Queen’s University,” added Queen’s health sciences dean Jane Philpott.

“His innovative approach to smoking cessation changed the way health professionals engage patients and helped curb smoking rates and transform public behaviour. His advocacy in areas ranging from tobacco control and physical activity to drug-free sports have helped create healthier communities at home and abroad.”

Pipe has worked with at least five members of the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 and is highly recognized for his multiple talents.

“His legacy within Canadian basketball is defined by exceptional longevity, trusted leadership and a profound commitment to athlete care and team success,” the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame release added.

One member of that group of five known to Pipe is coach Dave Smart, likewise a Queen’s alumnus, who was a standout player for the then Golden Gaels in 1991-94 as well as a three-time OUA all-star. He later applied unsuccessfully for the Queen’s men’s basketball head coaching position.

But that downturn led to an upscale meeting with Paul Armstrong of the Carleton University Ravens. Smart was an assistant coach for two seasons before becoming head coach for the 1999-2000 campaign.

Smart ran a tight ship for 19 seasons over two decades, but his unique and flamboyant style produced remarkable results every season. During the 2015-16 season, he took a sabbatical from his Ravens head coaching duties.

After stepping down as head coach in 2019, Smart was promoted to Carleton’s director of basketball operations for the men’s and women’s programs. Currently, he is preparing for his third season with the NCAA’s University of the Pacific.

Smart is considered “the architect of modern Canadian university basketball excellence and one of the most influential coaches in this country’s basketball history,” the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame stated in the same announcement.

A specific standard of excellence allowed a middle-of-the-road men’s basketball program to become a national dynasty because of a winning culture, defensive intensity and team-first goals.

His basketball philosophy and excitable sideline coaching style developed individual players who became a team to win 13 Canadian university championships during his 16 national tournament appearances.

Smart, a nine-time national university men’s coach-of-the-year recipient, is rated one of the top three men’s coaches in Canadian intercollegiate basketball history.

He is ranked No. 1 for OUA regular-season winning percentage, 384-26, .947; and for all games against U Sports competition, 591-48, .925. His 591 victories against U Sports teams puts him in the No. 2 slot along with his overall record percentage against all teams, 657-101, .867.

Smart developed strong Canadian talent so players wouldn’t feel the need to pursue NCAA scholarships. Carleton often faced NCAA teams in the late summer to prepare for its OUA season.

“His meticulous approach to preparation, emphasis on situation decision-making, defensive systems and conditioning, use of data and attention to detail became teaching points adopted by coaches across Canada,” the release added.

He also mentored coaches to succeed and move ahead in their roles, conducted clinics, and did public speaking and informal consultation.

“Dave Smart’s legacy is not only measured in championships, but in the durable systems, people and expectations he created,” the release continued.

“He proved high-performance basketball could be built and sustained in Canada, opened pathways for players and coaches, and left an enduring imprint on how the game is coached, organized and valued across the country.”