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 > TRU Home > Faculty of Law > Law Faculty > Jon Heshka
John Heshka

Jon Heshka, Law Professor

BSc, BA, BEd, MEd, LLM

Jon Heshka is an associate professor specializing in sports law. Jon has been at Thompson Rivers University since 2002. He won the Governor General’s Academic Medal en route to earning degrees in zoology, political studies, education and law. Prior to his arrival at TRU, Jon played semi-pro volleyball in Brazil, worked as a climbing guide, trained and coordinated search and rescue for the Justice Institute of BC / Ministry of Attorney General, and managed risk and sales in the US with Petzl - a world leader in climbing equipment.

Jon has co-authored a university textbook entitled 'Managing Risk: Systems Planning for Outdoor Adventure Programs' which represents the next generation of thinking about risk and adventure. He also co-wrote a chapter on The Legal Context for Outdoor Recreation in ‘Risk Management in the Outdoors’ published by Cambridge University Press. His 40+ articles have been published in several journals including International Sports Law Review, Sport and the Law Journal, and Solicitors Journal as well as eleven newspapers including the Globe and Mail and the Guardian, and two climbing magazines.

Jon consults with all levels of government and the private sector. He co-authored the 2003 Public Avalanche Safety Program Review for the BC Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General and occasionally works as an expert witness in adventure tourism risk management as well as search and rescue with clients which have included the US Department of Justice in Hawaii. Jon has also consulted with many other clients including the Government of the Northwest Territories, US National Parks Service, the Calgary Board of Education, and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Jon is an associate editor with the International Journal of Sport and Society and sits on the International Association of Sports Law sports safety committee and scientific committees. He was also a member of the BC Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts' Recreation Trails Strategy Advisory Committee which built the framework to a sustainable and world-class trail program.

Jon is a Co-Director at the Centre for International Sports Law at Staffordshire University and has been a part-time lecturer at Leicester De Montfort Law School in the UK where he taught courses in Ethics and Sports Regulation. Jon is on a cross-appointment at Thompson Rivers University with the Adventure Studies Department where he teaches courses in business administration, risk management, and emergency management.

His research interests and areas of expertise include negligence in contact sports (i.e. hockey and football), the liability of adventure and extreme sport, technological doping in sport, the regulation and risk management of extreme sport, wilderness / outdoor pursuits risk management, and ambush marketing.

Jon is spearheading the sports law programme in the Faculty of Law.

Office: HL250
Email: jheshka@tru.ca
Tel: 250.371.5839

Professor Heshka will be teaching Sports Law in the second and third year curriculum.

Books

  1. Jackson, J. & Heshka J. (2010). Managing Risk – Systems Planning for Outdoor Adventure Programs. Ottawa, DBI.

Book Chapters

  1. Ainsworth, A & Heshka, J. (2011). The Legal Context for Outdoor Recreation. In T. Dickson & T. Gray (Eds.), Risk management in the outdoors: A whole of organisation approach for education, sport and recreation. (43-68). Port Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.

Refereed Journal Articles

  1. Heshka J. & Lines K. (2010). Assessing the Competency of Sport to Regulate Technology. International Journal of Sport and Society 1(3), 1-14.
  2. Heshka, J. (2009). The Criminality of Doping in Sport. International Sports Law Review Pandektis 8(1-2), 118-129.
  3. Lines, K. & Heshka J. (2009). Ski Jumping through Olympic-sized hoops: An analysis of Sagen v. Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) for the 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games. International Sports Law Review 4, 92-99.
  4. Heshka, J. & Lines K. (2009). Swimming - Credibility Crisis or Tempest in a Teapot? Assessing FINA's competency to regulate high-tech swimsuits. Sport and the Law Journal 16(3), 15-25.
  5. Lines, K. & Heshka J. (2009). Gridiron Spirit - Cheerleading is a Contact Sport Declares the Supreme Court of Wisconsin in Noffke v. Bakke 2009 WI 10. Entertainment & Sports Lawyer 27(1), 1-33-35.
  6. Lines, K. & Heshka J. (2008). Falling in Line with the Law – Should adults who are injured after deliberately putting themselves at risk expect to be compensated? New Law Journal, 1026-1027.
  7. Heshka, J. (2006). Canada’s Legal Standard of Care for Outdoor Education. Canadian Association for the Practical Study of Law in Education 2005 Conference Proceedings, 221-242.

Non-Refereed Articles

  1. Heshka, J. & Jackson, J. (2012) Sarah Burke: Real risk in extreme sports world. The Vancouver Sun, February 1, A15. http://www2.canada.com/story.html?id=6087623&p=2
  2. Heshka, J. (2012). Brain Injuries: A shot across the NHL’s bow. LawNow, January/February 2012, 35-36.
  3. Heshka, J. (2011, November 10). Should what happens on the ice, stay on the ice? The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/nov/10/ice-hockey-legal-sport-network
  4. Lines, K. & Heshka J. (2011). Off duty: An analysis of Grimes v Hawkins. Solicitors Journal, 155(38), 14-15.
  5. Heshka, J. (2011). Risk and Responsibility. Gripped, 13(5), 28-29. http://gripped.com/2011/10/sections/articles/risk-and-responsibility/
  6. Heshka, J. (2011). Battle of the beers: Labatt v. NHL and Molson Coors. Sports Litigation Alert, 8(19).
  7. Lines, K. & Heshka, J. (2011). Cross-disciplinary studies in sports and law. Global Sports Law and Taxation Reports, 2(3).
  8. Heshka. J. (2011, August 2). A (head) shot across the NHL’s bow? The Globe and Mail, p. A13. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/a-head-shot-across-the-nhls-bow/article2114845/
  9. Heshka, J. (2011). Concussions are a Headache for the NHL and NFL. Sports Litigation Alert, 8(7).
  10. Heshka, J. (2011). Family Alleges Negligence after Man Dies on Zip-line. Sports Litigation Alert, 8(6).
  11. Heshka, J. (2011, March 6). Violence on the ice is getting out of control. Edmonton Journal, p. A13.
  12. Lines, K & Heshka, J. (2011). Bump in the Night [analysis of Barnes v. The Scout Association [2010] EWCA Civ 1476]. Solicitors Journal, 155(2), 8-9.
  13. Heshka, J. (2010, November 25). Kids should not be extreme adventurers. Cañada Valley Sun (LA Times newspaper).
  14. Lines, K. & Heshka J. (2010). Advertising: Ambush marketing: FIFA’s rights protection programme. World Sports Law Report, 8(8), 4-6.
  15. Heshka, J. (2010, June 19) University has punished the innocent. Waterloo Region Record, p. A15. http://www.guelphmercury.com/print/article/424493
  16. Lines, K. & Heshka, J. (2010). A good sport: The ruling in Uren emphasises the courts’ determination to protect the freedom to choose whether to participate in sports with an acceptable level of risk. Solicitors Journal, 154(6), 13.
  17. Heshka, J. (2010, February 23). Why ski helmets alone don't prevent injuries. Windsor Star, p. A6. http://www2.canada.com/windsorstar/news/editorial/story.html?id=d72141c1-e77c-4fd5-a96c-f63ea9065e32&p=2
  18. Heshka, J. (2010, February 10). Ski helmets alone aren't enough. Ottawa Citizen, p. A17. http://www2.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/ideas/story.html?id=590a0d3a-41ef-4232-8509-0c4609cfa05c
  19. Heshka, J. (2010, February 1). Rules and Rogues – VANOC’s approach to ambush marketers may keep the lawyers happy but the strategy is backfiring. Marketing, p. 37.
  20. Heshka, J. (2009, July 7). Critical analysis: Has swimming got the balance right? British Association for Sport and Law.
  21. Heshka, J. (2009, April 1). High Cost of Chasing Powder. Kamloops Daily News, p. B1.
  22. Lines, K. & Heshka, J. (2009). Carbon Fibre, Artificial Altitude & Biomechanics: The Place of Technology in Lex Sportiva. Proceedings of the Socio-Legal Studies Association 2009 Conference.
  23. Heshka, J. (2009, January 27). Barbarity Rules NHL. The Province, p. A16.
  24. Heshka, J. (2009, January 11). From Fights to Bites: Hockey Violence is Out of Control. Winnipeg Free Press, p. A11. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/from_fights_to_bites.html
  25. Heshka, J. (October 2008). Law of the Land - Redefining Climbing Liability. Rock and Ice Magazine, 172, 22. http://rockandice.com/articles/how-to-climb/article/7-law-of-the-land
  26. Heshka, J. (2007). How Tort Law Operates in Recreation, Sports & Field Trip Environments - Volenti in Higher Outdoor Education. Proceedings of The 28th Annual National Conference on Law and Higher Education. Gulfport, Florida: Stetson University College of Law.
  27. Heshka, J., McLarty, S. & Statham G. (2007). Perspectives on the Standard of Care for Custodial Groups in Outdoor Pursuits. Proceedings of the 2007 Wilderness Risk Management Conference. Banff, AB: NOLS.
  28. Heshka, J. (2007). Assumption of Risk and Inherent Risk in Outdoor Education. Law Review Quarterly, 5-21.
  29. Heshka, J. & Hood, R. (2006). Universities Collaborating with Communities. Proceedings from the Tourism Educators Conference. Victoria, BC.
  30. Hood, R. & Heshka, J. (2006). Tourism Students Consulting In The Community: Optimal Education Or Unrealistic Expectations? Conference Abstracts of the Western Division of the Canadian Association of Geographers Annual Meeting. Kamloops, BC: TRU.
  31. Heshka, J. (2006). Holding Strength of Climbing Ice Screws vs. Placement Angle. Thompson Rivers University Scholarly Activity Project Report, 44-47.
  32. Heshka, J. & Valade, G. (2004). Risk, Liability and Insurance of Nature-Based Tourism. Conference Summaries - Nature-Based Tourism. Ottawa, ON: Queen's Printer.
  33. Heshka, J. & Stewart-Patterson, I. (2004). Holding Strength of Ice Screws vs. Placement Angle. Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education, 8.

Selected Conference Presentations

  1. DeMartini, A. & Heshka, J. (2012). Parkour across North America and university’s exposure to liability: Should schools be worried?’ 25th Annual Conference on Sport, Physical Activity, Recreation and Law (Greensboro, NC).
  2. Heshka, J. & Lines, K. (2011). Epidemic Levels of Sports Concussions Demands a Management Re-think. The 19th Conference of the European Association for Sport Management (Madrid, Spain).
  3. Lines, K. & Heshka, J. (2011). Technological Doping: Assessing the competency of sport to regulate technology. Tackling Doping in Sport 2011 Conference (London, UK).
  4. Lines, K. & Heshka, J. (2011). The Challenges of Regulating Technology in Winter Sport – Tilting the field of sport with technology. Winter Sports and Outdoor Life Conference (Telemark University College, Norway).
  5. Heshka, J. (2011). Risk Management – Systems Planning for Outdoor Recreation Programs. Western Canada Campus Recreation Conference 2011 (Kamloops, BC).
  6. Heshka, J. (2010). Technological Doping and Sport Integrity. British Association for Sport and Law Conference (Leicester, UK).
  7. Heshka, J. & Lines, K. (2010). Assessing the Competency of Sport to Regulate Technology. International Sport and Society Conference (Vancouver, BC).
  8. Heshka, J. (2008). Evolving Risk Management Practices in Canada. Wilderness Risk Management Conference (Jackson Hole, WY).
  9. Heshka, J. & Hoye, W.P. (2007). How Tort Law Operates in Recreation, Sports and Field Trip Environments. 28th Annual National Conference on Law and Higher Education (Clearwater Beach, FL).
  10. Heshka, J. (2007). Reflections on the Legal and Ethical Foundation of Outdoor Education. Risk Management Conference for Outdoor Education in Canada (Ottawa, ON).
  11. Heshka, J. (2007). Are Standards and Certification the Silver Bullet to Outdoor Education? Risk Management Conference for Outdoor Education in Canada (Ottawa, ON).
  12. Heshka, J., McLarty, S. & Statham, G. (2007). Perspectives on the Standard of Care for Custodial Groups in Outdoor Pursuits. Wilderness Risk Management Conference (Banff, AB).
  13. Heshka, J., Williamson, J. Cline, P. & Lee Tarter, S. (2005). Role of Standards, Certification & Accreditation in Outdoor Education. Wilderness Risk Management Conference (Snowbird, UT).
  14. Heshka, J. (2005). Canada’s Legal Standard of Care for Outdoor Education. Risk Management Conference for Outdoor Education in Canada (Ottawa, ON).
  15. Heshka, J. (2005). Canada's Outdoor Education Standards Dilemma. Canadian Association for the Practical Study of Law in Education (Regina, SK).
  16. Heshka, J. & Valade, G. (2004). Risk, Liability and Insurance of Nature-Based Tourism. Eco-North 2004 (Thunder Bay, ON).

Professor Heshka's research interests and areas of expertise include negligence in contact sports (i.e. hockey and football), the liability of adventure and extreme sport, technological doping in sport, the regulation and risk management of extreme sport, wilderness / outdoor pursuits risk management, and ambush marketing. He is currently pursuing several research projects.

He recently reviewed and critiqued a monograph by South African Law Prof. Andre Louw entitled, "Ambush Marketing & The Mega-Event Monopoly" to be published by T.M.C. Asser Press in June 2012.

Professor Heshka is completing a project along with Anne deMartini of Flagler College in Florida into Canadian and American universitys' exposure to liability with respect to parkour and buildering on campuses. They presented their preliminary findings at the 25th Annual Conference on Sport, Physical Activity, Recreation and Law in Greensboro, NC in March 2012 and intend on publishing their results later this year.

Along with Kris Lines of Staffordshire University in the UK, he is presenting a paper entitled, "Regulating Violence in Violent Sports" at the International Conference on Sport and Society at Cambridge University in July 2012.

He is also examining helmet use in the ski and snowboard industry. Lastly, Professor Heshka is studying the influence of event organizers and sponsors of extreme sport on the risk management decisions made by its athletes.

The Sports Law Canary blog

TRU Adventure Studies Department