COC unveils inaugural Team Canada Olympic Day Grant recipients
TORONTO (June 22, 2023) – Today, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) announced the inaugural recipients of the Team Canada Olympic Day Grant.
Six Canadian schools will each receive a $5,000 grant to support their goal of empowering students to play and stay in sport. Each successful school will also receive a 90-minute motivational speech from a Team Canada athlete.
This grant is a key driver of the Team Canada Impact Agenda, the COC’s organization-wide commitment to making sport safe, inclusive and barrier-free so more young people can play and stay in sport. The Team Canada Impact Agenda is built around three pillars – Podium, Play, and Planet – and this grant, as part of the COC’s long-standing Olympic Education program, will play a critical role in transforming “play” by giving more young people access to experience the power of sport.
The grant was also inspired by Olympic Day, celebrated each year on June 23 to commemorate the founding of the modern Olympic Games. Olympic Day aims to promote the values of Olympism, encourage participation in sports, and foster a sense of unity and friendship among people worldwide.
The six schools and their winning programs are:
- Bert Church High School (Airdrie, Alta.) – Empowering the school’s women’s lacrosse team and educating on Indigenous culture.
- Centre Wellington District High School (Fergus, Ont.) – Empowering girls and gender-diverse students through the introduction of powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting programs.
- École Nuvviti (Ivujivik, Que.) – Promoting a healthy active lifestyle by increasing access to sport while providing the necessities to participate (i.e., healthy food and drink).
- École Parkside School (Altona, Man.) – Improving outdoor infrastructure to increase school and community access to outdoor volleyball.
- École secondaire des Sources (Montreal, Que.) – Increasing access to an afterschool triathlon program for students.
- Sussex Regional High School (Sussex, N.B.) – Developing a bike repair program and offering specialized biking opportunities for students with disabilities with physical therapists.
The application for the grant was open to schools this year from March 4 to April 4. The six schools were chosen out of 625 applicants by a selection committee. For more information on our Olympic Education program and the Team Canada Olympic Day Grant, please visit https://develop.olympic.ca/education/
QUOTES
“In my roles in sport and as a father, I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact that sport has on youth. But unfortunately not everyone has access to sport or its resources. If we are to relentlessly pursue a safe, inclusive and barrier-free sport system, we also need to provide resources for more young Canadians to play and stay in sport. We’re so proud to be able to offer the Team Canada Olympic Day Grant to these schools and look forward to seeing the impact their programs have on their students.”
– David Shoemaker, COC CEO and Secretary General
“We recognize our responsibility isn’t just to field the best Team Canada possible at the Olympic Games, but to get more people from more backgrounds and parts of the country active and engaged in the sport community. Through the Team Canada Impact Agenda, and programs like the Team Canada Day Olympic Grant, we are delivering on our mission to transform Canada through the power of sport and ensure all Canadians have access to sport and its benefits.”
– Jacqueline Ryan, Chief Brand and Commercial Officer of the COC and CEO of the Canadian Olympic Foundation
“Upon reflection, I see that it wasn’t luck that brought us to this fortunate place. First and foremost, it’s the vision and dedication of the Canadian Olympic Committee to develop a program that reaches out to support the inspiration for students to develop a life-long love of sports participation, and create a legacy of healthy activity in them.”
– Janine Grin, Principal of Centre Wellington District High School
“During the pandemic, our students had to be outside during their breaks and lunch. Together, we discovered how fresh air, sunshine and an opportunity to organize their own play had a positive influence on the attitudes of our students. ‘Keep Up with a Volleyball’ was a favored activity and led to students advocating for outdoor volleyball nets. This grant will help us advance our outdoor courts from grass to sand and ensure our students a longer playing season and also support community access to healthy outdoor options throughout the summer months. We are thrilled to receive this grant for the benefit of our students and our community. Thank you.”
– Leanne Braun, Principal of École Parkside School
“We are thrilled to be a recipient of one of the first-ever Team Canada Olympic Day Grants. The funding and support from the COC will help our school and community build inclusive avenues to participation in sport. We are excited to use the grant to fund cycling experiences for all student abilities. Go Team Canada Go!”
– Lori-Ann Lauridsen, Principal of Sussex Regional High School
ABOUT OLYMPIC DAY
Established in 1948, Olympic Day is a cornerstone of the Olympic Movement and is celebrated by approximately 110 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and hundreds of thousands of people of all ages and abilities around the world.
This global initiative is celebrated on June 23rd each year to commemorate the founding of the modern Olympic Games. The day is marked by various sporting events, activities, and educational programs organized by Olympic committees, sports organizations, and communities to engage individuals of all ages and abilities.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Peter Saltsman
Senior Manager, Public Relations
C: 647-382-6986
E: psaltsman@olympic.ca
Koteki Inaba, Program Manager, Public Relations
Canadian Olympic Committee
C: 438-337-6010
E: kinaba@olympic.ca