2019 introduces seven new locations and
first-ever National Final
TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2019 /CNW/ - RBC Training Ground, a
program developed in partnership with the Canadian Olympic
Committee (COC), Canadian Olympic Foundation, CBC Sports, and the
Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network (COPSIN),
continues to enhance its search for Canada's future Olympians.
Entering its fourth year, the RBC Training Ground program is a
nation-wide talent identification and athlete-funding program
dedicated to finding and supporting the next generation of Canadian
Olympians. To date, the program has tested over 5,500 athletes at
71 free local events in 35 different communities across 10
provinces.
In 2019, RBC Training Ground is excited to announce the
first-ever National Final hosted in Calgary, Alberta. This national event will
bring together the top 100 high-potential athletes from across the
country to compete for funding and consideration from Canada's National Sport Organizations (NSOs).
Based on the National Final results, and sport-specific testing
results, up to 30 high-performing athletes will be selected as RBC
Future Olympians – receiving funding and resources to pursue their
Olympic dreams.
RBC Training Ground will also add seven new qualifier locations
to the lineup, including a premier event in the Yukon. The national search will visit 34
Canadian communities overall – giving even more young Canadian
athletes the opportunity to explore their Olympic potential.
Quick Facts:
- RBC Training Ground is open to Canadian athletes between the
ages of 14–25;
- The 2019 Training Ground season will kick off on Sunday, February 3 in Halifax, Nova Scotia;
- RBC Training Ground's first-ever National Final event will take
place in September 2019 in
Calgary, Alberta;
- Seven new qualifier locations include: Waterloo, Ontario; Trois-Rivières,
Quebec; Regina, Saskatchewan; Thompson, Manitoba; Fort McMurray, Alberta; Boucherville, Quebec; and Whitehorse, Yukon;
- Since 2016, RBC Training Ground has tested over 5,500 elite
young athletes across the country, identifying 600 high-potential
athletes;
- Since the program's inception, more than $1.3M in funding has been provided to 87 RBC
Future Olympians to help support their Olympic dreams;
- Participating NSOs include: Athletics Canada, Freestyle Canada,
Canada Snowboard, Speed Skating Canada, Cycling Canada, Rowing
Canada, Rugby Canada, and Canoe Kayak Canada.
Quotes:
"At RBC, we proudly support Canadian Olympic athletes at every
stage of their careers. The talent pool of Canadian athletes with
Olympic potential continues to grow, and through RBC Training
Ground we are able to tap into, build, and support this talent.
With a new National Final and seven new qualifying locations –
including our first Northern event in the Yukon – 2019 is going to be another great year
for this program."
- Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice-President and Chief
Marketing Officer, RBC
"Heading into its fourth year, RBC Training Ground continues to
create incredible opportunities for young Canadian athletes. By
partnering with eight National Sport Organizations and the Canadian
Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network, RBC continues to
fill a gap within our sport model – finding new talent, expanding
the pool of next generation athletes, and financially supporting
top performers."
- Eric Myles, Chief Sport Officer, Canadian
Olympic Committee
"CBC Sports is proud to be an integral part of RBC Training
Ground and its ongoing support for future Olympians from across the
country. As Canada's Olympic
Network, we provide Canadian high-performance athletes with a
year-round platform to showcase their talent to a national audience
through our digital and broadcast coverage, including weekly staple
Road to the Olympic Games. We are eager to share the
journeys of RBC Training Ground hopefuls as part of our coverage
again this year."
- Chris Wilson, Interim Head of CBC Sports
"The most exciting aspect of the RBC Training Ground program is
that we are seeing athletes emerging as national and international
performers in sports that some of them would not have considered if
it were not for RBC Training Ground. The strength of
collaboration across the eight partner NSOs, and the Canadian Sport
Institute Network, has definitely been enhanced through this
program, creating a much more aligned sport system in Canada."
- Kurt
Innes, National Technical
Lead, COPSI Network
"The RBC Training Ground initiative has provided aid in two
important ways for rugby. Firstly, through the extensive
cross-Canada qualifiers, we are
able to connect with young athletes from all walks of life, and
provide opportunities for them to engage with a new sport either
recreationally, or possibly as a pathway to international
competition. Secondly, the funding support available to
targeted athletes allows us to ensure we can provide support to our
aspiring national team members, further enhancing the number of
athletes competing for selection to major events. RBC Training
Ground has chosen to invest in the development of tomorrow's
national team members, which is imperative in ensuring rugby can
continue to be an Olympic contender for years to come."
- Adam Kleeberger, Lead Development Strength and
Conditioning Coach, Rugby Canada
Registration and event information for all local RBC Training
Ground events is available at RBCTrainingGround.ca.
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with
a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading
performance. Our success comes from the 84,000+ employees who bring
our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients
thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank, and one of the largest
in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified
business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional
experiences to our 16 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn
more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives
through donations, community investments and employee volunteer
activities. See how at rbc.com/community-sustainability.
About COC
The Canadian Olympic Committee leads the
achievement of Team Canada's podium success and advances Olympic
values in Canada. Independent and
predominantly privately funded, the Canadian Olympic Committee
delivers resources that Canada's
elite athletes need to perform at their best and give their
everything every day. By sharing our athletes' stories, we inspire
all Canadians through the power of sport: 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year.
About CBC Sports
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada's Olympic Network through 2024 and
Canada's Paralympic Network
through 2020. The national public broadcaster is committed to
showcasing Canadian and international athletes and sports across
all platforms under the CBC Sports and Hockey Night in Canada
brands, including on television, online at cbcsports.ca and via the
CBC Sports app for iOS and Android devices. CBC Sports prides
itself on telling the story of the high-performance athlete's
journey every step of the way, ensuring Canadians always know the
people who represent them before they see them atop the podium.
About COPSIN
The Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport
Institute Network (COPSI Network) is a key contributor to
Canada's world leading Olympic and
Paralympic podium performances. Our Mission is to provide a
world-class, multi-sport daily training environment for athletes
and coaches through expert leadership, services, and programs.
The COPSI Network provides technical expertise to support the
execution of the RBC Training Ground program. Our team of sport
experts lead the delivery of the technical aspects of the
program through organization, set-up, execution and the data
analysis required for Canada's
national sport organizations (NSOs) to successfully identify
athletes with Olympic potential. Working with our partner NSOs, the
COPSI Network also plays an advisory role in establishing testing
protocols and facilitating athletes being selected for the sports
that best suit their individual athletic abilities. The six
participating members of the Network (Canadian Sport Institute
Pacific, Canadian Sport Institute Calgary, Canadian Sport Centre
Manitoba, Canadian Sport Institute Ontario, Institut national du
sport du Québec, and Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic) are key
collaborators in hosting and promoting RBC Training Ground.
SOURCE RBC