Earlier this month I traveled to Vancouver for 3 days to photograph the Access Sport Recruiting and Training Showcase2015 event.

Access Sport helps high school students plan for a sport oriented college / university experience. They coach Canadian student athletes from grades 9 to 12 through the recruiting process in both the NCAA and CIS.

The Showcase2015 event brought students from all over British Columbia and Alberta to Wright Field at UBC to showcase their field hockey skills to coaches from universities all over North America. Athletes had the opportunity to personally connect to college level coaches and recruiters in the NCAA and the CIS. They learned all about college playing schedules, how to plan to attend the school of their dreams, and how to do it all on a fully funded scholarship.

In addition to the three days of seminar and on-field training, athletes received a full year of membership to the Access Sport Recruiting Profile included in their tuition, and access to an on-field athletic trainer for the duration of the showcase.

Showcase 2015 on-field training included:

• Fitness testing
• Offensive Skills: (2hr training session)
• Elimination skills
• Shooting / goal scoring
• Specific GK training
• Defensive Skills: (2 hr training session)
• Distribution Skills
• Tackling
• Decision Making
• Small sided 7v7 games (each athlete will play 4 games)
• Full games (each athlete will play 2 full games)

The evening seminar included presentations from NCAA and CIS alumni speaking about:

• Time management, travel, achieving academic balance through available support systems
• What to expect during off-season, pre-season, in-season and everything in between
• The Canadian experience, choosing to stay in Canada, making a team, what to expect when you play in the CIS
• Taking care of your body, hot to be physically prepared for college, what to expect from athletic training support staff
• What happens after college? Getting a job. How playing college field hockey can prepare you for and benefit you in the real world
• Making a recruiting plan, recruiting regulations, timelines, scholarships and advice

All sessions were recorded to give the athletes the option to post video of their skills on their Access Sport profiles with the option of ordering a highlight reel showcasing their talents. (Video is very important in the recruiting process, as the majority college coaches and recruiters rely on video due to tight recruiting travel budgets.)

For more information about Showcase and Access Sport, or to get your own online recruiting profile, talk to Jenn Beagan at access-sport.ca.

Access Sport will be hosting a fall conference later in 2015 – stay tuned to their Facebook and Twitter pages for details as they become available.

Take an in-depth look at the Luge Relay event as they build to its Olympic debut at the upcoming Sochi 2014 Winter Games.

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(image source: Canadian Paralympic Committee)

Ottawa, ON (October 22, 2010) – Today, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and several decorated Paralympians gratefully accepted the financial contribution of $5M annually over the next five years from the Minister of State for Sport, the Honourable Gary Lunn. The funding was announced during the 2010 Canadian Paralympic Congress in Ottawa, attended by leaders in sport and disability organizations from across the country. This announcement follows the financial commitment announced by Minister Flaherty in the Federal Budget on March 4^th.

This new funding has triggered the most ambitious plan in the history of the Canadian Paralympic Committee.

“Our vision is to be the world-leading Paralympic Nation. This means more than gold medals. It means having success on the world stage, as well as having a sustainable Paralympic sport system that encourages participation; provides access to the best equipment, coaches and leadership; and, celebrates the accomplishment of our nations’ Paralympians,” said Carla Qualtrough, President for the Canadian Paralympic Committee . “This is a significant day as it marks the beginning of a very bright future for us. It will empower us to enhance the podium performance of the Canadian Paralympic Team as well as to work closely with our partners to raise the awareness of the opportunities available in sport for Canadians with a disability.”

“Our Government is proud to support our Canadian Paralympic athletes. We have all been inspired by their recent successes, notably at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games and the XIX Commonwealth Games in Delhi. This additional investment will ensure that the CPC has the tools that it needs to continue to build on these triumphs, and to encourage more persons with disabilities to actively participate in sport.”

This funding represents a new era for the Canadian Paralympic Committee and leads the organization to a new and brighter future. With significant, stable funding, more children with disabilities will have the opportunity to participate in sport and pursue dreams of representing their country in international high performance competition. The result will be a positive impact on the health and well-being of Canadians, especially those with a disability.

The new Strategic Plan will focus on four pillars: (1) enhancing podium performances at Paralympic Games; (2) building a World-class Paralympic Sport System; (3) creating a sustainable business model for the Canadian Paralympic Committee; and, (4) expanding the awareness of Paralympic sport and building the Paralympic Brand.

“The Federal Government’s commitment represents a new era for the Paralympic Movement in Canada,” said Chantal Petitclerc, five-time Paralympic wheelchair racer and winner of 21 Paralympic medals. “It is very encouraging to see that up and coming athletes will have this type of support from their Government and I am thrilled to see Paralympic sport receive this kind of recognition.

This increase in funding demonstrates that encouraging healthy lifestyles for the 3.6 million Canadians living with disabilities through promotion of sport and recreation remains a priority for this government. It also reflects the growing pride and support of Canadians for the Canadian Paralympic Team. The Canadian Paralympic Committee and its athletes applaud the Federal Government for their support and their vital role in being a strong advocate of the Paralympic Movement.

(source: Canadian Paralympic Committee Press Release)