Ottawa Hosts 2017 KidsCAN School Day
AthletesCAN – September 22, 2017 (Ottawa, ON) – Over 500 Ottawa and area students spent the day with Olympians, Paralympians and other top national team athletes learning about the importance of sport and physical activity as part of the 12th annual AthletesCAN KidsCAN School Day. Held in partnership with the Richcraft Recreation Complex the event provided the opportunity to introduce the students to various sports, for the athletes to share their motivational stories on how sport has benefited them, and inspire the youth to embrace and get excited about sport and physical activity.
The Ottawa event marked the 12th anniversary of the event which began in 2006 and has since enabled over 330 national team athletes, including Rio 2016 Games athletes, to inspire more than 23,500 school children from coast-to-coast-to-coast. The annual event is made possible in part due to the funding and support of the Government of Canada.
“The Government of Canada is proud to support activities that encourage Canada’s youth to make sport part of their daily lives,” said the Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. “The KidsCAN School Day participants will always remember meeting these great Olympic and Paralympic athlete ambassadors and the promotion to get active and participate in sport is a great once-in-a-lifetime encouragement for students to learn about the importance of physical activity while having fun.”
KidsCAN School Day is held annually as part of the AthletesCAN Forum, Canada’s largest and most inclusive gathering of national team athlete representatives outside of competition. The AthletesCAN Forum featured a weekend of over 100 Olympians, Paralympians, and top high-performance athletes and leaders, providing an opportunity to network, share ideas, learn about the sport system and develop leadership skills through interactive workshops and presentations.
“Our thanks goes to the schools participating, our athletes and the cutting-edge facility, Richcraft Recreation Complex,” says Josh Vander Vies, President of AthletesCAN. “For 2017, AthletesCAN is celebrating our 25th anniversary acting as the voice of Canadian national team athletes. What better way to celebrate our anniversary than by celebrating the impact athletes and sport can have on our youth and inspire more children to dream.”
Thank you to all the athletes who participated in the 2017 KidsCAN School Day. Please click here for a complete listing of athletes. Please contact us for event photos or athlete interviews.
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As the voice of Canadian national team athletes, AthletesCAN ensures an athlete-centred sport system by developing athlete leaders who influence sport policy and, as role models, inspire a strong sport culture.
Ashley LaBrie
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