Today, the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO), announced that 34 coaches and community sport organizations have been selected as recipients of the 2024 Community Coaching Grant, with funding provided by Hydro One Inc. (Hydro One). This is the fourth consecutive year of the initiative that was created to provide essential funding to help keep sports accessible, affordable and safe.
This year, the CAO received more than 400 grant applications from within Ontario’s sport community, the most since its creation in 2021. Each of the recipients will receive up to $1,000 to cover expenses such as new equipment and safety training.
Among the recipients, the Mentoring Junior Kids Organization (MJKO) Boxing, a Toronto-based charity providing free programming for youth under 18, used this year’s grant to acquire new protective head guards and gear.
“This grant is vital to keeping our youth safe and engaged,” says MJKO coach Ibrahim Kamal. “The
Community Coaching Grant empowers us to create safe spaces where young people can engage, learn, and connect together, building relationships and life skills along the way.”
“At the CAO, we are dedicated to empowering the one in seven adult Ontarians who coach with the
resources they need to effectively support athletes and participants,” said Jeremy Cross, Executive Director of the Coaches Association of Ontario. “We are immensely grateful for our ongoing partnership with Hydro One, which enables coaches at all levels to connect with the tools necessary to serve their
communities effectively and safely.”
Since the launch of the grant, 140 coaches and organizations from 69 communities across Ontario have benefitted from this funding. The 2024 Community Coaching Grant recipients will implement initiatives that include covering costs for registration, travel fees, essential training aids and protective
equipment, and education training for coaches.
“Sports and coaches are essential in shaping a brighter future for youth,” said Lisa Pearson, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Hydro One. “We are proud to support the coaches and organizations working to make sports safer and more inclusive. We deeply appreciate the dedication of all coaches to their athletes, teams, and communities. Congratulations to the grant recipients.”
The grant is a key component of Safe Sport 101, a partnership between Hydro One and CAO established in 2020. This initiative aims to equip coaches with the tools necessary to make sports safe, fun and inclusive for all participants. Safe Sport 101 also features a virtual hub offering free safety resources, including an eight-part eLearning series and downloadable materials.
Hydro One’s Community Investment program focuses on building safe communities in Ontario. The company supports programs, events and initiatives that focus on safety training and safe play.
For more information about the Community Coaching Grant and a full list of recipients, visit https://safesport101.coachesontario.ca/grant.
About the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO)
The Coaches Association of Ontario is an independent, non-profit organization that supports coaches from community to high performance across all sports in Ontario. Providing coach development, funding opportunities, and events that support, recognize and represent all coaches across the province.
For more information, please visit www.coachesontario.ca, follow us on Facebook, Twitter,
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Contact media:
Eric McLoughlin,
Senior Lead Events & Partnerships
ericm@coachesontario.ca
416-426-7005