ParaSport Ontario News

2010 Dr. Robert W. Jackson Medal of Distinction Nominations

info@parasportontario.ca — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT

ParaSport Ontario is pleased to be accepting nominations for the 2010 Dr. Robert W. Jackson Medal of Distinction. ParaSport & Paralympic clubs, teams, organizations, Provincial Sport Organizations, Multi-Sport Organizations and National Sport Organizations are encouraged to nominate outstanding leaders who have exemplified extraordinary leadership, dedication and excellence in sport for athletes with a physical disability. Nominees are required to be a resident of Ontario and nomination forms must be submitted to ParaSport Ontario by Friday, September 10th, 2010. A selection committee including a family member of the late Dr. Robert W. Jackson; a Paralympic or ParaSport athlete; a ParaSport Ontario Board & Staff member; and a Senior Staff member of the Sport Alliance of Ontario will review all submissions. Not to diminish the accomplishments of those who are nominated, this is not an annual award, and will only be presented should the Committee feel there is a nominee worthy of this prestigious recognition.

Presented in 2009 for the first time, this is ParaSport Ontario’s most prestigious leadership award. At the 2009 Concert for Inclusion, Dr. Robert W. Jackson was presented with the inaugural Medal of Distinction for his extraordinary leadership, dedication and excellence in sport for athletes with a physical disability. A true pioneer and often referred to as the Father of Paralympic sport in Canada, Dr. Jackson was a truly deserving inaugural recipient of this Award.

Most would say that the Canadian Paralympic Movement started when Dr. Robert Jackson attended the 1964 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Canada did not compete at the Games but Jackson, a medical student then, who was working as an orthopedic consultant with the Canadian Olympic Team in Japan, witnessed the Games firsthand. He questioned why the Canadian team was not participating in the Games. Dr. Jackson was interested in viewing the Games because of a prior opportunity to see them in England in 1961. Dr. Jackson, who had met Sir Ludwig Guttmann at these Games, decided to approach him again in Tokyo to note his disappointment with Canada’s absence. In 1967 Jackson, along with several others, founded the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association in order to send a team to these Games. Dr. Jackson became the founding President, a position he held from 1967 to 1972. In 1972 Dr. Jackson accepted the responsibility for organizing the 1976 Olympiad for the Physically Disabled (also referred to as the TORONTOLYMPIAD) to be held in Toronto, parallel to the Olympic Games in Montreal. Also as a result of these Games and Jackson’s leadership the pre-cursor for the Canadian Paralympic Committee was created. Dr. Jackson also served wheelchair sport at the international level with roles as Director, Vice-President, and President of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation from 1972 until 1984. Dr. Jackson has received many awards, some of which included: 1976 –Civic Award of Merit from the City of Toronto; 1984- named the Executive of the Year in Amateur Sport given by Air Canada; 1994 - named as one of 40 individuals worldwide who had made the most impact on sports during the 40 years of the Sports Illustrated magazine; and, in 1997 – received the Olympic Order from Juan Antonio Samaranch. Dr. Jackson was passionate, dedicated and exemplified true leadership and excellence in his involvement with athletes with a physical disability. It was an honor for ParaSport Ontario to present Dr. Jackson with this prestigious award and is proud to have named it after him.

To nominate a candidate you think is worthy of such recognition, click on the following link to access the 2010 Dr. Robert W. Jackson Medal of Distinction nomination form. The deadline to submit your nomination is Friday, September 10th, 2010.

For more information, contact Cathy Vincelli at (416) 426-7186 or cathy@parasportontario.ca

Natalie Lambert Set to Take on Lake Ontario One More Time

info@parasportontario.ca — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT

After years of training, preparation and marathon swimming heartbreak, Natalie Lambert is set to take on Lake Ontario one more time. She has tackled some of the worst weather conditions marathon swimmers can face in Lake Ontario, and now with a warm, calm summer Natalie is ready to take on the lake and finally reach the Toronto shoreline.

In August 2007, Natalie Lambert’s first attempt at Lake Ontario was thwarted only 9 kilometres from completion when she faced 3 metre swells and howling winds. Later the same summer she swam across Lake Ontario from Sacketts Harbor to Kingston becoming the youngest person to swim a crossing of Lake Ontario. In July 2008, Natalie became the youngest person, the fastest and the first person to swim across Lake Erie using the gruelling butterfly stroke. Later the same summer, she was pulled from Lake Ontario 8 kilometres from her goal, this time because huge thunder storms blasted across the lake. For the summer of 2009, Natalie had trained and prepared for the elusive lake crossing, but surface temperatures as low as 42 degrees F once again prevented her from achieving her goal.

The traditional crossing of Lake Ontario, continues to elude Natalie, so after another year of intense training, Natalie is set to once again take on the challenges that the traditional crossing of Lake Ontario has to offer. The traditional crossing is completed from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Toronto. It was first swum, and made famous by Marilyn Bell in 1954 when she awed our nation with her heart and determination. Natalie is the same age today as Marilyn Bell was 56 years ago when she completed her crossing and Natalie shows many of the same traits than Marilyn Bell displayed. Natalie has shown intense determination, dedication, passion, and compassion during these past number of years.

Natalie wants to give something to her Y Knot Abilities Programs team-mates, whom she watches face and overcome challenges every day. In what she has named the Swim the Difference Marathon, with a tag line of “Swimming the Distance to Make a Difference,” She hopes to show her team-mates that nothing is impossible while raising awareness for the Y Knot Abilities Programs. If you wish to support Natalie’s endeavour, please go to www.kingston.ymca.ca and click on the Canada Helps button.

Natalie has seen, first hand, the opportunities that have been provided to her, her sister, Jenna, and all the other families who participate in the Y Knot Abilities Programs at the Kingston Family YMCA. The Y Knot Abilities Programs teach young people, with physical disabilities, and their siblings about abilities.

Natalie is very excited about her upcoming marathon challenge, and sees it as an opportunity to show everyone, no matter what their age or ability, that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself and refuse to allow obstacles to stand in the way of your success. Natalie will climb into Lake Ontario, at Queen’s Royal Park in Niagara-On-The-Lake at 7:00 am on Sunday, July 18th, and should finish 18-20 hours later. Natalie’s progress can be followed on twitter at http://twitter.com/YknotSwim2010 .

All Abilities Welcome Video Contest

info@parasportontario.ca — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT

For Those Who Have a Story to Tell

Are you a person with a disability who values physical activity as an important part of your life? Do you have a passion for being active? Do you inspire others through your positive example?

All Abilities Welcome (AAW) is a national campaign of the Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability. AAW promotes the inclusion of Canadians with a disability in physical activity, leisure, recreation and sport programs at the community level. Many people with a disability hesitate to take the first steps in making physical activity a part of their lives. All Abilities Welcome aims to generate public awareness, develop a knowledge base, educate service providers, and empower persons with a disability in choosing an active, healthy lifestyle.

We are creating a video to promote the message that active living and physical activity are for people of all abilities. We are seeking three individuals who have a disability, and who feel that their active living story can offer a positive message to others.

We ask interested individuals to submit a covering letter detailing the role that active living and physical activity play in their lives, and how they feel their story can help others. We will select three individuals who we will bring to Ottawa in September to participate in the video shoot.

If interested in this opportunity, please submit your expression of interest by email no later than 4 pm EST on Friday July 30, 2010, to Jason Dunkerley (jason@ala.ca).

Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability
104-720 Belfast Road, Ottawa ON, K1G 0Z5
Tel.: 1-800-771-0663 (toll free), 613-244-0052 (local)
Web: www.ala.ca

ParaSport Ontario Hosts 24 Hour Wheelchair Basketball Game

info@parasportontario.ca — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Toronto, ON – ParaSport Ontario, in partnership with the Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association, has announced they will try to set a Canadian record for the longest wheelchair basketball game by playing for 24 consecutive hours. The event will take place at the Harbourfront Community Centre in Toronto starting Friday August 27th at noon.

The event is open to a maximum of eighty participants and previous wheelchair basketball experience is not required. The game will be played on the outdoor court located at the corner of Bathurst St and Queens Quay until darkness sets in. The game will then move indoors for the evening, with the record being set at noon on Saturday August 28th.

“This is an exciting new initiative for ParaSport Ontario and its partners,” said Cathy Vincelli, Executive Director of ParaSport Ontario. “We hope to grow Play24 to encompass different sports and help to raise funds for all our Multi-sport and Provincial Sport Organizations in the upcoming years.”

Participants will be required to raise a minimum of $500 to be eligible to participate, with proceeds going to ParaSport Ontario and Ontario Wheelchair Sports Association. Specifically, proceeds will be used to run Ready Willing and Able and Bridging the Gap sessions, purchase adaptive equipment, develop new ParaSport clubs and Accessible Sport Councils and support athletes participating in the Ontario ParaSport Summer and Winter Games.

ParaSport Ontario’s Ready Willing and Able Program will also be on had to give the public at large an opportunity to come out and try their hand a many different ParaSports including Sledge Hockey, Boccia, Wheelchair Tennis and Goalball.

For more information about the Play24 event, please visit www.parasportontario.ca or contact Matt Rhodes, Games/Communications Manager at 416.426.7030.

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Sarnia Lambton to Host 2011 Ontario ParaSport Summer Games

info@parasportontario.ca — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Sarnia, ON – The 2011 Ontario ParaSport Summer Games are returning to Sarnia-Lambton. Tourism Sarnia Lambton in partnership with the City of Sarnia and the County of Lambton announced today that Sarnia has been selected by the Sport Alliance of Ontario (SAO), ParaSport Ontario (PO) and the Ministry of Health Promotion Ontario to host the 2011 Ontario ParaSport Summer Games (2011 OPSG).

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2010 Concert for Inclusion Date Announced

info@parasportontario.ca — Mon, 31 May 2010 05:00:00 GMT

ParaSport Ontario is pleased to announce that the 2010 Concert for Inclusion will be held on Thursday, October 7th at the Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto. This annual event has become ParaSport Ontario’s signature fundraiser which benefits programs, events and the purchase of adaptive equipment for athletes with physical disabilities.

A dedicated group of volunteers who make up the Concert for Inclusion Organizing Committee are busy preparing for what promises to be another incredible evening of music, fabulous silent and live auctions and much more. Over the last two years, over $40,000 has been raised in support of athletes with physical disabilities, and this year our goal is to take that number beyond $100,000.

Tickets for this event will be going on sale shortly and will be available by telephone or online. Visit the Concert for Inclusion homepage for further details. Be sure to bring your family and friends. The talent will amaze you, the cause will inspire you. Don’t miss out!

For more information, visit the ParaSport Ontario website or call us at 416-426-7187.

Enhanced Competitive Opportunity Funding Released

info@parasportontario.ca — Wed, 19 May 2010 05:00:00 GMT

ParaSport Ontario is proud to release the applications for the second year of Enhanced Competitive Opportunity funding to assist Provincial Sport and Multi-Sport Organizations develop completive opportunities for athletes with a physical disability in all sports that intend to participate in the Ontario ParaSport Games and Ontario Games programs. It is also aimed at developing or improving qualification standards so that the games progress towards high performance.

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Sports Day In Canada

info@parasportontario.ca — Mon, 17 May 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Do you have a sport event or activity being held in July/August or early September? Sports Day in Canada is a new national event that celebrates sport at all levels across Canada. Using the model that CBC created for Hockey Day in Canada and building off the momentum of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Sports Day in Canada is an opportunity to showcase all manner of sports, while mobilizing the nation in the power of being active. Sports Day in Canada will be the culmination of a week (September 11-18, 2010) of sporting events and festivals, celebrating grassroots sport stories, engaging citizens in physical activity and rallying local organizations to provide participatory opportunities in communities across Canada.

Would you like your event or activity to be part of Sports Day in Canada?

The Steering Committee of Sports Day in Canada is building an inventory of sport events and activities that could be featured and profiled by our broadcast partner, CBC Sports, leading up to a 2-4 hour broadcast on September 18, 2010. There will be many opportunities for your event/activity/programming to potentially be involved:

It could be one of the sports/events chosen as the anchor/focal point of Sports Day
It could be one of the sports/events featured on Sports Day
It could be one of the sports/events profiled on Sports Day
It could be one of the sports/events featured on CBC's This Week in Sport (pre-promotion during 10 weeks leading up to Sports Day)
It could be one of the sports/events featured as ParticipACTION True Sport Moments (pre-promotion during 10 weeks leading up to Sports Day)

Here's your chance to get involved - Complete the inventory form found here. (http://sportsdayevents.participaction.com)

The Sports Day in Canada Steering Committee is asking all sport organizations, national and provincial sport affiliates, clubs and community organizations to provide information about your existing (or newly proposed) event/activity/programming between July 1 - September 18, 2010 so that it can be included in the Sports Day in Canada inventory and its online directory. The online form must becompleted no later than Friday May 28th, 2010. Should you have any questions, please contact Robin Turnbull at (416) 604-0310 or rtevent@sympatico.ca or Adrea Fink at (416) 913-1392 or afink@participACTION.com.

How will this information be used?

The Sports Day in Canada inventory will be used to select events and activities that could be identified, profiled or featured in the communications and CBC broadcasts related to the day/week. The event/activity/ programming must take place sometime during July 1 - September 18, 2010. The Sports Day in Canada Steering Committee and CBC Sports will try to profile as many events as possible across the country. We are currently discussing the opportunities for french broadcast and will provide you with an update when the details are finalized.

Who is putting on Sports Day in Canada?

This new initiative is being managed by the Sports Day in Canada Steering Committee composed of the Canadian Soccer Association, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, Coaching Association of Canada, ParticipACTION and the True Sport Foundation, which houses the Committee. Together, we are spearheading the development of a flexible, multi-level and open platform to celebrate value-based sport in Canada. Our vision is to reach out to all Canadians to build, solidify and celebrate the role of sport in our country through a dynamic, energetic, and influential movement that inspires Canadians to get active and participate in Sport.

If you wish to be added to the email list for news about Sports Day in Canada, please send your email information to Robin Turnbull at rtevent@sympatico.ca.

Abilities Centre Officially Under Construction

info@parasportontario.ca — Fri, 14 May 2010 05:00:00 GMT

WHITBY, ON – The official Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Abilities Centre took place
today on the site of the new centre, paving the way for construction to begin.

Participants in the ceremony included: Hon. Diane Finley, P.C., M.P. Minister of Human Resources
and Skills Development Canada, Hon. Jim Flaherty, P.C., M.P, Minister of Finance, Hon. Margarett
Best, M.P.P., Minister of Health Promotion, Christine Elliott, M.P.P., Roger Anderson, Chair,
Regional Municipality of Durham, Pat Perkins, Mayor, Town of Whitby, Hisham Mohammad,
Abilities Centre Ambassador and Ken Shaw, Chair, Board of Directors.

“I am delighted to participate in this important milestone. The Abilities Centre will be an outstanding
addition to the community and indeed the entire region, and the Government of Canada is a very
proud partner in this world-class facility,” said the Hon. Diane Finley, M.P.

The Abilities Centre will be a world class recreation, athletic and performing arts facility fully
accessible to all persons with a varying degree of abilities and challenges. The Abilities Centre is
partnering with the Iroquois Park Sports Centre in Whitby and will build on their existing facilities
and services. This new barrier-free facility will include a field house which will contain a
walking/training track, full size courts, fitness facility, therapy rooms, life skills, art and music
programs, performing arts components and much more. In addition, the Centre is intended to be
an international centre of excellence for the development and implementation of inclusionary
practices for people with special needs. The overall goal of the Abilities Centre is to shift the
paradigm – instead of seeing disabilities our focus will be the abilities of each person.

“I know that this project has been a priority for your community and I am pleased that the work is
now getting underway. Investments in projects like the Abilities Centre are supporting local
economies and strengthening communities,” said Margarett Best, Ontario Ministry of Health
Promotion.

Ken Shaw, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Abilities Centre, added: “it has been a long time
coming and taken a lot of volunteer work by a lot of people. We are all looking forward to the start of
construction and I am thankful to our supporters, both in the public and private sectors who have made
today possible.”

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For further information:
Jennifer Ayotte
Administrative Director
905-665-8500

Sport Selection Application Released for 2011 OPSG

info@parasportontario.ca — Thu, 06 May 2010 05:00:00 GMT

The Sport Alliance of Ontario (SAO) in conjunction with the Ministry of Health Promotion (MHP) and ParaSport Ontario (PO) conducted a review of the Ontario ParaSport Games; the review concluded in December 2008. The review involved key members of the Ontario ParaSport community and was designed to serve two objectives. The first was to identify new approaches to delivering the ParaSport Games Program to make it more relevant and attractive to participating athletes and to host communities and potential sponsors. A second objective was to examine the delivery of the Summer and Winter ParaSport Provincial and Regional Games with consideration of timing, Games model, partnerships and integration.

Following the Games Review a Sport Selection process was adopted for the 2009 and 2010 Ontario ParaSport Games where each MSO/PSO submitted Sport Technical Pacakges and signed Competiton Agreements for the respective sport.

Starting in 2011, the Ontario ParaSport Games program will introduce the complete sport selection process used at both Ontario Games to better prepare sports for integration into the Ontario Games as well as make the Ontario ParaSport Games a more meaningful competition for MSO/PSOs involved.

To be eligible to apply for participation in the 2011 Ontario ParaSport Summer Games a sport (as represented by a PSO/ MSO) must:

a. Have PSO/ MSO that is formally recognized by Ministry of Health Promotion (registered non-profit)
b. Have a sport and sport discipline that has full medal status in one of:
                 • 2013 Canada Summer Games or 2015 Canada Winter Games;
                 • 2014 Olympic/Paralympic Winter Games or 2012 Olympic/Paralympic Summer Games;
     or:
c. Have a recognized PSO/ MSO that is eligible for annual Base Funding from MHP

The following key documents are important to review and complete on or before June 30, 2010. All applications must be submitted to matt@parasportontario.ca:

NOTE: Click on the files below to download

2011 Ontario ParaSport Summer Games Guidelines
2011 Ontario ParaSport Summer Games Application
2011 Ontario ParaSport Summer Games Sport Technical Package
2011 Ontario ParaSport Summer Games Appeals Process