Canmore, Alta.—Four Canadian nordic ski clubs have been targeted across the country to receive $10,000 each as part of Cross Country Canada’s AltaGas Club Incentive and Coach Mentoring Program, the governing body for cross-country skiing in Canada announced on Monday.
The Big Thunder Nordic Ski Club in Thunder Bay, Ont., Commission Nordique Skibec, in Quebec City, Foothills Nordic Ski Club in Calgary, and Nakkertok Nordic Ski Club in Ottawa were all selected amongst applications from top Canadian nordic clubs who bid to benefit from the AltaGas grants.
The AltaGas Club Incentive and Coach Mentoring program is a new Cross Country Canada initiative aimed at supporting Canada’s high-performance clubs and coaches by optimizing high-performance coaches’ ongoing and practical education and training. The financial support will also aim at improving the outlook for more full-time professional club coaching positions.
“We believe by initiating this club incentive program we will help strengthen the national ski team talent pool, improve the career path for our club coaches and retain them within the system while increase the financial resources available to them,†said Al Maddox, executive director, Cross Country Canada. “This pilot project will help enhance the quality of coaching from the grassroots to high-performance level across the country. It is our goal this program will be a success, and continue to benefit Canadian cross-country ski coaches and clubs well into the future.â€
The new program is part of the major multi-year financial commitment announced by AltaGas Income Trust to support the nation’s high-performance cross-country skiers and fuel their drive to the podium. The commitment, valued at more than $500,000, was announced earlier this fall, and is the largest philanthropic contribution ever by AltaGas Income Trust.
During the announcement, AltaGas committed itself to ensuring the success of cross-country skiing well into the future by supporting the next generation of athletes. AltaGas will also fund the employment of two new assistant coaches — one at the National Team Training Centre in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and the other at the Pierre Harvey National Team Training Centre in Quebec City. It will also sponsor youth training and development camps across the country.
AltaGas Income Trust is one of Canada's largest and fastest growing integrated energy infrastructure and services organizations. The Trust creates value by growing and optimizing assets and services across the energy value chain to serve North America's energy demand. Since 1994, AltaGas Income Trust has expanded its business to include natural gas gathering, processing and transmission, extraction of ethane and natural gas liquids, power generation, marketing of natural gas and natural gas liquids, as well as retail energy services to commercial, industrial and institutional end-users across Canada.
Cross Country Canada is the governing body of cross-country skiing in Canada. Its 45,000 members are athletes, coaches and officials, including members of the Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team and Canadian Disabled Cross-Country Ski Team. Cross-country skiing is Canada’s optimal winter sport and recreational activity with more than one million Canadians participating annually.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Chris Dornan
Media and Public Relations
Cross Country Canada
T: 403-470-9546
