麻豆社区

Nearly $1.4 million in sport and recreation funding for the next fiscal year was announced Tuesday afternoon by Community Services Minister Elaine Taylor.

It's a significant increase from the $920,370 awarded last year.

Local sport and recreation representatives joined Taylor in the announcement at the Pepsi Softball Centre, the host site for the 2012 Women's World Fastpitch Championships.

"It's an investment in the well being of our communities, it helps us lead healthier lives and it certainly encourages personal achievement, teamwork, fair play and mutual respect,鈥� she said.

"Organized sport helps develop those social networks and connects our community. That is something that the government of Yukon very much values.鈥�

Close to $1 million of the funding is being awarded in grants from the Yukon Recreation Advisory Committee (YRAC).

The additional funding, slightly more than $400,000, is being awarded for athlete and coaching enhancement initiatives under the Yukon Sport for Life and Elite Athlete programs (YS4L).

The YRAC funding will be divided between 36 sport organizations and recreation groups, who will share $876,067. Twenty-nine athletes and five officials will share an additional $100,000.

Cross Country Yukon is the highest funded sport organization, awarded a total of $150,500. They are followed by Sport Yukon who will receive $132,000 and the Yukon Soccer Association who was awarded $129,500.

The Recreation and Parks Association of the Yukon and Skookum Jim Friendship Centre are the highest funded recreational groups, receiving $63,000 each from YRAC. In total, seven

recreational groups will share just more than $200,000.

"These groups provide additional support and recreation opportunities for elders, youth, First Nations and Special Olympics athletes and other Yukoners,鈥� said Taylor.

The YS4L funding is being divided between 23 Yukon sport governing bodies who will receive $348,000 for enhanced athlete and coaching development programs.

An additional $59,500 will be shared between seven Yukoners who qualified for the Elite Athletes Program, carded by Sports Canada.

The athletes; Zach Bell, MacKenzie Downing, David Greer, Jeane Lassen, Brittanee Laverdure and Emily and Graham Nishikawa, will receive $8,500 each.

It is the highest number of Yukoners to ever qualify for the Elite Athlete funding.

Bell, Lassen and Laverdure will also be competing at the London Olympics this summer in omnium cycling, weight lifting and wrestling.

"We wish them the very best and we congratulate them on their successes and commitment and hard work that has put them where they are today,鈥� said Taylor.

"The old adage of it takes a village to raise a child speaks very well to this, with every contribution from the parents, coaches, volunteers and sports and recreational organizations that have helped raise many of these successful athletes over the years.

"We couldn't be more proud; we take great pride in the accomplishments of our remarkable and successful athletes. Their hard work, perseverance and willingness to challenge themselves is very much an inspiration for us all.鈥�

Nick Stratis, the Chair of the YRAC, was on hand for the announcement and said in his four years with the committee he's seen a steady increase in the size and quality of many of the Yukon organizations.

"Members of the sport groups have adopted the long term athlete model,鈥� he said.

"The Yukon is now producing higher quality athletes and teams. We're seeing Yukon athletes reach national caliber level.鈥�

Stratis noted that the increased development of the Yukon programs makes allocating the funding a difficult task.

"As the quality of the organizations increase, deciding on funding becomes way more difficult,鈥� he said.

"YRAC wishes we could offer more to all of the groups but this is just not possible.

After a lot of deliberation, YRAC believes we have allocated appropriate funding to all the different sport and recreational groups and hope this allows you to continue your programs.鈥�

Stratis highlighted the influx of qualified officials allows Yukon to host national level competitions, allowing athletes to square off against top tier competition on home soil.

"When you look at our small population, remoteness and difficulty getting athletes out to higher caliber competition, the fact that we produce the number of quality athletes we do is quite remarkable.鈥�

Serge Michaud, Special Olympics Yukon executive director, spoke on behalf of the organization, one of the seven recreational groups receiving YRAC funding.

The organization will receive $22,000, which will go towards athlete and program

development.

Special Olympics Yukon will be hosting their annual Development Games this summer in Carcross.

"Without the support of YRAC, Special Olympics Yukon could not provide annual Development Games, yet alone host them in a rural community like Carcross,鈥� he said.

This winter, seven athletes from the Yukon were selected to participate in the 2012 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in St. Albert, Alta.

It marked the largest winter games contingent from any Canadian chapter north of 60.

A gold medal-winning performance at those Winter Games by figure skater Michael Sumner has him on track to compete at the world championships.

Sumner was invited to join Team Canada and compete at the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games in PyeongChang, Korea.

Sumner, the youngest member of Team Yukon at 15-years-old, was the first Yukon figure skater to medal at nationals.

The Yukon also won gold in curling. It was the first time the territory had sent a curling team to the Winter Games.

Special Olympics athlete Sidney Stewart has been involved with the program for 14 years.

"I love Special Olympics because it gives me a sense of belonging and helps me lose weight it also gives me a chance to spend time with friends,鈥� he said.

"I would live to thank the YRAC for their grant. My fellow athletes and I are very grateful for the much needed support.鈥�