Play, Podium, Planet: Team Canada Olympians give back to their communities through OLY Canada Legacy Grants
No one knows better than an Olympian that it takes a village to reach the Olympic Games. As such, it’s no surprise that many Team Canada athletes and legacy Olympians are spearheading initiatives to give back to their communities.
The OLY Canada Legacy Grant, now in its sixth edition, recognizes projects led by Team Canada Olympians that draw on Olympic values to build stronger communities. Applicants submit projects under one of three categories:
- Play – projects that improve accessibility, encourage inclusivity and diversity among youth and communities at all levels of sport
- Podium – projects that help strengthen the sport system and support the athlete journey
- Planet – projects that promote and support environmental sustainability
The COC has awarded a total of $100,000 across 10 Olympian-led not-for-profit initiatives, each of which focuses on access to sport, safe sport, or sustainability. This brings the total funding that the grant has provided since its inception in 2019 to nearly half a million dollars.
Here are this year’s grant recipients who are making a positive impact on Canadian sport.
Podium – Jill Moffatt, MOMentum
Olympic rower Jill Moffatt (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024) was awarded an OLY Canada Legacy Grant as one of the co-founders of MOMentum, a non-profit focused on supporting elite Canadian women athletes with the process of family planning in sport.
READ: Team Canada’s Jill Moffatt is on a mission to support athlete parents
Podium – Carol Huynh, Taking Down Barriers
Two-time Olympic medallist in wrestling, Carol Huynh (Beijing 2008, London 2012) was awarded an OLY Canada Legacy Grant to support her programming to advance the presence of women coaches in the sport of wrestling, and provide them with the tools and confidence to excel in this role.
Podium – Karol-Ann Canuel, Ride 100% Féminin
Two-time Olympic road cyclist Karol-Ann Canuel (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020) is receiving a grant to support her women-only cycling event, Ride 100% Féminin, designed to promote access to the sport and provide opportunities for development, networking, and learning.
Play – Paige Crozon, Half Court Hoops: No Barriers. Just Ball
Paris 2024 Olympic 3×3 basketball player Paige Crozon is receiving an OLY Canada Legacy Grant to support her work to make basketball accessible to youth in rural, Indigenous, and economically disadvantaged communities.
Play – Jeane Lassen, Braving the Elements
Beijing 2008 Olympic weightlifter Jeane Lassen’s initiative, Braving the Elements, supports Canadian athletes representing the Yukon and other northern areas at the Arctic Winter Games and Canada Games. Lassen’s initiative emphasizes trauma-informed approaches to mental health and community building.
Play – Mark Johnston, Tri-it Schools Program
Olympic swimmer Mark Johnston (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004) will receive funding for his Tri-it Schools Program, which provides introductory skill sessions in triathlon to high needs, inner city schools in East and North Vancouver. Sessions include water safety lessons, as well as swimming, biking, and running programming.
Play – Leah Ferguson, The Power of Play
Olympic wrestler Leah Ferguson (London 2012) is on a mission to make wrestling fun, accessible, and easy to teach. Her Power of Play initiative involves qualified coaches leading holistic play workshops that empower participants with fundamental athletics skills–-and the confidence to run their own programming to pass it along.
Play – Donna Clarke, Track and field clinics
Donna Clarke, who competed at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games in athletics, was awarded an OLY Canada Legacy Grant to support her year-round track and field clinics. These clinics aim to increase participation in the sport for kids under 13 by developing essential skills in an inclusive, supportive environment.
Planet – Melissa Humana-Paredes, Green Sports Day Canada
Paris 2024 beach volleyball Olympic silver medallist Melissa Humana-Paredes is receiving an OLY Canada Legacy Grant to support her Green Sports Day initiative, an annual event and campaign that serves as a national platform to engage athletes, organizations, and communities in conversation and action regarding environmental challenges.
Planet – Gabrielle Smith, Rising Tides
Tokyo 2020 Olympic rower Gabrielle Smith’s project, Rising Tides, is a grassroots environmental initiative to remove waste from local beaches, lakes, rivers, and the ocean, while educating the public on the effects of polluting waterways and empowering individuals to take action.
The OLY Canada Legacy Grant is designed to reflect the three pillars of the Team Canada Impact Agenda – the COC’s commitment to making sport safe, inclusive and barrier-free so more young people can play and stay in sport.
