Quebec universities and Canadian sport system collaborating for high-performance student athletes
Tuesday, February 28, 2017 — MONTREAL — Beginning next September, all of Quebec’s Anglophone and Francophone universities will support many Olympic, Paralympic, and national team student athletes in pursuing and reaching their educational goals through the Game Plan program, an initiative launched in collaboration with the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), the Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), Sport Canada, and the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Sport Institute Network, which is led in Quebec by the Institut national du sport du Québec (INS Québec).
Unique to this country, this conglomerate of Quebec universities is being implemented as part of the Game Planprogram. Quebec universities are joining the Game Plan Education Network and will provide more support and flexibility to Olympic and Paralympic student athletes, within the parameters of their respective environments, to assist them in reaching their sport goals.
Member universities of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) as well as TÉLUQ will work in collaboration with the Alliance Sport-Études, the Fondation de l’athlète d’excellence du Québec (FAEQ) and INS Québec to provide coaching to athletes across the province.
Support services provided include increased flexibility to address sport-related scheduling conflicts as well designating an institutional contact person to guide athletes through the university environment.
“Flexibility is a critical factor for our athletes who need to travel regularly around the world to train and compete. Athletes who combine education with sport are often more successful in both areas and serve as inspirational role models for our community and youth,” Canadian Olympic Committee Executive Director, Sport Eric Myles said. “The commitment from the Quebec universities will contribute significantly to the overall development of our athletes and, at the same time, lay the foundation for their professional lives beyond their sport careers.”
“This collaborative effort officializes the support provided to high performance athletes in our universities across Quebec,” University of Montreal Sport Excellence Director Manon Simard explained on behalf of the group. “Regardless of their education program or the university where they are studying, they will be able to count on support. It’s our way of making it clear to them that universities are willing to adjust to their reality and support their educational goals.”
Athletes who wish to find out more about coaching opportunities in each RSEQ member university and TÉLUQ can contact the respective university sport programs, the Alliance Sport-Études, the FAEQ or INS Québec athlete services.
The Game Plan Education Network member universities in Quebec are Bishop’s, Concordia, ÉTS, Laval, McGill, Université de Montréal (including HEC Montréal and Polytechnique Montréal), Université de Sherbrooke, TÉLUQ, UQAC, UQAM, UQAR, UQO, and UQTR.
About Game Plan :
The Education Network is launched as part of Game Plan, Powered by Deloitte, an athlete holistic wellness and transition program initiated in September, 2015. The program aims to support active and recently retired Olympic, Paralympic, and National Team athletes in all areas of life by offering a wealth of services and resources including career management expertise, health services, education opportunities, skill development and networking. Since its launch, over 600 athletes have used Game Plan resources and 230 have attended the first two annual Game Plan Summits, held in Vancouver and most recently in Toronto at Deloitte University, located in the firm’s new national office. Game Plan is also supported by founding partners RBC, Smith School of Business, and Morneau Shepell.