Leading up to the 2023 Canada Winter Games, we are featuring the dedicated coaches who spend countless hours giving back to sport. Let’s get to know women’s hockey coach, Cassandra Groen! How long have you been coaching this sport? 10 years What is your favourite coaching memory? One of my athletes was working so…
Guy Simonis passed away on October 6, 2022. He was 91. Read an In Memoriam for Guy here. In 1969, Simonis helped found the Manitoba Amateur Sports Federation as its founding president. His biggest contribution to sport was the development of a sport lottery, Sportstoto, in 1971, laying the groundwork for today’s multi-million dollar lottery…
The Turkish get-up has been around since the turn of the century and was a tool used by both the military, strongmen, and elite athletes – and for good reason. Traditionally used with a kettlebell, the get-up can be performed with a dumbbell, barbell, or even your own bodyweight. When performed correctly and regularly, the…
Halldor Bjarnason (Athlete – Tricycling) Halldor Bjarnason was born on October 31, 1963. Throughout his childhood, he had a passion for cycling and used it to get everywhere. He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, but he did not let that stop him from living a life filled with many extraordinary experiences. In university, Halldor met…
Patrick Jebbison ( Athlete – Basketball) Patrick Jebbison was born in 1964, and grew up in the greater Toronto area. At a young age, he showcased exceptional talent as an athlete, especially in basketball. He starred at Martin Grove Collegiate and became one of the most sought after recruits from highschool. It was the University…
Don Baizley (Builder – Hockey) Don Baizley was born on May 15, 1942 in Kenora, Ontario, but grew up and worked all his life in Winnipeg. Growing up, Don had a passion for hockey, playing two seasons in the MJHL before beginning his career in law. He was called to the Manitoba Bar in 1967…
Sport Manitoba offers a wide range of grants that emphasize training and skill development to facilitate the growth of athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers across the province. The Skill Development Grant was used in Ritchot, Manitoba to assist with the cost of bringing some Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs) into their summer camps for kids aged…
Next year will be Trevor Borland’s sixth Canada Games. While the Head Coach for squash is certainly familiar with the national, multi-sport event, he is excited to lead the upcoming female and men’s squash teams in PEI – in the same city of his first-ever Games experience. The four females and four females will…
Archery Head Coach Avril Hatherell has been to the Canada Games as an athlete, a manager, and will now experience the event as a coach in PEI. Involved in the sport for 25 years, one of the things she loves about archery is that it’s a personal sport with lots of room for growth…
Airton Nakamura’s judo career started in Brazil when he was just eight years old. Getting his black belt at the age of 16, he started coaching at the club level, too. In 2006, Airton came to Canada and got involved in coaching at the University of Winnipeg, and later gained experience as the…