MANITOBA GOVERNMENT

NFORMATIONSERVICESBRANCH ROOM 29, LEGISLATIVE BUILDING , MANITOBA R3C0V8 PHONE 946-7175 March 12, 1976.

$568,000 IN LOTTERY FUNDS TO BE ALLOCATED - - - Major Sports Programs Include Manitoba Games

Manitoba will contribute about $568,000 this year from lottery revenues to three major sports programs -- including the 1976 Manitoba Games -- and coaching- certification program, Health and Social Development Minister Laurent L. Desjardins has announced. Mr. Desjardins, minister responsible for fitness and amateur sport, said the programs will improve athletic competition levels in Manitoba, as well as raising the standards of coaching and officiating in more than a dozen sports. He said the support for these programs is part of a much larger effort by Manitoba to support participation in and awareness of sports in Manitoba during 1976, when Canada is playing host to the summer Olympic Games. The four programs and the provincial participation are: 1.The 1976 Manitoba Games -- about $400,000. Some $178,500 will be spent to help defray costs of district finals in each of the 13 regions (including six in Winnipeg) into which the province has been divided for Games competition purposes. These funds will also help cover the cost of the six regional finals to be held in Winnipeg and seven in rural Manitoba: (Norman region), Dauphin (Parkland), Souris (destman), (Eastman), (Central Plains), Gimli (Interlake) and Morden (Pembina Valley). It is planned to hold district finals by July 10 and regional finals by July 31. About $125,000 will be spent on operations of the provincial final, to take place in August 22 to 28. Additionally, $50,000 goes toward capital expenses, matching funds raised by the town; $25,000 will be spent on administration costs, awards, flags, and T-shirts, and $20,000 will go toward sports clinics in the 13 regions. 2.The Man-Plan Athlete Aid Program -- about $104,000, jointly provided through lotteries funds, the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Cultural Affairs under minister Rene E. Toupin and the Manitoba Sports Federation. This program assists Manitoba's top athletes, coaches and officials to achieve their peak levels of skill and competence, in preparation for both Olympic and non-Olympic competitions. The program, the first of its kind in Manitoba, is designed to provide assistance to Manitoba athletes who are not funded by national programs but have the potential to make national teams. It also -2- $568,000 IN LOTTERY supplements national programs. It supports 56 world-class athletes, coaches and officials in 17 sports through educational grants (for students), travel and housing grants and, where needed, some lost-time payments, all of which enable the athletes and others to continue their training and competitions. Funds are allotted according to individual need. Persons receiving support were chosen as a result of applications received last fall by the Man-Plan committee. Under chairmanship of Bruce Pirnie, a shotputter and representative of the athletes, this committee includes Dr. Dick Walton and Maureen Orchard, members of the board of the Manitoba Sports Federation; and Don Fletcher, director of the fitness and amateur sports branch. John Paulsen, a member of the Canadian men's Olympic volleyball team, is the administrator of the program. Later a second tier will be introduced for Man-Plan, to cover "Manitoba hope- fuls for the future" (e.g. for the 1980 Olympics in Moscow) -- prospective members of Canada's national teams in various sports. 3. The Coaching Certification Program/Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) Leadership Program -- $64,000. The certification program is a national coaching development scheme, designed to upgrade coaching standards in every sport in Canada, and is in operation in every province except Newfoundland. The program covers both theory and practical-technical aspects of coaching in each sport, with components determined by each sports governing body. The technical material has already been introduced in some sports and the government contribution will make possible the introduction of the theory part in Manitoba. The program covers several levels of coaching, but Manitoba is introducing it at a level geared to community clubs. More advanced material will be introduced in the fall of 1977. Formal training is given in the various aspects of coaching in a 16-hour course, normally run over two weekends or during weeknights. Some prerequisites are set down for the practical work, but none for the theory. Nominal fees are charged. Persons completing the program receive a certificate. It is hoped to add another $86,000 in support of this program over the next two years. 4. The MAHA Leadership Program ($20,000 from the Coaching Certification Program) will develop leadership in coaching and refereeing at the community club level. The program is the technical component of the Coaching Certification Program in amateur hockey. Mr. Desjardins said the MAHA program arose from a brief submitted by MAHA in response to concern expressed by the government over violence in hockey. The MAFIA res- ponded with its leadership development proposal, which the government accepted and agreed to support.

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