ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Wheelchair Sports Alberta Annual General Meeting March 28, 2018 OUR MISSION To facilitate sporting opportunities to Albertans from the development level to high performance level of participation in athletic competitions, technical development, leadership and integration. OUR VISION To achieve Excellence through Parasport. OUR VALUES Opportunity, Support, Empowerment, Excellence 2 A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT I have had the honor of holding the position of President of the Board of WSA for the past nine months. In that time the Board along with our Executive Director have revamped our financial system, realigned our staff positions, reviewed and updated our bylaws, finalized a two-year strategic plan, and are hosting our first Wheelchair Rugby Nationals in May of this year. Our Board has been very active in all the decisions we have made and will continue to improve and grow WSA to better serve the athletes and organizations we support. I look forward to moving into next year with a healthy agenda of projects to assist in our growth. Andy Wigston EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS REPORT In 2017, Wheelchair Sports Alberta continued to support its mandate of supporting the five core sports in the delivery of wheelchair sports participation through out Alberta. 2017 was a year of growth in efficiency, strategic planning, and equity among the sports. This annual report provides a snap shot of the association’s activities. Jen Sales 3 Funding Program Overview Alberta Sports Connection Wheelchair Sports Alberta continues to receive provincial sport organization funding by Alberta Sports Connection Core Block and Canada Games grants. Grants WSA was approved for a CIP grant to purchase Para Athletics Equipment for $67,000. This grant will mostly be spent throughout 2018, and will go towards racing chairs, throwing chairs, and rollers. A grant was received from Canada Summer Jobs in support of bringing in a summer Marketing and Admin- istration position. This student helped with social media, brand- ing the strategic plan, as well as marketing and communica- tions. Fundraising WSA made a major change to our fundraising practices in 2017. The board decided to not continue to use JAMIC Inc. to manage the door to door campaign. We took a risk going with a new company (Lionhart Promotions) to run the door to door cam- paign and unfortunately the campaign was not successful. Later in the year we started working with Pivot Pointe, who currently operates the STARS Calendar Campaign. We have not started our Door to Door campaign yet with them, but are hoping to have it starting soon. Our Telemarketing campaign was a huge success in 2017, please see those details in the financial state- ments. AGLC We ran a successful casino in July. We had an overwhelming about of support from our clubs, members, and partners by volunteering for every position. Through this casino we re- ceived $76,000. This contribution will support Team Alberta’s development and competition fees. 4 BRIDGING THE GAP PROGRAM DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMS In all BTG activities: Rehab Sports Program, Have-A-Go Edmonton & Calgary Wheelchair Basketball – We con- Days, Multi-Sport Events, Developmental Sessions, and tinue to work with the WSA Regional Wheelchair Bas- School Presentations/Demonstrations. We continue to ketball Reps to funnel adult and junior participants into promote the WSA core sports while maintaining a fun the weekly development program at Mount Royal and atmosphere where participants and community mem- the Saville Centre. bers can enjoy a wide variety of adapted leisure activi- ties. Bringing in peer athletes is key to delivering effec- Edmonton Wheelchair Tennis Program – The weekly tive sport programming. It gives the participants a program at Osten & Victor and the Saville Centre ran chance to interact with people with similar injuries and throughout 2016 with consistent regular participant those who can describe the positive impact of wheel- numbers all year. 4-8 Participants per week each. chair sports. Wheelchair Tennis Tournament - 5 athletes registered . Rehab Wheelchair Sports Pro- We had a Men’s Singles Draw (4 participants) and a grams Men’s Doubles Draw (2 doubles teams). Foothills (Calgary) – We made a good effort in 2017 to Wheelchair Rugby– We held an inter provincial compe- try and set up weekly programming at the Foothills tition in November and had an excellent turnout from Hospital. We had meetings with upper management in both teams. As a province, both teams saw growth in the hospital, unfortunately WSA was unsuccessful in their participant numbers and competition opportuni- setting up the weekly programming. WSA will continue ties. to work towards programming in Calgary. Have-A-Go Days and Multi- Glenrose WC Sports Night– We have found tremen- Sport Events dous success at the Glenrose programming in 2017. We connected with a Wheelchair Curling club in Edmonton While using the LTAD model we focus on introducing who provided us with indoor equipment to put on new fundamental movement skills to participants wheelchair curling. We also have found dedicated vol- through all levels of physical impairment. unteers to operate the Thursday evening programs. Since December, we continuously have had 6-12 partic- Have a Go Day/ Multi Sports Events—127 Participants ipants attend each week. We have better communica- tion with their recreation therapists, and have wel- Weekly Programs (Rehab & Tennis) - 181 Participants comed two new participants into wheelchair rugby. School and Awareness Programs—346 Participants 5 PARA ATHLETICS Para athletics in Alberta gained a lot of traction this year. Wheelchair Sports Alberta and our athletes owe a lot to Athletics Alberta for their leadership. Our athletes competed along side their able body peers at the Canada Games Se- lection Meet, hosted by Athletics Alberta. From this process, provincial coach Nathan Lennie, selected 4 athletes to represent Alberta at the Canada Games. 2018 Canada Summer Games Roster Para Racing Female Navarra Li Houldin Para Racing Male Hunter Graves Shot Put/ Discus Female Sarah Mickey Shot Put/ Discus Brian Hnatiw Our team ended up bringing home two silver medals at the Canada Games in Female Seated Shot Put and Discus. Our Para athletes participate in several meets throughout the year, including indoor and outdoor events. Our athletes also participated at the National Championships, Tri Provincials, High School Provincials, and Provincials. WSA was fortunate enough to receive the Community Initiatives Program Grant from the Government of Alberta for $67,000. This grant is specific for purchasing athletics equipment and growing the sport in our province. 6 WHEELCHAIR TENNIS Coach Development Kai Schremayer, Tennis Canada’s National Wheelchair Tennis Head Coach, came to Calgary and put on a coaching clinic for any interested coaches. We had several participants, including WSA’s Team Alberta coach, Mackenzie. We also gained several coaches in the Calgary area, that are continuing to coach the camps. Davis Cup WSA was invited to run a demonstration at the Davis Cup (high profile, international competition). Kyle Thompson played a match with stand- ing Team Canada athlete Frank Dancevic. It brought a lot of awareness to Wheelchair Tennis and to Wheelchair Sports Alberta. Competition Highlights for 2017 WSA sent 4 athletes to compete at the Prairie Cup in Manitoba. The tournament took place on August 12-20th at Kildonan Tennis Club in Winnepeg, Manitoba. We sent 4 athletes– Kyle, Souheil, Jeff, and Eric to compete against Manitoba’s athletes. Kyle came home with the win. Nationals The Osten and Victor Alberta Tennis Centre hosted the 2017 Birming- ham National Wheelchair Tennis Championships. We had three ath- letes representing Alberta. Our athletes are Nationally Ranked as: 12 Kyle Thompson Edmonton, AB 22 Souheil Saab Calgary, AB 25 Jeffrey McCuaig Calgary, AB 28 Eric Dechaine Edmonton, AB 7 WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL Canadian Wheelchair Basketball League (CWBL) In 2017, Alberta was well represented at the CWBL National Championships. The Alberta Northern Lights team finished 3rd while the Calgary Grizzlies finished 6th (Ben Moronchuk and Ryan Tonn were named to the All Star team). While at the CWBL Women’s National Championships, Alberta once again had a strong performances with the Calgary Rollers defeating the Edmonton Inferno in the Gold metal Game. Erica Gavel (Calgary Rollers) was named to the All-Star team while Arinn Young (Edmonton Inferno) took home the Tournament MVP. 2018 Junior Nationals Final Standings 1. Alberta 2. Quebec 3. Saskatchewan 4. Ontario 5. British Columbia 6. New Brunswick 7. Manitoba 8. Nova Scotia All Stars: Garrett Ostepchuk (SK), Benjamin Palmer (QC), Eric Voss (ON), Lee Melymick (ON), and Alex Hayward (NB) MVP: Bradon Doll (AB) 8 Team Alberta - Junior (U23) Program Wheelchair Basketball in Alberta has continued to get stronger each year. After sweeping the podium at the 2016 Junior West Regional Tournament the team decided to focus on development at the 2017 Regional Tournament with a Bronze metal finish. This strategy paid off at the 2018 National Championships in Montreal where Alberta won Gold in convincing manner. The team will con- tinue to develop while working with Head Coach Darrell Nordell, Assistant Coaches Karla Tritten and Ross Norton. In addition, the team will continue to work with the Canada Winter Games Sup- port Team (Nutrition, Psychology and Media) in preparation for the Canadian Winter Games in 2019. Class 2.0 Savannah Hauk Calgary Class 1 .0 Jonathan Bilan Edmonton Class 2.5 Heliana Cyr Sherwood Park Class 4.5 Romissaa Hassan Calgary Class 2.0 Brandon Troutman Lloydminster Class 4.5 Jayna Doll Camrose Class 4.5 Ben Tumack Edmonton Class 4.5 Braden Doll Camrose Class 4.5 Jamie Cole Camrose Class 4.5 Reed D’Aerth Sherwood Park Class 1.5 Andrea Nickerson Grand Prairie Class 4.5 Jalen Shannon Calgary Head Coach: Darrell Nordell Assistant Coach: Karla Tritten Assistant Coach: Ross Norton 9 WHEELCHAIR RUGBY Bruce Crosby and Cliff Wooden 2016-2017 rugby season was a good one for Wheelchair Rugby in Alberta even though we attended less tournaments then previ- ous years .