Victoria, BC – Following a summer of inspiring performances by Canadian athletes at the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific (CSI Pacific) is offering British Columbians the opportunity to test their capacity for sport performance through PODIUM SEARCH™.
PODIUM SEARCH™ is a set of free one-day athlete identification camps for able-bodied and para-athletes, focusing on power, strength, speed, and endurance for sports performance at the highest level. Athletes participate in a series of basic physiological and anthropometric tests, in addition to sport-specific tests led by world-class sport performance experts, to learn how they measure up to national team standards.
The first camp will be held on Sunday, September 18 at the Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities (CARSA) at the University of Victoria. A high number of female athletes are expected to turnout for the event, following the popularity of women’s rugby sevens at the 2016 Rio Olympics. PODIUM SEARCH™ offers an excellent opportunity for aspiring athletes to catch the attention of Victoria-based National Sport Organizations like Cycling Canada, Rowing Canada, and Rugby Canada.
Sunday’s event is presented in partnership with Vikes Athletics and Recreation at the University of Victoria. Athletes will also have a chance to display their aptitude in front of University of Victoria Rowing program staff.
“The PODIUM SEARCH program offers not only young athletes the opportunity to show their skills, it also allows our sport partners to find the next generation of Canadian Olympic and Paralympic talent,” said CSI Pacific Director of Talent Development Kurt Innes. “After the success of the RBC Training Ground Program across Canada this year, we expect a great turnout at camps in B.C.”
Now in its sixth year, PODIUM SEARCH™ supports the identification and development of athletes by providing them with exposure to a high performance environment and basic field-testing results. Assessments include the vertical jump test, standing triple jump, and 40-metre sprint run, amongst other field tests in use by national team programs.
PODIUM SEARCH™ also creates awareness for national and provincial sport organizations’ athlete identification programs by helping athletes identify transferable talents from other sports. Since its inception, 492 athletes have taken part in PODIUM SEARCH™ events, with 118 invited for follow-up assessments with partner sports. Four athletes have also advanced into Canadian Sport Institute NextGen Programs.
WHAT:
PODIUM SEARCH Athlete Identification Camp
WHERE:
Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities
University of Victoria
Victoria, BC V8P 5C2
WHEN:
Sunday, September 18, 2016
10:00am-2:00pm
WHO / ELIGIBILITY:
Olympic:
- Aged 14-22
- Competing in ANY sport at a minimum of club/regional level
- Mentally tough, competitive, and highly motivated
- Ready to become part of Canada’s sporting elite
- Fit, powerful, and strong
Paralympic:
- Ages 14-35
- Have a physical or visual impairment
- With or without previous sport experience
- Interested in discovering for which Paralympic sports you are eligible
- Learn in which you have the greatest potential
For more information on PODIUM SEARCH, visit https://www.csipacific.ca/programs/podium-search.