Richmond, BC – A strategic alliance between the Richmond Olympic Oval and the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific was announced today. The alliance was created to accomplish nine joint objectives to improve the delivery of sport performance services and availability of world class training and competition facilities in Canada.
Beginning July 2, 2014, Canadian Sport Institute Pacific will be fulfilling their mission to provide a world-class, multisport daily training environment for athletes and coaches as they begin using the facilities of the Oval and working in conjunction with the Richmond Olympic Oval’s High Performance department. Sport Performance Services delivered under the Oval roof will include strength and conditioning, performance nutrition, performance analysis, physiological testing, and health services in conjunction with LifeMark Sport Medical (also located within the facility).
For the public and athletes alike, the Richmond Olympic Oval will now offer one of the most comprehensive pathways to success in sport in Canada, providing programming starting as young as 18 months with the learning of fundamental movement skills to the coaching and performance services required by podium level athletes competing on the international stage.
“Here, a young person can find a path that might lead to a healthy, active lifestyle, a lifelong love affair with sport, or, with the help of our partner Canadian Sport Institute Pacific, the Olympic or Paralympic podium,” says John Mills, Chief Operating Officer, Richmond Olympic Oval. “We are passionate about all of these outcomes.”
The most immediate change members of the public will notice will be an increase in the number of Olympians and Paralympians inside the Oval and around the community, something Oval Member and Richmond resident April Boni is very excited about. “It will be like it was back in 2009 when someone like a Cindy Klassen or Christine Nesbitt could just pop up on the stationary bike next to you.” Longer term, it is hoped that the Richmond Olympic Oval will prove to be a strong medal factory for Canada at future Olympic and Paralmypic Games.
“We are very excited about collaborating with the Richmond Olympic Oval to prepare the next generation of sport heroes. It really is a world-class facility that we are looking forward to calling home” said Wendy Pattenden, CEO, Canadian Sport Institute Pacific. “There is something unique in the air at the Oval. We hope that the legacy of the Olympic gold medals that were won in the facility will serve as inspiration to the athletes and coaches training in the daily training environment”.
The athletes are also excited about the strategic alliance, noting that having such world-class facilities and services all located under one roof will help them achieve their sport performance goals.
“Having the high performance training facility and the performance services all under one roof will allow for the optimal training environment,” says Trevor Hirschfield, Captain, National Wheelchair Rugby Team. “This partnership will really enhance the daily training environment of our team.”
“The Canadian Sport Institute Pacific is always ready to help athletes, and the services they bring to us are really important as we get ready to compete at the highest level,” says Christine Girard, 2012 Olympic bronze medalist in weightlifting. “I am thrilled to know that they will now be working in association with the Richmond Olympic Oval and will now have the ideal space to serve us. As a coach and as an athlete, I know how important Canadian Sport Institute Pacific is to supporting the development of every level of athlete, and I’m really looking forward to seeing them grow even more with the Oval’s help.”
The Richmond Olympic Oval and Canadian Sport Institute Pacific have agreed to the following nine joint objectives:
1. To centralize under one roof the facilities, services and programming required to positively impact sport and athlete performance in Canada while maximizing resource efficiencies for both parties.
2. To provide, promote and make accessible world-class athlete performance facilities in Canada.
3. To collaborate with, and create greater efficiencies for, local, provincial and national sport organizations to access high performance facilities, services and programs.
4. To provide a sustainable and standardized continuum of high performance athlete services that includes strength and conditioning, performance analysis services and integrated sport medicine to local, provincial and national level athletes.
5. To provide integrated academic and training options so athletes can better balance the demands of training, competition and academics.
6. To host, develop and deliver education for athletes, coaches and allied sport performance service professionals.
7. To contribute to the goals of Richmond’s Sport Hosting Program by attracting national training camps and competitive events to the Oval.
8. To build greater exposure and awareness of each parties’ operations and success through available marketing channels, communication mediums and relationships.
9. To foster high performance sport culture and history at the Oval, in Richmond, in British Columbia and in Canada.