Two
Grants to Fund Sport and Physical Activity for Girls
- 2008
VICTORIA, April 2008 - KidSport Greater Victoria
is in its seventh year of providing support to kids
and sport in the Capital Regional District. The funds
raised by this committed group of volunteers help
financially disadvantaged families with sport and
physical activity registration fees. This grant funding
program has traditionally been accessed more by males
than females. KidSport Greater Victoria (www.kidsportvictoria.ca)
and ProMOTION Plus for Girls and Women in Sport and
Physical Activity have partnered to create greater
opportunity for female athletes in order to level
the playing field.
KidSport Co-Chair, Patti Hunter, when asked about
the significance of these grants said “We are
excited about this opportunity to assist a traditionally
under-served segment of children. Girls between the
ages of 12 – 17, are significantly less active
than boys, with 64% of girls considered to be inactive
as compared to 48% of boys. The long term health benefits
of being physically active include a healthier self
image, reduced likeliness of depression, disordered
eating, smoking, alcohol/substance use, diabetes and
osteoporosis. The benefits are enormous and the cost
minimal – just a commitment to equitable access
to resources”
The two grants funded by KidSport and administered
by ProMOTION Plus Victoria are: “Play it Forward”
and “Proud to Play Like a Girl”. These
were first awarded in 2007 and the success of the
program has seen KidSport double the amount of funding
available for these new opportunities.
Locally based schools, not for profit organizations
and recreation centres who either develop a new “Girls
Only” physical activity/sport program, or who
increase the number of girls given access to participation
in an existing co-ed program will be eligible for
a “Play it Forward” grant of $1000. Four
of these grants will be awarded this year.
Young women may apply for an individual grant through
the “Proud to Play like a Girl” program.
Junior athletes, age 10 through 14 may apply for a
“Fair Play Award” of $250 (6 awarded)
to support their participation in training clinics,
camps or other forms of athletic training. Girls,
age 15 through 18 may be eligible for a Leadership
Award of $250 (6 awarded) for coaching or leadership
clinics, workshops or training/skill development.
A community volunteer committee will select the award
recipients in June 2008 and the organization or individual
recipients will have one year to use the funds.
A portion of the proceeds from the annual KidSport
Golf Tournament held May 15, 2008 at Prospect Lake
help to support this program. This tournament is fortunate
to have two long time signature sponsors; Peninsula
Co-op and Save On Gas and Investanada, CAAWS, girls body image,where to play sports,
girls self-esteem, girls soccer, girls cycling, girls and nutrition, nutrition for active girls, Canadian Association for women and sport, girls@play, snowboarding, skating, boarding, girl site, sports girl, extreme girl, mountain biking, skateboards, surfboards, X Games">
