The OLY Canada Legacy Grant is part of the Canadian Olympic Committees OLY Canada Alumni initiative. The grant is designed to reflect the three pillars of the Team Canada Impact Agenda – the COC’s commitment to making sport safe, inclusive and barrier-free so more young people can play and stay in sport. Now in its sixth year, the COC announced Exceleration board member Mark Johnston (Swimming – Sydney 2000, Athens 2004) as a recipient towards the Exceleration Tri-It Schools Program.
Exceleration’s Tri-It Schools Program was created by club founder Kristine Chambers to deliver water safety lessons, running and bike skill activities to inner city schools empowering close to 700 children to set and overcome their personal challenges. The 4 schools are Admiral Seymour Elementary, Xpey’ Indigenous Focus School, Britannia Elementary and Lynnmour Xá7elcha Elementary. The program fosters inclusion, respect, community connection and personal excellence trough culturally informed physical education. Designed around the principles of the Circle of Courage – Belonging, Mastery, Independence and Generosity, the program services schools whose students are predominantly made up of Indigenous and new immigrant communities.
“Receiving the OLY Legacy Grant means the world to me and the 660+ plus children who participate in the Tri-It Schools Program. Having the Canadian Olympic Committee’s support is a feeling I will cherish for life and I am truly humbled given the truly remarkable impact others are making in their communities. Like other Olympians, I feel we never truly retire from sport and have an obligation to pass on our experiences, inspiration and skills to the next generation. These funds will enable me and those involved to take the program to even more schools and set up the program for its continued success in the years to come.”
– Mark Johnston
“Together with a generous grant received from Triathlon BC we are fortunate in the program being fully funded for 2025. Thank you to everyone’s hard work securing the OLY grant, especially Mark and Kristine for your vision and unflagging enthusiasm in creating and running this essential program.”
– Sir Banks, Executive Director, Exceleration Triathlon and Multisport
