The annual swimming fundraiser Going the Distance was back in person in 2023 after 3 years away. With an initial fundraising goal of $10 000 the energy and efforts of the TSC Swim community went on to raise more than $18 000 dollars! Fundraising helps support athletes like Connor Bisset who train and swim competitively with The Steadward Bears, the only exclusively para swim club in Alberta. Connor, 22, continues to grow as an athlete, beginning with the Bears as a teenager and now competing at national and international competitions. As Connor’s mom cheers him on from the stands, she hopes that others recognize the transformative power of athletics and their positive impact: 

“I just think everyone should find a sport that they love, and The Steadward Centre offers everything for people with disabilities of any sort.” And Coach Laura Harvey agrees, “We’re creating an overall program that allows for all individuals with disabilities to participate, depending on whether they want to go to the Olympics or learn how to float on their back,” says Harvey. “It’s really inclusive to absolutely everyone.” 

Read more about Connor’s story and swimming at TSC here.

Funds raised at Going the Distance also enhance TSC swimming by helping pay for pool rental fees, training equipment, and large purchases like a new pool lift. The Steadward Centre  thanks all the athletes, families, donors, and the larger TSC community for their continued support of swimming at The Steadward Centre! 

In autumn 2021, Athletes2Coaches was launched as a mentorship program for youth and young athletes experiencing disability. This pilot project was created with the aim to increase and sustain participation in para sport in Alberta by developing coaching and leadership capacity among young athletes experiencing disability. 

Athletes2Coaches seeks to contribute to para sport participation in Alberta through the following goals:

• Increase the number of trained coaches and volunteers with lived disability experience 

• Increase the number of positive role models for young people experiencing disability 

• Decrease dropout rate as participants are engaged in para sport in new ways

• Develop an Alberta focused mentorship framework for youth and young athletes experiencing disability that establishes a pathway from participant/athlete to coach/volunteer

• Establish a community of practice among young athletes across Alberta to enhance feelings of belongingness, share experiences, and create a space for long term connections.

In 2023, Athletes2Coaches returned! This version built upon the successes of the pilot and incorporated the feedback from the athletes to offer both virtual learning and an in-field mentorship experience in sport. Based on learnings from the A2C pilot, the 2023 cohort of athletes also experienced a more individualized approach that targeted two primary groups of athletes: those currently in a sport pathway and seeking more coaching and leadership opportunities, and those who are completing their high performance competition pathway. Athletes2Coaches provides a unique opportunity in the space of para sport athlete development, and TSC aims to continue to grow and support the next generation of para sport leaders.