Things I think

Interesting article in the Winnipeg Free Press today about how Mariam Chamilova Canada's best rhythmic gymnast may not compete at the 2012 Olympics on account of red tape and bureaucracy. Heatstroke admits to knowing very little about Rhythmic Gymnastics and whether Mariam C is as dominant as the article references. Regardless, Heatstroke argues that red tape and bureaucracy should not get in the way of sending our best athletes to the Olympics. Lets hope that Gymnastics Canada gets this rights thus ensuring that Canada's best team is competing in London.

Heatstroke is still looking for an explanation regarding the 6 team sports that were selected for Own the Podium funding. Some things just don't make sense. It is interesting to note, however, that the sports that were selected for funding cater to white upper class athletes while other team sports such as men's basketball and soccer cater to a largely blue collar and minority segment of the Canadian population. When one considers that once dominant sports like boxing and wrestling (also appealing to minority based athletes) are now barely able to sustain their programs on account of funding cutbacks one wonders if Own the Podium officials might be looking to shut out athletic opportunities for individuals of colour and socio-economic background. Conspiracy theory maybe, but every sport that largely caters to white middle class athletes has benefited from Own the Podium funding including rowing, canoe/kayak, gymnastics, diving, swimming, track & field, sailing and volleyball. Meanwhile weight lifting, wrestling (men), boxing (men), judo (men), basketball, soccer have seen their funding slashed.

Congrats to Brian Williams for being awarded the Order of Canada. Is there another broadcaster in North America that has done more for amateur sport than Brian. Heatstroke can't think of one.

Please Explain

In an effort to end Canada's nearly 80 year drought Sport Canada officials announced increased funding to a select number of team sports in preparation for the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

Canada you see has not won an Olympic medal of any colour in a team sport since Canada's men's basketball team won silver in 1936. Hoping to reverse this trend Sport Canada announced the Summer Olympic Team Sport Initiative. As part of this initiative the Own the Podium program has identified 6 sports that will benefit from this program; they are: Men's and Women's Field Hockey, Women's Basketball, Men's Water polo, and Women's Rugby 7's. Noticeably absent from this list: Women's Soccer, Men's Soccer, Men's Basketball, and Women's Water-polo

Consider the following

Canada's Women's soccer team narrowly lost to the United States in the quarterfinals at the 2008 Olympic Games in the process coming the closest of any Canadian team (at the Summer Olympics) in the last 20 years to win an Olympic medal. For the better part of the decade they have been ranked as low as fourth by FIFA (the sport's governing body) and are currently the defending Pan-American Games Champion. Meanwhile, in Men's Field Hockey odds are that they will not qualify for the Olympic Games in 2012 and are currently not ranked in the top 10 in the world.

Canada has not had a Men's Volleyball team compete in the Olympics since 1996 and this is unlikely to change anytime soon. Meanwhile Canada is beginning to produce some incredible young talent in the sport of basketball including Tristan Thompson a recent first round draft pick in the NBA, and NCAA superstar Andy Rautins of Syracuse who is also playing in the NBA.

Canada's Men's Waterpolo team qualified for the Olympic Games in 2008 for the first time since 1996. They finished 11th. Further, in the past 15 years they have finished in the top ten at the World Championships once. On the other side of the spectrum, Canada's Women's Waterpolo team failed to qualify for the 2008 Olympics however, they qualified for both the 2004 and 2000 Olympic Games. At the 2005 World Championships in Montreal they came 3rd. They finished 8th at the 2011 World Championships and second at second at the 2009 World Championships. It is however the men who get the needed funding from Own the Podium

Hopefully Heatstroke is not the only one scratching his head over these decisions. Someone within Own the Podium please explain.

The Other Side

Gymnastics Canada suffered a gut wrenching loss this past weekend. Canada's men's gymnastics team was in a last chance qualifier to determine the remaining four countries to qualify for the Olympic Games. Unfortunately for Canada the team finished 1/2 a point back of fourth and as a result will watch the Olympic Games unfold from Canada.

Watching the Olympic Games Heatstroke wonders aloud as to how often we catch ourselves thinking "what must it feel like to come fourth?" The years of preparation, the training and the sacrifice only to come one placing away from the Olympic podium. But what about those within Gymnastic Canada who too put for the effort, the sacrifice and the training only to never make it to the Olympic Games.

Sport is brutal. Either you win or you don't. There is no grey area. For that we love it. But there is a human component to it, and today Heatstroke can only imagine what those within Gymnastics Canada must be feeling.

Mr. Martin

There was a time when the sport of curling was the laughing stock of amateur sport. The sport's stars were often recognized more for their beer guts than their talents, and the sport largely catered to an aging demographic. Oh how times have changed.

Today, high performance curlers follow a regimented training program while the sport itself is going through a resurgence. Turn on the television lately. It is impossible to go through a week without seeing some sort of curling competition featured on TSN or some local broadcaster. There are made for t.v events of all varieties Skins Games, Men vs Women Contests, North America vs the World Challenges and of course there remains the sports staples, the Brier and Scott Tournament of Hearts.

Then there are the athletes themselves who understand marketing and in turn brands want to be affiliated with the athletes. For an example of this phenomenon look no further than Mr. Martin and his team. For many events Martin and his team arrive a day early and make the media rounds or put on a clinic for juniors, all the aim of promoting their sponsors. No wonder then that Mr. Martin and his group are sponsored by the likes of H & R Block and Uncle Ben's.

Meanwhile, in many other amateur sports - the athletes themselves remain committed to the training but the sports themselves are dying. Swimming, Diving, Wrestling, Athletics and countless others are afterthoughts for television networks and athletes do little to secure advertising dollars. For an example of this look at Rowing Canada. In two short weeks Rowing Canada officials will descend on Canada's most populous city for four days, but Heatstroke doubts very seriously that anyone will take the time to travel to a local club to teach a group of high school athletes.

Still wondering why curling is prospering.

Pan-Am Hope?

No province has done more for amateur sport in the past five year than Ontario. Sure British-Columbia hosted arguably the most successful Winter Olympic Games ever. And true Alberta using the legacy from the 1988 Winter Games has been instrumental in the development of our amateur athletes, but neither B.C nor Alberta can lay claim to the efforts put forth by Ontario.

Worried about the dwindling number of Ontario residents representing Canada on the international scene the McGuinty government introduced the Quest for Gold Funding Program in 2006. Under the Quest for Gold Program the Ontario Government has provided over $42 in direct financial assistance over the past five years to its amateur athletes. Furthermore, in 2010 the Ontario Government was awarded the 2015 Pan-Am Games and with it committed a further $1.4Billion dollars towards amateur sport facilities over the next five years. Unfortunately it appears that the sporting bubble may be bursting.

Reports are that the Ontario government is facing a $16Billion Dollar deficit in 2012 and with Moody's threading to downgrade Ontario's bonds, the province is under immense pressure to cut its deficit, and rest assured sport will be one of the first programs on the chopping block. Secondly a report from the Toronto Sun shows that the 2015 Pan-Am Games Bid is facing cost overruns in excess of $2.0Billion dollars. Reports are that the cost overruns has some wondering if the government should not consider scaling back some facilities and doubling up on others (I.E have Gymnastics and wrestling in the same facility). If reports are in fact true, the legacy from the 2015 Pan-am Games may not be as great as some were hoping.

With cost overruns and a provincial government looking for ways to slash its budget Ontario's sporting industry could be facing serious cutbacks here shortly. Until these two things happen however, Ontario's amateur athletes should acknowledge the efforts of its government to showcase amateur sport in Canada's most populous province.