I grew up in a rural town in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, where children spent their entire childhood engaged in sports. Whether playing basketball on weekends in the gym or road hockey in the streets after supper, sports were a fundamental part of our upbringing.
From as young as I can remember, I wanted to pursue a career in education, inspired by my mother. Specifically, I aspired to become a physical education teacher and coach.
Upon completing university and securing a permanent teaching position, I immediately connected with students and quickly realized the profound impact of physical activity in their lives. Extracurricular opportunities made an incredible difference, yet a recurring barrier was the lack of funding and grant opportunities, especially for rural communities in my province.
I spent many evenings and weekends researching possible grants, funding, and programs to help students and athletes build their relationship with physical literacy and remove the barriers that often limited their opportunities. Here’s what I discovered was available to me in Newfoundland and Labrador, accessible to teachers across Canada as well.
Team Canada Olympic Day Grant:
Ten Canadian schools each receive a $5,000 grant to support programs that empower students to play and stay in sports. Each chosen school also receives a 90-minute motivational speech from a Team Canada athlete. This grant plays a critical role in transforming “play” by giving more young people access to experience the importance of sports.
My school, Woodland Primary, was chosen for this grant in 2024 based on our intergenerational program with a local retirement/assisted living facility, where we unite generations through physical activity.
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Our program connects primary students and senior residents through physical activities to foster relationships and inclusivity.
The grant was used to purchase various equipment for use during our visits with the residents of Kingsway. This equipment will continue to be used for years to come to support and enhance this program.
On May 30th, Jamie Korab, a Team Canada Olympian, visited our school to meet our students and deliver a speech about his Olympic experiences. He also visited Kingsway Living for a meet-and-greet with the residents.
For more information on the Olympic Education program and the Team Canada Olympic Day Grant, please visit https://olympic.ca/team-canada-olympic-day-grant/
Jays Care Foundation:
According to their website, the Jays Care Foundation’s vision is “to create a level playing field for all children and youth across Canada.” They acknowledge the challenges faced by educators nationwide, particularly in providing extracurricular activities and programs despite barriers students may face. Jays Care Foundation uses the power of sport and play to develop sustainable programming for children and youth who are often marginalized. Source: Jays Care Foundation, accessed June 25, 2024.
Their programs are designed for self-identified girls, youth with disabilities, Indigenous youth, incarcerated youth, and youth facing poverty. The foundation seeks educators committed to fostering positive connections between students and physical literacy through baseball, offering opportunities for leadership, team building, and confidence building.
As a Jays Care Affiliate School, teachers have access to free virtual training. They select students interested in introductory baseball programming (that is offered for a minimum of eight weeks), all of whom receive Blue Jays t-shirts and hats. Additionally, affiliate schools receive specialized equipment kits.
In 2022, I applied to become a Jays Care Affiliated School and completed the application during a brief lunch break. Being selected created a profoundly positive atmosphere in our school. In the first year, twenty-six students participated in the Rookie League Program, with third-grade students serving as junior coaches, totaling nearly fifty participants. Many faced barriers such as transportation, financial struggles, language barriers, and home responsibilities.
By 2023, our school expanded to offer two programs: the returning Rookie League and the new Girls At Bat program. With these initiatives and more junior coaches, we provided programming for almost 100 children. For these students, the opportunity to participate in team activities was transformative. One student, after receiving their Blue Jays hat and shirt, proudly wore them for four consecutive days, declaring themselves an official Blue Jay.
To find out more about the Jays Care Affiliated School programs, visit their website https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/community/jays-care/affiliate-school-program/en
The application for the 2024-2025 season will open soon, if you have further questions you can email JCF_AffiliateSchools@bluejays.com
Further grant information for Physical Education Teachers in Canada can also be found here:
