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Originally known as the Athlete's
Trust Fund, the Skater's Trust Fund emerged under the current
name in November, 1988. Over the past 18 years, Skate Canada
- Central Ontario has provided over $470,000 in athlete funding,
primarily in the form of bursaries and athlete-related expenses.
Through contributions to this Fund and support
by Skate Canada - Central Ontario, recreational and competitive
skaters at our 107 clubs all have an opportunity to be the best
that they can be. This has been supplemented by Skate Canada
- Central Ontario allocating additional funds for athlete development
initiatives ($34,260.00 in 2005-2006) and Team COS ($60,041.00
in 2005-2006)
In 2000, Skate Canada - Central Ontario reaffirmed
its commitment to this Fund by donating 50 per cent of the revenue
generated from our annual Fun Competition with Team COS skaters
being asked to donate their time and energy at this event. Since
that decision, the Fun Competition has contributed approximately
$83,000 to the Fund. In recent years, this amount has also been
complemented by the net proceeds of the Skate Canada - Central
Ontario golf tournament, various hosting grants for national
events and donations from the organization's general fund.
The John Ritter Memorial Fund was established
in 2002 to honour the memory of Tom Ritter. Tom was passionate
about skating and was a very personable and popular young man
who was taken from us much too soon. In his memory, the Ritter
family entrusted the section to create a memorial fund. Each
year, one skater who possesses Tom's passion for the sport is
awarded a $500 bursary.
For the 2005-2006 skating season, the Executive
Committee of the Skater's Trust Fund examined how the funds
were to be disbursed. Adhering to our motto that "excellence
will be rewarded," the Skate Canada - Central Ontario Board
of Directors approved a refinement of the disbursement policy
by ensuring that the mandate provides only for direct funding
to athletes while any additional financial support, should it
be the payment of entry fees, the purchase of team outfits or
travel allowances, be allocated from the organization's general
fund. Moreover, the Board of Directors approved bursaries for
gold, silver and bronze medallists at the Canadian Championships,
Junior Nationals and the Canadian Synchronized Championships
as well as qualification and placement bursaries for a variety
of international assignments. Consequently, skaters who reach
the podium will be financially rewarded for their success. For
our skaters who accept ISU international assignments, Skate
Canada - Central Ontario is pleased to provide varying degrees
of financial support for their participation and placement.
In addition, the Section continues to annually
present the Elvis Stojko Awards and the Ruth Phillips Memorial
Awards, the latter named after a former President of the Section.
We are pleased to continue to honour these two individuals who
contributed so much to our Section and athletes.
We wish to also thank the Scarboro and Georgina
Skating Clubs for their generous contributions to this fund
through the Scarboro Skate Awards and the Georgina Skate Awards.
We are pleased that these two clubs have for many years supported
athlete development in our section through events that they
hold annually.
In an age where government funding for amateur
sport is constantly redefined and, in many instances, reduced,
it is important for all skating stakeholders to play an active
role in ensuring the future of our sport. The future of our
sport and our athletes continue to be significantly enhanced
through the Skater's Trust Fund.
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