2023 marked a record-breaking year for KidSport Alberta and its chapters. Following the uncertainty and instability of 2022, kids and youth sport participation, as well as KidSport grant requests, rebounded at an unprecedented rate. What was driving this trend? The wide-spread harmful effects of the pandemic on kids’ physical and mental health continued to be felt in the transition year that was 2023; parents encouraged their children to resume sports involvement to help mitigate the unsafe health habits formed as kids hunkered down at home during a crucial stage of their development.
The financial hardship caused by the outbreak, driven at least in part, by changes in employment and the rising cost of living and raising families, meant an update to the KidSport program’s financial criteria was needed. In response, our income cutoff was increased from Revenue Canada’s Low-Income Cut-Offs (LICO) plus 30% to LICO plus 50%. With the 20% increase, many more families now qualified for KidSport funding which contributed to the upward trend in sport participation through grants.
The launch of the Government of Alberta’s affordability initiative, Every Kid Can Play, expanded on the successful Return to Play Program from the previous year which underscored the importance of making sports, physical activity, and recreation easily accessible and affordable for all kids in the province. Alberta’s government provided $3 million to KidSport Alberta to be distributed through our chapters to help eligible families offset their kid’s registration fees. Through our partnership and the government’s investment, we will help open the door for over 8,500 kids to sports that may typically be financially out of reach.
2023 was another landmark year for our partnerships, which were strengthened with the launch of the second season of the KidSport Oil Country Hockey Assist Program. The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) contributed $2.1 million to unlock hockey’s transformative powers for over 1,600 kids in Oil Country, regardless of their background or circumstances.
Our impact was further increased in 2023 as the volunteer-driven KidSport Leduc and County recorded success after success after their launch in the fall of 2022. Following their outstanding fundraising efforts, the chapter was celebrated when the 2024 Chamber Business Awards announced KidSport Leduc and County as finalists for the Not-for-Profit of the Year in the City of Leduc.
As young KidSport athletes continue to thrive with our support, it serves as a reminder that these children are our future sports stars, engineers, teachers, and leaders. Face-to-face time with their teammates and invaluable lessons learned on the field, in the rink or on the court, enrich skills which will benefit them far beyond school. KidSport Alberta plays a vital role in our community, and I would be remiss not to mention the importance of our sponsors and donors, without whom we would not be able to change the lives of so many. As Chair, and on behalf of the board and staff, I want to thank you for your ongoing support as we continue our journey so ALL kids can play!
- Rob Signoretti, Chair
Every Kid Can Play program
In 2022, the Government of Alberta launched the Return to Play Program, committing $4M to support the recovery of sport participation in the province, of which $1.85M was provided to KidSport Alberta to be distributed through our chapters with the goal of resuming sport and play after the disruption caused by the pandemic. Following the great success of this, our partnership with the Government of Alberta continued into 2023 with the launch of the Every Kid Can Play Program in July. This crucial program was designed to promote equal play across the province of Alberta by providing subsidies for program registration costs to help children and youth whose families require financial assistance to access sport, physical activity, and recreation. KidSport Alberta received $3M from the initiative, which will enable us to provide direct financial support to more than 8,500 children by distributing up to $350 per child registration to eligible families.
During a record-breaking 2023, KidSport Alberta chapters supported more kids into sport programs than ever before. Within six months, we had distributed over $1.7Million through the EKCP program to almost 7,000 kids in our province, meaning we are on track to achieve the goals set for the KidSport Every Kid Can Play Program, which will wrap up in early July 2024. The speed with which the funds were distributed to families facing economic obstacles in our communities demonstrated the need for initiatives that keep kid’s sport and recreational activities accessible and affordable. As a result, we are thrilled to announce the renewal of $8M for the Every Kid Can Play Program in 2024. Once again a portion of these funds will support KidSport Alberta so we can continue to help ensure that every child, regardless of their financial circumstances, can enjoy the benefits of engaging in physical activities and the happiness of participating in sport.
KIDSPORT OIL COUNTRY HOCKEY ASSIST PROGRAM
Through their newly developed parent program, Every Kid Deserves a Shot, the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (EOCF) in partnership with KidSport Alberta, launched the second year of the KidSport Oil Country Hockey Assist Program (HAP) in April 2023. The mission of this program is to increase access to hockey for low-income families in Oil Country (Red Deer County and North). An approval through this program provided families with fully funded registration fees and access to no-cost equipment with our Northern equipment partner, Sport Central.
In 2023, we funded 1629 kids into hockey amounting to a cost of $1.26M in registration fees alone. Thanks to our partners at Sport Central, 594 of these kids were given the hockey gear they needed to lace up and get on the ice!
343 Girls
754 Indigenous
25 New Canadians
Thank you EOCF for your incredible $2.1M contribution to help grow the game of hockey in Oil Country & provide children with the opportunity to learn life skills through sport. We are excited to see this program continue to grow in season three and ensure that cost isn’t the barrier So ALL Kids Can Play hockey in Oil Country.
Kidsport leduc and county chapter
The volunteer-driven KidSport Leduc and County chapter was launched in the fall of 2022 in only 57 days and was operational in 4 months!
In its inaugural year, the mighty chapter hosted two annual community fundraising events; Loop the Lake walk and run event held in May attracted 125 walkers/runners to Telford Lake and raised almost $5,000. In August, the KidSport Leduc’s much-needed Used Equipment Sale was introduced for the re-purposing of used sports equipment to be sold to those in need. The low prices helped them equip financially challenged athletes. The sale raised almost $4000, made equipping athletes affordable, and kept used equipment out of landfills.
After only 8 short fiscal months, KidSport Leduc funded 91 youth into 20 different sports to the tune of $111,000! Significant markers in the youth who were funded were 38 girls in sports, 38 Indigenous youth, 7 youth with disabilities, and 4 new Canadians. 71 of the youth came from single-parent homes.
Their dedication and hard work in 2023 were recognized through the 2024 Chamber Business Awards who announced KidSport Leduc and County as finalists for the Not-for-Profit of the Year in Leduc. In less than one year, KidSport Leduc and County made a significant difference in the lives of youth and continue to make organized sports accessible in their community.
Girls in Sport & Newcomers Committee
In a bid to build a positive, inclusive, and accessible sporting ecosystem for newcomers to Canada & self-identified girls, the dedicated Girls in Sport & Newcomers committee identified opportunities for KidSport Alberta to help eliminate the obstacles that lead to sport disengagement among these demographics in the province.
The committee, made up of long-serving board members and passionate supporters, found the lack of affordable and religiously/culturally appropriate sportswear essentials to be a key obstacle to sport participation. Many girls who enjoyed being active when younger have needlessly fallen out of love with sport in adolescence. The leading reasons for this were a lack of confidence and a fear of judgement – both because of their bodies and as well as their performance.
Considering these causes, a campaign with Under Armour was launched in December 2023 providing a significant discount to female KidSport athletes to be used on sports bras and performance hijabs. By providing sportswear without barriers, it is our hope that young female athletes will feel welcome in every arena and on every field – because girls belong in sport.
The accessibility of sports bras and sports hijabs for girls, however, isn’t just about clothing. It also addresses an essential step towards building an inclusive and empowering sports environment for them.
The committee continues to meet regularly to ensure young athletes at grassroots, no matter their gender, religious beliefs, or level of ability, have the same support to explore their athletic potential and feel the joy sport brings.
New KidSport Alberta Ambassador Announced: Kenny M’Pindou
Bobsleigh Canada Brakeman and Olympic Games hopeful, Kenny M’Pindou was announced as the newest KidSport Alberta ambassador in 2023. A former soccer player, Kenny became a bobsledder in 2021 and following a brief period of rehabilitation for an injury, he fought his way back into training and was named to the national team in October 2022.
An inspiring athlete whose experience with a speech impediment since childhood, Kenny channeled his energy and talents into sports as an outlet and a means to express himself. To this day, Kenny’s stutter impacts his life, and his ambassadorship means he can continue to shed light on personal struggles that sometimes deter children and youth from finding their purpose and passion. He believes sports has shaped who he is and thinks others who face similar challenges can find comfort in physical recreation.
Give the Gift of Sport: Bring it Back Full Circle
The national and provincial fundraising campaign, Give the Gift of Sport, was launched for a 12th season in November 2023. At the provincial level, Give the Gift of Sport is our annual holiday initiative that raises awareness and funds to help under-resourced Albertan families.
The purpose of this much-needed fundraising campaign is to give the gift of sport that you received as a kid and to help create lasting memories and fill the gap for other kids who want to play. We aim to bring the power of sport Full Circle and Give the Gift of Sport to new kids who would otherwise not have the opportunity to play.
Thanks to the generosity of donors across Canada, the campaign ran from November 20, 2023, to January 8, 2024 and raised an incredible $1,030,655 to get more kids off the sidelines, into the game, and experience the gift of sport.
We thank our amazing volunteers, board members, agency partners and Team KidSport Ambassadors. The ever-growing impact we have on kids in our community is due to your efforts, time, passion and care for everything we do. THANK YOU!
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rob Signoretti, Chair
Dillon Rosenau, Vice Chair
Kathy Salmon, Past Chair
Yembeh Moiba, Secretary & Treasurer
Allan Charlesworth, Director
Karsten Sturmay, Director
Tom Duke, Director
Megan Macadam, Director
Travis Rhine, Director
Liann Cameron, Director
Taylor McPherson, Director
STAFF
Kelly Oehlerking, Executive Director
Aman Gill, Financial Manager
Chelsea Carey, Development & Communications Manager
Nick Davies, Chapter Development Manager
MacKenzie Ebel, Program Manager
Sophie Larkin, Program Manager
In 2023, KidSport Alberta’s Board of Directors conducted a demographics survey to assess representation and diversity. The survey results provide a benchmark for measuring progress, identifying risks, and opportunities. A snapshot of the board’s composition is presented below. This data will guide our analysis to enhance the Board composition to better service KidSport Chapters and funding recipients.
national partners
provincial partners
strategic partners
What our partners have to say
Kidsport Alberta teaches kids the importance of teamwork and giving back to the community. They don't only give kids a chance to play sports but they have a chance to make a difference in their lives! Teaching the kids life lessons that they might have not been able to learn and to build relationships with other kids is very beneficial! The Canadian Brewhouse Group of Families is very excited to continue our partnership with Kidsport for many years to come.
The Canadian Brewhouse
Help us do more by becoming a KidSport Sponsor!
Contact Chelsea Carey at ccarey@kidsport.ab.ca for more information.