If you watched the Winter Olympics on TV, you probably saw ads promoting RBC Training Ground, a nation-wide talent identification program that seeks to find and fund CanadaB次元官网网址檚 future Olympians.
That program has recently unearthed a pair of athletes with ties to the Cowichan Valley who are now on the fast track to future Summer Olympics.
Rugby players Carissa Norsten, a graduate of Queen MargaretB次元官网网址檚 School now attending the University of Victoria, and Ava Ference, a current student at Shawnigan Lake School, have earned RBC Future Olympian funding and multiple-year commitments from Rugby Canada as a result of the talent they displayed in basic testing. The players will be training with Rugby CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Maple Leaf Academy development program and will use the funding from RBC to accelerate their journey to the Olympics.
Originally from northern Saskatchewan, where she excelled in several sports, including athletics, hockey, basketball and soccer, Norsten, 18, only started playing rugby three years ago, but her rise has been meteoric. She moved to the Cowichan Valley to work with coach Robin MacDowell and attended QMS for a year before moving on to UVic.
MacDowell was full of praise for NorstenB次元官网网址檚 development.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 thrilled to see CarissaB次元官网网址檚 continued success after working incredibly hard recovering from knee surgery for the past year,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淪he in the that top one per cent of athletes in our country: not only is she athletically gifted, she is completely focused and driven in realizing her dreams to represent Canada in rugby sevens at multiple Olympic Games.
B次元官网网址淗aving attended several RBC Olympic testing events across western Canada the past four years, I have witnessed athletes from dozens of sports from teens to adults in their prime compete for a top spot. At only 18 years old Carissa is already among the best and one to watch on CBC Sports when the Summer Olympics come around.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淐arissa is a developing athlete that we are keenly interested in continuing to support in development opportunities,B次元官网网址� said Maple Leaf Academy coach Kelly Russell, the twin sister of Shawnigan Lake School coach Laura Russell. B次元官网网址淪he has a natural ability in speed and footwork and has continued to build her rugby specific skill sets. A focused learner Carissa has shown a consistent commitment to skill training and learning the game strategies and structures.B次元官网网址�
Ference, 16, grew up in Edmonton, where her dad, Andrew, served as captain of the Edmonton Oilers between 2013 and 2015.
B次元官网网址淎va was first identified pre-covid in the RBC Training Ground Prairie talent ID programs,B次元官网网址� Russell noted. B次元官网网址淪he is athletic and fast, with so much potential to be a playmaker on the rugby pitch that weB次元官网网址檙e excited to get her more deeply into our program.B次元官网网址�
Norsten and Ference were among 4,000 athletes between the ages of 14 and 24 to take part in the RBC Training Ground search, which is free to enter. Only 30 athletes received funding.
Participants complete core speed, strength, power and endurance tests in front of talent scouts from nine different national sport organizations.
B次元官网网址淲hile some participants are looking to re-energize or boost an Olympic dream in a sport they are already pursuing, others B次元官网网址� like Olympic track cycling Gold medalist Kelsey Mitchell who was a soccer player when she participated in the program B次元官网网址� participate with the hope of being discovered and directed toward an Olympic sport they may have never considered,B次元官网网址� said Evan MacInnis, Technical Director for RBC Training Ground. B次元官网网址淏ut they all rely on raw athleticism and determination to attract the attention of our sport partners and are excited to see where this program can take them.B次元官网网址�
Eight RBC Training Ground athletes competed at the 2020 Olympics, with four winning medals: Mitchell, rowing gold medallist Avalon Wasteneys, cycling bronze medallist Lauriane Genest, and athletics bronze medallist Jerome Blake.
Three more Training Ground graduates competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics: Marion Th茅nault in freestyle skiing, and Mike Evelyn and Sara Villani in bobsleigh.
Registration for a new season of RBC Training Ground opens in January 2022. Visit RBCTrainingGround.ca for program information, in-person testing sites and virtual format testing options.
