Talisman Centre Sport Partner Blog: January 2015

Jan 30, 2015

Tentative Aquatic Schedule for February 2-5 2015

Here is the link to our tentative aquatics schedule for Monday, February 2 to Thursday, February 5, 2015:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_i06kI_D5XWQURBV21DNDNweWc/view?usp=sharing

Jan 29, 2015

Club Excellence ensuring “long term health and success” of community sport clubs

January 29, 2015

Club Excellence Program - OTTAWA, Ontario (January 29, 2015) – Club Excellence “will ensure the long term health and success” of member clubs, according to Boxing Ontario, part of the latest wave of sport governing bodies to sign on as Associate Members of the ground-breaking program.

According to Matthew Kennedy, Boxing Ontario’s Executive Director, “(Club Excellence) has helped us assess and benchmark our capacity and build on those areas where we identified room to grow. As an Associate Member, this program will also help us support and recognize our clubs as they enter a standardisation framework…We now use this program as a mechanism to mark ‘excellence’ in our own club evaluation matrix.”

The addition of Boxing Ontario, the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, Rugby Canada, and the Saskatchewan Soccer Association brings to 11 the total number of sport governing bodies whose member clubs now enjoy access to a range of customized tools and resources to improve their programs. Since 2012, Associate Membership has skyrocketed by 240 per cent, with 80 different clubs at the entry or “Affiliate” level and five others having achieved Level 1 Certified status. A more detailed description of program components can be found at www.clubexcellence.com.

Beyond the nation-wide benchmark, sport governing bodies are recognizing the close alignment between Club Excellence and long-term athlete development (LTAD). "Club Excellence will tool up our clubs to consistently deliver vibrant and well organized 'Can Freestyle' Long Term Athlete Development Programs, according to Meredith Gardner, Sport Development Director for the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association. “This is a much-needed GPS to navigate the complex pathway of the Canadian Sport system, and ultimately Club Excellence will help secure Canadian Freestyle Skiing’s future as a world leader in winter sport."

For Rugby Canada, Club Excellence will help boost club and PSO development of the sport across the country. “Ultimately, Club Excellence will affect long term athletic development by enhancing a club's ability to deliver a sound and safe rugby program,” said Myles Spencer, Chief Operating Officer for Rugby Canada. “Established clubs will now have a measuring stick for a standard of excellence, while new clubs will immediately be given a benchmark to aspire to. This program has the ability to raise the profile of our sport in Canada."

By implementing the Club Excellence framework, these leading sport organizations are building club capacity in a number of critical areas including coaching, people management, governance, recruitment, financial accountability, marketing, and revenue generation.

Clubs from all Associate Member sports benefit from an integrated approach to club development, learning to operate differently, plan ahead for challenges, and serve their members more effectively using the Club Excellence framework as a guide.

For the Saskatchewan Soccer Association’s Doug Pederson, “The program aligns well with our Member and Organizational Development Plan. And by working together, we will utilize the Club Excellence standards to strengthen both our organization and our member organizations to offer an even better soccer experience to Saskatchewan’s 43,100 soccer registered participants.”

The SSA has also provided their entire membership with the opportunity to join as an Affiliate at no cost. This will allow the SSA to assess what support Affiliated clubs need in order to attain Level 1 Certification. By paying the annual fee for their 60 member clubs, the SSA has effectively introduced another potential model for sport governing bodies to follow.

Staff from all Associate Members will participate in Club Excellence training, building their internal capacity to support member clubs in achieving Affiliate and Certified status over the next three years. A 12-step process for implementation, as well as many tools and resources, will be customized to guide clubs through this innovative quality assurance program.

About Club Excellence

Club Excellence is the only national, multi-sport certification program for club-level sport. It is building a network of healthy, strong and sustainable sport clubs and organizations across Canada. The Club Excellence Cooperative (CEC) was created in 2007 with common goals to identify a stable and supportive environment for coaches, improve implementation of Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) at the community level, and ensure quality club programming built on the True Sport values of fairness, excellence, inclusion and fun.

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Media Contact:

Kyle Johnston

Program Coordinator, Club Excellence Program

(613) 521-3340 x3226

kjohnston@cces.ca

Jan 26, 2015

Tentative Aquatic Schedule for January 30 - February 1 2015

Here is the link to our tentative aquatics schedule for Friday January 30 to Sunday February 1, 2015:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_i06kI_D5XWS3hadjlWN2NaY3M/view?usp=sharing

Jan 21, 2015

Team Canada Selection Announced for 2015 UANA Water Polo Cup in Markham

Water Polo Canada - Markham, January 20, 2015 – Water Polo Canada is proud to announce its rosters for the men’s and women’s tournaments at the upcoming 2015 UANA Cup, the world championship qualification tournament to be held at the new Atos Markham Pan Am Centre, from January 28 to February 1, 2015.

On the men’s side, the selection includes Olympians Justin Boyd, Kevin Graham, Constantine Kudaba and Robin Randall, who all played in Beijing in 2008. The roster also displays significant representation from Ontario athletes with Alex Taschereau and John Conway affiliated to the Ottawa Titans and Torontonian Dusan Radojcic, a member of the Scarborough Shadow water polo club.

The following MEN athletes have been selected for the 2015 UANA Cup:

Name	Age	Position	Hometown	Canadian Club
Robin Randall	34	Goaltender	Drinkwater, SK	Team Saskatchewan
Constantine Kudaba	27	Forward	Port Coquitlam, BC	Pacific Storm
Dusan Radojcic	21	Forward	Toronto, ON	Scarborough Shadow
Nicolas Constantin-Bicari	23	Hole set	Repentigny, QC	CAMO
Justin Boyd	25	Driver	Beaconsfield, QC	Dollard
Scott Robinson	23	Driver	Calgary, AB	Calgary Torpedoes
George Torakis	25	Hole check	Heraklion, Greece	CAMO
Kevin Graham	28	Driver	Regina, SK	Regina Squids
Alec Taschereau	21	Driver	Ottawa, ON	Ottawa Titans
John Conway	23	Driver	Ottawa, ON	Ottawa Titans
Oliver Vikalo	23	Hole set	Calgary, AB	Calgary Torpedoes
Jared McElroy	23	Forward	Calgary, AB	Calgary Torpedoes
Dusan Aleksic	23	Goaltender	Gatineau, QC	Gatineau WP Club
David Lapins	20	Hole set	Gatineau, QC	Ottawa Titans

Staff, Men’s Senior National Team

Head Coach: Alex Beslin, Calgary, AB

Assistant Coaches: Brian Parillo, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, QC and Andrew Muir, Calgary, AB

Team Manager: Neil Muir, Calgary, AB

The Canadian women’s selection includes sole Olympian Christine Robinson and a solid mix of veterans and young players, including sisters Emma and Claire Wright, from Lindsay, ON, also members of Scarborough Shadow.

Goalkeeper Jessica Gaudreault, affiliated the Capital Wave in Ottawa, rounds up the portion of Ontario-based athletes on the women’s side for this competition.

The following WOMEN athletes have been selected for the 2015 UANA Cup:

Name	Age	Position	Hometown	Canadian Club
Claire Dawn Wright	20	Goaltender	Lindsay, ON	Shadow
Krystina Alogbo	29	Attacker	Riviere-des-Prairies, QC	CAMO
Katrina Monton	27	Center	Dorval, QC	DDO
Emma Louise Wright	18	Attacker	Lindsay, ON	Shadow
Monika Catharina Eggens	24	Attacker	Pitt Meadows, BC	Pacific Storm
Jacqueline Dominique Kohli	24	Defender	Burnaby, BC	Pacific Storm
Joelle Bekhazi	27	Attacker	Pte-Claire, QC	DDO
Axelle Crevier	17	Attacker	Montreal, QC	CAMO
Carmen Camille Eggens	26	Center & Utility	Pitt Meadows, BC	Pacific Storm
Christine Robinson	30	Utility	Lachine, QC	DDO
Stephanie Valin	28	Attacker	Pte-Claire, QC	DDO
Shae Chantal Fournier	22	Attacker	Winnipeg, MB	Bushido
Jessica Gaudreault	20	Goaltender	Ottawa, ON	Capital Wave
Elyse Lemay-Lavoie	20	Utility	Montreal, QC	CAMO
Alexa Danielle Tielmann	20	Utility	Abbotsford, BC	Fraser Valley

Staff, Women’s Senior National Team

Head Coach: Johanne Bégin, Ste-Foy, QC

Assistant Coaches: Justin Oliveira, DDO, QC and Giovanni Puliafito, Catania, Italy

Team Manager: Laurence Melancon, Montreal, QC

Support Staff: Alain Delorme (strength & cond.), Felix Croteau (physiotherapist), David Paradelo (video analyst)

The Canadian men will play their first game of the UANA Cup, against Argentina, at 7:30 p.m. (EDT) on Wednesday, January 28. The women’s first game, where Canada will face Brazil, will follow immediately after, at 9:30 p.m. Matches will be played daily with the semi-finals scheduled for Saturday, January 31 and the gold medal games at 9:50 a.m. (men) and 11:50 a.m. (women) on Sunday, February, 1, 2015. The two top teams of each gender will earn a spot for the Kazan 2015 World Aquatic Championships. Admission is free for all games. Schedule and details on www.waterpolo.ca

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Information or interview requests: Pascale Beaudoin, WPC Comms, (514) 758-7472, pbeaudoin@waterpolo.ca

About Water Polo Canada (www.waterpolo.ca)

Water Polo Canada acknowledges the support of the Government of Canada, the Government of Ontario and of the City of Markham in presenting this 2015 UANA Cup event. Other Water Polo Canada partners include Own the Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee, TO2015, the Canadian Sport Institutes network, Ontario Water Polo and the Coaching Association of Canada.

Tentative Aquatic Schedule for January 26-29 2015

Here is the link to our tentative aquatics schedule for Monday, January 26 to Thursday, January 29, 2015:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_i06kI_D5XWc1pUd3BDZGdNQ1U/view?usp=sharing

Jan 20, 2015

The John Currie Amateur Sport Legacy Fund Hits $1 Million Goal

Calgary, AB – January 20, 2015 –Lindsay Park Sports Society (LPSS) and Talisman Centre are excited to celebrate achieving their fundraising campaign goal of one million dollars for The John Currie Amateur Sport Legacy Fund, thanks to the financial support of its donors. The purpose of the Legacy Fund is to award bursaries to amateur athletes in support of their goals and dreams.

In 1983, Calgary hosted its largest amateur sport competition, the Western Canada Summer Games, at Talisman Centre, the flagship facility of the Games. At the conclusion of the successful event, a Legacy Fund of $250,000 was established to support amateur athletes and amateur sport. Inspired by this commitment to amateur sport, in 2012, Talisman Centre launched a fundraising campaign to increase the value of the Legacy Fund to $1million and name the fund in honour of John Currie, community champion and President of the 1983 Western Canada Summer Games.

The Legacy Fund plays a vital role in supporting talented, high performance athletes in their competitive journey, and every bursary award has an incredible impact on our athletes and creates new opportunities for sport excellence. "So many of our sponsors, suppliers, LPSS Board Governors and Alumni , fans and friends of Talisman Centre have been incredibly supportive of our Legacy Fund,” said Jeff Booke, CEO, Talisman Centre. "It is their commitment and passion for amateur sport and amateur athletes that has helped elevate the Legacy Fund to a new fundraising record.”

To understand how far reaching the impact is for amateur athletes, recent bursary recipients share their thoughts and appreciation:

“The John Currie Amateur Sport Legacy Fund bursary that I received this year mostly went towards funding my trip to World Championships in Budapest, Hungary this past May. It was my result at World’s that allowed me to secure a place at the Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China (first Canadian pentathlete), so the Legacy Fund has had a huge impact on my sporting career by helping give me what was an amazing opportunity,” Kali Sayers, Modern Pentathlon and Fencing, Ares Pentathlon and Fencing Club and Calgary Patriots Swim Club.

“I have the privilege of being a bursary recipient. My sport involves a great deal of travel, often out of province which comes with a cost. The bursary helps lessen the financial strain allowing me to focus on my training and goals. The award also acknowledges and recognizes committed athletes. It gave me a feeling of accomplishment that all those hours of training and dedication to a sport were not going unnoticed. It made me want to work even harder to prove I was deserving of the award. My long term goal is to compete at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics,” Caeli McKay, Diving, Dive Calgary,

“I’m so grateful to receive a bursary this year, as this will be truly helpful with my goal of building myself into the finest shape possible to ensure the best chance of qualifying for the 2016 Rio Olympics,” Constantine Kudaba, Water Polo Canada Senior Men’s National Team.

The call for applications for bursaries funded by The John Currie Amateur Sport Legacy Fund is now open and closes February 28, 2015. In April 2015, $12,000 will be awarded to amateur athletes with financial need training in Calgary, to support their training and competition needs in pursuit of their athletic goals.

About LPSS and Talisman Centre

Established in 1983 following the Western Canada Summer Games, the Lindsay Park Sports Society was formed with a commitment to enhance the overall well-being of Calgarians through sport and wellness. The LPSS is a non-profit society that expertly manages Talisman Centre on behalf of the people of Calgary.

Talisman Centre has been one of Calgary's most iconic and beloved facilities for over 30 years located in the heart of downtown and set in the middle of beautiful Lindsay Park. Talisman Centre provides elite and amateur athletes with an inclusive atmosphere and wide spectrum of world‐class training services. It continues to serve as the training facility for many of Canada’s Olympic, Paralympic and World Champion athletes. The uniqueness of the facility can be seen daily as citizens of Calgary work out and train alongside world class athletes. Rediscover Talisman Centre and its cutting edge programs and services by visiting www.talismancentre.com

or more information, please contact:

Lorissa Dong, Sales & Marketing Director

Talisman Centre

403 355 1250

ldong@talismancentre.com

Congratulations Danja and Conner!

Danja Currie-Olsen and Connor Ell of Ares Modern Pentathlon Club, each bring home Gold from the USA Pentathlon National Qualifier held in Palm Springs, California earlier this month.

Jan 19, 2015

Tentative Aquatic Schedule for January 23-25 2015

Here is the link to our tentative aquatics schedule for Friday January 23 to Sunday January 25, 2015:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_i06kI_D5XWNjhUYW5fOHJLWHc/view?usp=sharing

Water Polo Canada strengthens its partnership with Talisman Centre

Water Polo Canada - (MONTREAL, January 16, 2015) – Water Polo Canada’s executive director Martin Goulet and Talisman Centre CEO Jeff Booke put the ink to the paper this week, penning an agreement that renews and strengthens the long-standing partnership between their two organizations.

“We are pleased to have built an exceptional relationship with Talisman Centre over the years and our Men’s National Training Centre directly benefits from this collaboration,” said Martin Goulet. ”Jeff Booke and his team have been incredibly supportive of our athletes and of our staff and it has also been a real pleasure working with such a dynamic and proactive partner,” he continued.

“Being the official National Training Centre for the Men’s National Water Polo Team provides our team and the City with a sense of pride and accomplishment,” says Jeff Booke, CEO of Talisman Centre. “It’s a pleasure to watch this team evolve over the years as they train for excellence at Talisman Centre 6 days a week.” Our recent Sport Partner Criteria has elevated the Team to our highest COMPETE level, which provides the group with integrated sport training services, and additional promotional and financial benefits.” These improvements along with our close collaboration on events and international camps, creates a vital role in supporting these high performance athletes.”

The Men’s National Team Program has been centralized at Talisman Centre since the late 1990’s. Canada’s twenty-five top high performance water polo athletes train regularly under its roof as part of the men’s senior team program.

“This Memorandum of Understanding between Water Polo Canada and Talisman Centre now goes an extra step in formalizing our partnership and sets up the bases for a continued, mutually beneficial association in the future,” concluded Goulet.

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About Talisman Centre

Talisman Centre has been one of Calgary’s most iconic and beloved facilities for more than 30 years located in the heart of downtown and set in the middle of beautiful Lindsay Park. Talisman Centre provides elite and amateur athletes with an inclusive atmosphere and wide spectrum of world-class training services. It continues to serve as the training facility for many of Canada’s Olympic, Paralympic and World Champion athletes. The uniqueness of the facility can be experienced daily as citizens of Calgary work out and train alongside world class athletes. Rediscover Talisman Centre and its cutting edge programs and services by visiting www.talismancentre.com

To speak to a spokesperson, contact: Aimee Johnston, Sport Director, Talisman Centre, 403 355 1244

About Water Polo Canada (www.waterpolo.ca)

Water Polo Canada (WPC) is the National Sport Organization for Water Polo in Canada. It is a not-for-profit, charitable organization operating under a Board of Directors elected by provincial/territorial members. Its purpose is to nationally lead the growth and the pursuit of excellence for the sport of water polo while respecting the following set of values: Accountability, Commitment, Equity, Innovation, Integrity and Teamwork. Water Polo Canada acknowledges the support of the Government of Canada and of other partners such as Own the Podium, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Sport Institutes network and the Coaching Association of Canada.

Contact information: Pascale Beaudoin, WPC Communications, (514) 758-7472 orpbeaudoin@waterpolo.ca

http://sirc.ca/news/water-polo-canada-strengthens-its-partnership-talisman-centre

Jan 14, 2015

Tentative Aquatic Schedule for January 19-22 2015

Here is the link to our tentative aquatics schedule for Monday, January 19 to Thursday, January 22, 2015:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_i06kI_D5XWMDlmcy0tQmVhRmc/view?usp=sharing

Congratulations to Halle Pratt, of the Calgary Aquabelles is a 2014 Excellence in Sport Bursary Recipient!

See full media release here: http://beautifulcalgaryhomes.com/CalgaryAthleteBursary

Jan 12, 2015

Tentative Aquatic Schedule for January 16-18 2015

Here is the link to our tentative aquatics schedule for Friday January 16 to Sunday, January 18, 2014:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_i06kI_D5XWa0hPVjQ5QVd6Z1k/view?usp=sharing

Jan 9, 2015

Two Calgary Aquabelles Named to the 2015 Senior National Team

Congratulations to Gabriella Brisson and Claudia Holzner from the Calgary Aquabelles whom have traveled to Montreal to train at the Centre of Excellence in Montreal as members of the 2015 Senior National Team for Synchro Canada.

Press Release: http://sirc.ca/news/synchro-canada-introduces-athletes-training-its-centre-excellence-2015

Talisman Centre sets the bar with 32 of its Sport Partners embarking on the Club Excellence multi-sport journey

Talisman Centre - Calgary, AB – January 9, 2015 – Talisman Centre is excited to announce its recent strategic alignment as a delivery partner with Club Excellence has been instrumental in supporting 32 Sport Partners in beginning their Club Excellence journey. The Club Excellence framework has not only created tactical leaps and bounds for the Sport Partners in the international sports arena; it also became the catalyst for the facility’s vision to redefine its Sport Partner status and to further enhance the training and competition environment for the development of Calgary’s performance athletes.

Over the past six months, Talisman Centre has been diligently supporting the Club Excellence application and training process with its Sport Partners. The results of the certification framework will better enable Talisman Centre to deliver a higher quality of essential services to its Sport Partners by establishing itself as a performance partner, recognizing Sport Partners that are on a performance trajectory and contributing to a mutually beneficial partnership with shared goals and measurable outcomes.

Furthermore, the certification standards and tangible criteria points allow Talisman Centre to more effectively manage, differentiate and support its Sport Partners whose commitments vary between recreational purposes to those competing and vying for Olympic teams. Talisman Centre has redefined its Sport Partner criteria levels and corresponding benefits into three tiers following its brand umbrella - Compete, Train and Play.

COMPETE (3): The top level Compete, all garner a Level 1 Certified Status in the Club Excellence program or equivalent in conjunction with Talisman Centre’s additional criteria. Concentration is on Stages 5 and 6 of the Long-term Athlete Development (LTAD) model.

• Calgary Aquabelles Synchronized Swimming Club

• Killarney Swim Club

• Water Polo Canada Senior Men’s National Team

TRAIN (14): Sport Partners that achieved the Train level all received Affiliate status with Club Excellence and have partially met joint criteria with Talisman Centre. Focus is on sport specific training, Stages 3, 4 and 5 of the LTAD with participation in national or higher events.

• Ares Modern Pentathlon & Fencing Club

• Cascade Swim Club

• Calgary Torpedoes Water Polo Club

• Calgary International Track Club

• Calgary Olympic Track Club

• Calgary Patriots Swim Club

• Calgary Renegades Water Polo Club

• Calgary Warriors Track Club

• CALTAF

• Chinook Rhythmique Gymnastics Club

• Dive Calgary

• Nose Creek Swim Association

• Priori Epee Fencing Club

• Wild Water Polo Club

PLAY (15) The Play level focuses on Stages 1, 2 and 7 of the LTAD where Sport Partners have defined their purpose primarily for recreational or game play.

• Alberta Soccer Association

• Calgary Aquamums Masters Synchronized Swimming Club

• Calgary Ladies Field Hockey Association

• Calgary Masters Swimming Club

• Calgary Polo Splash Water Polo Club

• Calgary Seawolves Water Polo Club

• Calgary Senior Men’s Basketball Association

• Calgary Sport & Social Club

• Calgary Underwater Hockey Club

• Calgary Women’s Basketball Association

• CALVOL

• Evolution Volleyball League

• Field Hockey Alberta

• Field Hockey Association of Calgary

• Rocky Mountain Diving Club

“The enhancements made to Talisman Centre’s Sport Partner application process is one of the most significant steps the Centre has taken in years to demonstrate a commitment to sport and to help athletes realize their full potential,” said Jeff Booke, CEO of Talisman Centre. “We applaud our Sport Partners for their efforts in taking these steps to transform the way they deliver sport and strengthen their alignment with our vision, mission and values.”

About Club Excellence

Club Excellence is the only national multi-sport certification program for club level sport. It strives to build a network of healthy, strong and sustainable sport clubs and sport organizations across Canada. Club Excellence Cooperative (CEC) was created in 2007 with common goals to identify a stable and supportive environment for coaches, provide clubs with the tools and resources to enable them to deliver a sport experience that is based on the True Sport values of fairness, excellence, inclusion and fun, improve implementation of LTAD at the community level, and ensure quality club programming. The program recognizes clubs and associations that invest in building capacity to meet and exceed a basic set of operating principles. For more, please visit www.clubexcellence.com or contact Kyle Johnston, atkjohnston@cces.ca or (613) 521-3340 x3226.

About Talisman Centre

To speak to a spokesperson, please contact:

Aimee Johnston, Sport Director