November 21/11 10:55 am - Canadian Olympic Committee to Reward Medallist Coaches

Posted by Editoress on 11/21/11
 

The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) has announced that it has created a coach reward program for Olympic podium performances, financially rewarding the coaches of Olympic medal winners.

Beginning with the London 2012 Olympic Games, the coach of Olympic medallists will receive $10,000 per gold medal, $7,500 per silver medal and $5,000 per bronze medal, per sport discipline.

This represents half of the amount awarded to Olympic medal-winning athletes through the Athlete Excellence Fund: $20,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze.

"Coaches are the backbone of our athletes' planning, preparation and performances," said COC President Marcel Aubut. "From the time a child takes their first steps onto the field, the track, or the ice, the coach is the key. We need to keep our coaches in Canada. We need to reward them at the level they so rightly deserve."

"This is a great new initiative from the COC," said Julie Sauvé, legendary Synchronized Swimming coach. "Coaches are used to working in the background, but it's very gratifying to see the COC step up and recognize the effect coaches have on podium success."

This program is part of the COC's new focus on coaches. Other components include:

• A coaches' task force that looks at better recognizing coaches and increasing their profile.

• A Games recognition program that will recognize the coaches of Olympic and Pan American medallists when the athletes are recognized by the COC.

• Another recognition program to be instituted at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The athlete and their National Sport Federation will identify which coach will receive the reward. The athlete can also divide the money between multiple coaches, if desired.

The COC awarded $515,000 to Canadian medallists after Beijing 2008 and $1.7 million to Canadian medallists after the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games through the Athlete Excellence Fund.