This young athlete could use your support

This area of the website highlights the impact of Victoria's Boardworks Diving Program and the credentials of Riley McCormick and outlines the areas of financial need and the opportunity for return on your support. You can make a difference in the Olympic pursuit.

Invest now and watch your investment in Riley McCormick and the Boardworks dive team grow.

The intent is to request a partnership which allows your company to gain maximum exposure with its association with Boardworks Dive Team and Riley McCormick.

Your support of Riley will enhance your image and offer visibility for your products and services. Your support may also help you reach some target markets in that his profile within the community is a valuable one.

With the proper preparation and distribution of promotional materials this sponsorship may also motivate and inspire your employees and their families.

Boardworks is the top ranked Junior Dive Team in Canada. Riley McCormick is already an eight time national Champion and Canadian Record holder and is the youngest Athlete in the history of the Canada Games.

The Boardworks Dive team is comprised of 38 young athletes who are all committed to the ethics of hard work and dedication. Riley McCormick is the shining example of the results and accomplishments expected from the diving program.

His profile within the community and exposure across Canada will generate a significant amount of visibility for your support.

The Riley McCormick Dive Safety Program to be launched in the spring of 2003 will provide added exposure for your company.

Boardworks diving is a well-run organization that is committed to excellence and the development of future Olympians. They are a high profile youth sport organization with an excellent track record. Boardworks is currently the top Junior dive program in Canada for athletes under the Age of 15 and the top Male diving program in the country based upon results from the 2002 Age Group Nationals.

Riley McCormick, as you will note from this document, is a leading Candidate for a spot on Canada's Olympic team and is worthy of consideration for your endorsement and support.

His profile in the community and exposure to the media would allow for a highly visible return on your support.

The Olympic pursuit requires a great deal of commitment by the athletes, their coaches and families.

The Olympic pursuit also requires a great deal of support from the community and from Corporate Canada.

The Need

As with any athlete training at an elite level there are many needs and expenses associated with high performance.

The training and travel expenditure for an elite athlete of Riley McCormick's caliber may exceed $17,000 annually.

This expense will increase, especially after 2004 when he will begin his National team preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Training expenses include:

•  Equipment
•  Tuition
•  Coaching fees
•  Event dive fees
•  Competition Travel expenses

Equipment:

Boardworks attempts to offer some of the best training equipment in Canada but is constantly recycling used diving boards, training mats and trampolines in order to offer a variety of training opportunities. New equipment could ensure training success.

The potential of an expanded training facility will require additional and upgraded equipment.

The Olympic Champion Chinese divers are selected by the age of four and placed in "Sport Institutes" where they are trained and educated. The total costs would exceed $750,000 (CAD) per athlete. Canadian athletes are self-funded in their early development years and only subsidized as a national carded athlete to the amount of approximately $12,000 per year.

Tuition and Coaching Fees

The per hour individual coaching costs are typically less expensive than most other youth sport programs. However, diving fees are paid out on an annual basis and currently exceed $2400 per athlete.

Boardworks currently offers some of the best coaching in Canada. As the program continues to grow so will the demand for additional coaches and coaching development opportunities. Demand for increased training time will require additional pool and training time and will increase the costs to the club and the individual. Enhanced training and coaches' professional development (in order to remain at elite International level) will also put a strain on resources.

Competition and Entry Fees

While most 9 to 11 year olds are traveling locally for the competitions, divers from Boardworks must engage in air travel to get to their competitions. Expenses include entry fees for each event, a portion of coaching expenses, accommodations, ground transportation and meals.

Boardworks chooses carefully which events they will compete at. The value of each competition is assessed for each athlete who is then invited to attend.

There are Provincial competitions (2 BC Provincial Championships held each year in either Victoria, Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Kamloops or Prince George), Regional competitions, (Western Canada Grand Prix in which divers must compete in at least 3 provinces to qualify for Grand Prix standings and awards) held in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC. International Invitational events held in Canada (Montreal, Victoria, Winnipeg) and the United States (Florida and California).

The more international exposure the athletes have now the more prepared and capable they will be for major International competitions.

International Championships like Pan American Junior Championships (Mexico City 2001), World Junior Championships (Germany 2002) which are held every two years and a host of additional International competition opportunities which are assessed on an event by event basis are generally too expensive to attend regardless of the benefits that could be derived from these competitions.

Riley, in all likelihood will be representing Canada at the 2003 Pan Am Junior Diving Championships in Bellum, Brazil in August 2003. The last time he competed at this event he won 3 gold medals for Canada but had to pay his own way to the competition in Mexico City.

International Training Camps

In addition to competitions there are a number of training camp opportunities in which divers are exposed to high levels of coaching and enhancement. Last season Boardworks was invited to China for a 10 day training camp and have other opportunities to attend sessions in Cuba, Australia, England and South America.

Tutorial Fees

Elite athletes face academic challenges when missing so much school for competitions. Tutors and academic advisors can range up to several hundred dollars per month.

Uniform and luggage expenses are not mandatory. However the Boardworks club has strict policies when it comes to team attire, especially on the pool deck and during awards ceremonies.