KidSport Manitoba proudly announces new partnership with the Winnipeg Sea Bears

Mar 01, 2024

WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Sea Bears have officially become KidSport Manitoba’s Basketball Champion, helping to remove the financial barriers in sport for kids across our province. Basketball is the fifth largest sport that KidSport supports in Manitoba. With this new partnership, we hope to help this sport continue to thrive and grow.

As KidSport Manitoba’s Basketball Champion, the Winnipeg Sea Bears are committed to helping more kids who want to play basketball get that chance. Building on the momentum of the Winter Sea Bears camp in January, kids supported by KidSport Manitoba will collaborate again with the Sea Bears and their players later this year to sink 10,000 free throws to raise $10,000! This fundraising goal would ensure that 20 kids can enjoy basketball in 2024.

KidSport is a national not-for-profit organization made up of provincial and regional chapters that provide financial assistance for registration fees to under-privileged kids aged 18 and under to participate in organized sport. In 2023, KidSport Manitoba granted $539,587, to 1,506 kids across the province. Of that number, KidSport funded grants for $50,253 to 144 kids to play baskteball alone.

KidSport believes all kids should have the opportunity to develop healthy lifestyles, no matter the financial barriers that may exist. Staying physically active helps encourage children to maintain healthy habits throughout their whole lives. The challenges that come with playing sports also teach children valuable life lessons and skills, including leadership, practice, hard work, dedication, and self-confidence.

Quotes

“KidSport grants are significant for families as the cost of sport rises. The Winnipeg Sea Bears are helping give more children across the province the opportunity to get on the court alongside their peers and experience the joy of basketball. To continue providing more kids the chance to play, fundraising is critical and we are sincerely grateful for the Sea Bears’ support in this partnership.”
Janet McMahon, President & CEO, Sport Manitoba

"Empowering young athletes through sport is a slam dunk for a brighter future. In collaboration with the Winnipeg Sea Bears, our Kidsport partnership aims to instill the values of teamwork, respect, inclusivity and fair play.”
Lisa Tinley, Chair, KidSport Manitoba Provincial Advisory

“Our organization is honoured to support the amazing work done by KidSport. Helping all kids get in the game is vitally important, not just to us, but to all our communities. The benefits of sport are life-changing and life-long and no child should have to sit on the sidelines due to cost.”
Jason Smith, President, Winnipeg Sea Bears

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About KidSport

Sport Manitoba is a not-for-profit organization and the lead planning, programming and funding agency for the development of amateur sport in Manitoba. Located at 145 Pacific Avenue in Winnipeg, Sport Manitoba partners with over 100 organizations to deliver sport in the province and is responsible for programs including the Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro, Sport Manitoba Coaching, Team Manitoba, Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, Fit Kids Healthy Kids, and KidSport. Services provided include the Sport Manitoba Clinic, Sport Manitoba Performance, Sport Manitoba Fitness Centre, and the Paul Robson Resource Centre for Leadership and Coaching.

KidSport is a national charity administered in Manitoba by Sport Manitoba which provides support to children in order to remove financial barriers that prevent them from playing organized sport. KidSport believes that no kid should be left on the sidelines and all should be given the opportunity to experience the positive benefits of organized sports.

Canada Life is a leading insurance, wealth management and benefits provider focused on improving the financial, physical and mental well-being of Canadians. For more than 170 years, individuals, families and business owners across Canada have trusted us to provide sound guidance and deliver on the promises we’ve made. As of January 1, 2020, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life became one company – Canada Life, and today, we proudly serve more than 13 million customer relationships from coast to coast to coast.

About the Winnipeg Sea Bears

The Winnipeg Sea Bears joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) as an expansion franchise in 2023. The city's only professional basketball team plays out of Canada Life Centre from May to August in a 20-game regular season schedule. Winnipeg businessman and lawyer, David Asper, is the organization's owner and chairman.

More information on the Sea Bears can be found at seabears.ca and @wpgseabears on Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn & Facebook.