ATHLETE SELECTION CRITERIA
1.0 Quest for Gold (QFG): Ontario Athlete Assistance Program 2023-2024 (OAAP) is funded by the Government of Ontario, through the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries (MHSTCI), and operated through the Sport, Recreation & Community Programs Division. The overarching goal of the Quest for Gold – OAAP is directly related to the High Performance Sport goal of the Canadian Sport Policy – that Canadians are systematically achieving world-class results at the highest levels of international competition – by improving the performance and number of Ontario athletes performing at the national and international level, thereby contributing to the improved performance of Canada at international competitions.
Specific objectives of the program are:
a) To help athletes continue their pursuit of athletic excellence at the highest levels of national and international competition.
b) To encourage athletes to stay in Ontario to live and train.
c) To compensate athletes for earnings lost while training.
d) To enable athletes to successfully pursue excellence in sport while fulfilling their educational goals.
e) To increase athlete access to improved high performance coaching.
f) To enhance training and competitive opportunities available to athletes.
The intent of the OAAP is to provide funding to individual athletes in the sport’s Train to Train and Train to Win categories based on their demonstrated commitment to high performance sport, allowing them to continue to pursue athletic excellence at the highest levels of national and international competition. Only those athletes that meet the required minimum performance standard detailed in this Athlete Program Selection Criteria will be considered for this program.
2.0 For 2023-2024, the MHSTCI has allocated Ontario Fencing Association a total of $ 62,392.00.
A minimum of 70% of the Ontario Cards will be allocated to what the MHSTCI defines as junior-aged athletes (11 to 22 years of age). A maximum of 30% of the Ontario Cards may be allocated to athletes no longer eligible for “junior athlete” status, (athletes 23 and over).
The amount issued to Ontario Fencing Association will be specifically allocated to the following categories/disciplines:
| Program | Description | Intention/Purpose | Date | Location | QFG Funding Allocated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Funding Support for U17/U20 2024 World Championships |
Financial support for Ontario athletes and coaches selected for the 2024 U17-U20 World Championships | March 12 | Riyadh (KSA) | $32,000 |
| 2 | Competition support for OFA Olympic / Paralympic athletes |
OFA Para-athletes and athletes – Funding Support for 2024 Paris Paralympic / Olympic Games qualification events | Sept 2023 – March 2024 | Europe, Asia, America | $8,000 |
| 3 | Sport Science Program | Medical, S&C and Mental training services to targeted athletes | Sept 2023 – March 2024 | Ontario | $4,000 |
| 4 | OFA Training Camps | Organization of HP / Youth training camp and FCC | Dec 9-10; Mar 13-17 |
Ontario clubs | $5,392 |
| 5 | Ontario Winter Games Camp | Training camp for athletes and local coaches during the OWG. World Class Coaching support |
Feb 23-26, 2024 | Thunder Bay | $4,000 |
| 6 | Coaching support in Senior WC / Junior WC | OFA coach for JWC or SWC to support ON athletes. | Jan-Mar, 2024 | Canada | $4,000 |
| 7 | Ontario Winter Games Preparatory competition | Financial support to athlete selected for 2024 OWG for the competition of preparation In Oshawa (Jan 28-29) | Jan 28, 29, 2024 | Oshawa | $5,000 |
| Total | $ 62,392.00 |
Important Note
The Individual funding program for athletes (athletes who won medals at the Nationals or winners of the OFA ranking) will be included in the Q4G 2024-2025 program. The winners of the medals at the Nationals (May 2024) or the winners of the 2023/2024 OFA rankings will be eligible for this program at that time.
3.0 Ontario Fencing Association Athlete Selection Criteria:
Program 1 – Funding Support for U17/U20 2024 World Championships
All athletes selected to the U17/U20 national team for the 2024 World Championships in Riyadh (KSA) will receive this financial support.
They will need to attend an OFA training camp in 2023 / 2024 (HP, Youth, FCC) to be eligible for this funding. The total amount will be divided by the number of athletes and coaches.
Program 2 – Competition Support for Para-athletes and athletes for the 2024 Paris Games. All athletes in position of qualify or qualified to 2024 Olympic or Paralympic Games on March 15th, will be eligible for this program.
The total amount will be divided by the number of athletes.
Program 3- Sport Science Program
All athletes selected in the Program 1 and 2 are eligible for this program. Athletes from the 2023/2024 season are also still eligible.
Program 4 – OFA Training Camps
This program aims to provide services to athletes during OFA camps (international Sparring Partners, medical services, world-class coaches, fencing gym rental).
The two camps that received financial support are.
- December Youth and HP Camp (December 9 and 10, 2023)
- Future Champions Camp (March 13-17, 2024)
Program 5 – Ontario Winter Games Training camp
This program aims to finance a training camp for athletes selected for the 2024 Ontario Winter Games in Thunder Bay. Training, refereeing clinics, coaching and individual lessons were provided during these camps. The coaches of these training courses were of Olympic or international level.
Program 6 – Coaching support in SWC and JWC
This program aims to finance coaching support in one or 2 Senior or Junior World Cup.
OFA will send a coach to support OFA athletes.
Program 7 – Ontario Winter Games – Preparatory competition
This program aims to fund the registrations of selected athletes for the 2024 Ontario Winter Games at the Oshawa preparatory competition.
4.0 Eligibility Criteria:
- Athlete must be a member in good standing with OFA.
- Athlete must demonstrate a commitment and dedication to a proper training and competitive program, the goal of which is to continue to train towards a national team position and Sport Canada carding.
- Athlete’s coach should be minimum Level 1 NCCP certified, or be engaged in completing this training, as determined by the PSO.
- Athlete must not be under a sanction that prohibits competition as per the Canadian Anti-Doping Policy.
- Athlete must not receive financial support from any other provincial/territorial athlete assistance program. This does not include academic scholarships, bursaries, student grants, student loans, social assistance, disability pensions, and other forms of financial assistance that have nothing to do with competitive sport.
- All athletes under the age of 18 (minimum age of 11) must have their parent or legal guardian sign their OAAP application form. Cheques will be processed in the name of the eligible athlete.
- An athlete can only be nominated to receive Quest for Gold funding in one sport.
5.0 Athletes funded through the Sport Canada AAP:
Ontario athletes who have been nominated and accepted for funding through Sport Canada’s AAP within the Government of Ontario’s fiscal year (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024) and who continue to meet AAP and OAAP eligibility requirements will automatically be considered for a Quest for Gold ‘Canada Card’. MHSTCI will contact those athletes directly at the mailing and email addresses the athlete provided to Sport Canada. Athletes are solely responsible for ensuring that their contact information is kept accurate and up to date at all times.
An athlete who received Sport Canada AAP carding during any part of Ministry fiscal year April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022 and/or any part of fiscal year April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 and is no longer in receipt of Sport Canada Athlete Assistance shall not be eligible to receive Quest for Gold funding during fiscal year 2023-2024 (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.)
The intent of this rule is to prevent athletes whose performance levels and rankings no longer qualify them for Sport Canada carding from taking an Ontario Card from a future national-level athlete.
6.0 National College Athletic Association (NCAA):
On August 1, 2013, the NCAA revised their By-law that previously prevented an athlete from accepting grants from a governmental entity, such as Quest for Gold. Despite this change, any athlete considering an application to an NCAA institution is strongly encouraged to contact the NCAA Eligibility Center prior to applying for QFG funding.
The onus is entirely on the athlete to determine the impact of accepting OAAP funding on current or future NCAA eligibility and to decide whether or not to accept OAAP funding. The athlete will be required to acknowledge this onus and responsibility when signing the OAAP Ontario Card application form and agreeing to the related terms and conditions of the program. Athletes are strongly encouraged to contact the NCAA Eligibility Center to determine the impact of Quest for Gold – OAAP funding on current or future eligibility for a NCAA scholarship or on eligibility to compete in a non-scholarship NCAA sport.
National Collegiate Athletic Association: www.ncaa.org
NCAA Eligibility Center mailing address:
700 W. Washington Street
P.O. Box 6222
Indianapolis, Indiana 46206-6222
Phone: 317-917-6222
Toll-free phone number (U.S. callers) – Customer service line – 877-262-1492
Phone number (international callers) – Customer service line – 317-223-0700
7.0 Failure to Meet Selection Criteria for Health-related Reasons
Athletes who, for strictly health-related reasons, have not achieved the standards required for nomination of carded status may be considered for nomination under the following conditions:
- The athlete has fulfilled all reasonable training and rehabilitation requirements aimed at a speedy return to full high-performance training and competition during the period of his or her injury, illness or pregnancy and, despite making every reasonable effort to attain the applicable carding standards during the year in which the injury, illness or pregnancy occurred, has failed to do so, in the view of the OFA, for reasons strictly related to the injury, illness or pregnancy.
- The Ontario Fencing Association, based on its technical judgement and that of an OFA team physician or equivalent, indicates in writing the expectation that the athlete will achieve at least the minimum standards required for carding during the upcoming carding period.
- The athlete has demonstrated and continues to demonstrate his or her long-term commitment to high performance training and competition goals, as well as his or her intention to pursue full high-performance training and competition throughout the carding period for which he or she wishes to be renewed despite not having met the carding criteria.
