Since its inception in 2005, the Oval Athlete Bursary Fund has supported over 150 athletes with over $300,000 supporting their quest for excellence.
These past few years have been a challenging time for our community and the world. Together we have faced many setbacks that have accompanied the pandemic, a war in Ukraine as well as multiple international and economic setbacks and challenges. Our determination to support our athletes is now more vital than ever.
The Olympic Oval Athlete Bursary Fund alleviates some of the financial strains on Canadian high-performance athletes and their families. Equipment, training, competition, and travel all come at a price, and this is just a handful of expenditures that bursaries have covered for past recipients, allowing them to focus on and remain in the sport of speed skating. With our world-class reputation, many speed skaters move to Calgary specifically to be part of the Olympic Oval’s Elite Athlete Pathway program. The skills they develop as high-performance athletes contribute, in turn, to our city’s larger sport community, talent pool, and economy.
Bursaries are awarded each season to skaters in need who demonstrate dedication and commitment to their sport. And now is a great time to help. The University of Calgary is moving forward with its Giving Day 2023 initiative. All contributions will be issued a tax receipt. Please note that the matching dollars run out quickly once the Giving program is open to donations. If you can donate, we would ask that you do so as soon as possible from April 1st onwards.
We understand that these are uncertain times, and many are facing financial hardship. If you are in a position to support others or you know of anyone interested in doubling their impact to the Olympic Oval Athlete Bursary Fund, please click via the link below or share within your network.
Mark Petros, Owner of Nick's Steakhouse, has been a long-time supporter of the Oval Athlete Bursary.
Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Mark is the youngest son of Nick and his wife Joan. He played football for the University of Calgary Dinos and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, and won Vanier cups with both schools in 1983 and 1986. Mark married his wife Michelle in 1989 and together they raised three children: Ben, Saige, and Annie. Mark has never had a job other than working at Nick’s Steakhouse & Pizza, and bought the family business from his parents in 2000.
The 2024/2025 Bursary will be announced soon. Stay tuned for updates.
The Olympic Oval Bursary fund is the brainchild of 3 x Olympic medalist (2 x Gold and 1 x Bronze), Olympic Oval alumni athlete, and Chef de Mission for the 2022 Beijing Olympics Catriona Le May Doan. Its design helps alleviate some of the financial strains put on Canadian high-performance athletes. The fund supports deserving locally-trained athletes in many ways, including; helping to pay for competition travel, training, equipment, clothes, rent and food etc.
Notable past recipients of Oval bursaries include current and former Canadian national team long and short track athletes, such as short track national team skater Alison Desmarais, 2018 Olympians Ben Donnelly, Heather McLean, Josie Morrison, Keri Morrison and Isabelle Weidemann, Olympic medalist Marie Eve Drolet and 3-time Olympian Brittany Schussler.
It really means a lot to me especially this year with COVID-19, the restrictions that have been happening in Alberta, and the fact that my hours at work have been reduced. This bursary is really going to make it possible for me to go out and get some much needed sharpening equipment so that I can make sure my skates are as fast as possible for when we get back to racing.
Anders Johnson
Athlete Bursary Recipient
