Becoming Para Ready: Pathway
Pathway - a unique experience for Para Athletes
Not every Para Athlete will become (or want to become) a Paralympian. This misconception is common in Para Sport and points to some misunderstanding around the Paralympic Games. Paralympics means "parallel to the Olympics" and as such is one of the biggest high performance sporting events in the World. Athletes vying to compete at the Paralympic Games or other high caliber events such as World Championships and the Parapan American Games, will need to meet minimum performance requirements in line with those of their Olympic counterparts.
Athletics Canada's CAPP (Canadian Athlete Performance Pathway) program is available to athletes in both the Olympic and Paralympic stream.
To be considered for the CAPP program, athletes must achieve a “CAPP Consideration Performance Standard” which can be found here. You can also view the CAPP Criteria and Standards here.
AC has also created recommended “Development Standards” These standards are specifically designed to target developmental athletes who may have potential to achieve the HP CAPP standard in the near future. This may also be useful for Provincial Governing Bodies, Disability Sport Organization as they determine their own programs of support for developing Para Athletes. You can view them here.
Watch the Para Athletics Pathways Webinar
A Paralympic dream (like an Olympic one) is a part of many athletes goals, one that requires athletes to reach the top of their sport through training and competing but it's important to note that it is not the only way to take part in Para Athletics and that every athlete with a disability will have a different pathway that is determined by their personal goals, impairment, experience, event, gender and age (biological or age of injury). There are many ways for athletes to take part in Para Athletics throughout Canada.
Domestic and grassroots programming are delivered and managed by Provincial and Territorial Sport Organizations (PTSO), also called branches. Branches are responsible for the development of Athletics throughout their respective Provinces and Territories. Integration at the PTSO level varies across the country.
Disability Sport Organizations (DSO) deliver programming and provide support throughout Canada to participants and athletes with a disability for a variety of different sports, including Para Athletics. DSO’s provide coaching and programming in Para Athletics at varying levels.
Partnership, alignment, and collaboration between PTSO, DSO and Athletics Canada is essential to build a strong foundation and develop Para Athletics.
Athletes taking part in Para Athletics in Canada are supported by various people and programs at different points along their pathway and all have unique needs and development rates.
ACTIONS
- Review the stages of Long Term Athlete development and the nuances for athletes with disabilities
- View the Development Standards for Para Athletics to set goals that align with your or your athletes unique pathway, event and needs
- Review the Becoming Para Ready resource for more information about Para Athletics and how to Become Para Ready
- Visit the Para Athletics Classification webpage to see how and when classification enters an athlete's pathway
- Watch the Para Athletics Pathways Webinar