Back row: Dave Donaldson, Lloyd Axworthy and Buck Pierce on the front lawn of The University of Winnipeg, joined by inner city youth – May 22, 2013
New partnership strengthens Inner City Football program
WINNIPEG, MB – Children and youth in Winnipeg’s inner city will be playing flag touch football inside The University of Winnipeg’s new UNITED Health & RecPlex when it opens next year with two pro athletes offering guidance: Winnipeg Blue Bomber quarterback Buck Pierce and former Winnipeg Blue Bomber Dave Donaldson are joining the Wesmen family as adjunct coaches. In 2010, Donaldson founded the Inner City Youth Football Program (with Markus Howell, another former player who now coaches with the Bombers). The program offers more than 100 inner city youth in Grades 4, 5 and 6 who have limited financial means the chance to play football after school.
Hosting the football program on campus meshes with the commitments outlined in a unique Community Charter developed collaboratively by UWinnipeg and community members. The Community Charter, approved by UWinnipeg’s Board of Regents earlier this month, solidifies a legacy of access and inclusion at the UNITED Health and RecPlex for inner city youth.
“Partnering with exceptional athletes Buck Pierce and Dave Donaldson to host this established and successful football program enhances our Community Learning and Community Athletics mission,” said Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, President and Vice-Chancellor. “We are creating the most significant wellness and recreation destination in the heart of Winnipeg, one that provides the inner city with a world-class facility and gives neighbourhood children and teenagers a safe place to learn, play and belong.”
Financial barriers and lack of access to facilities prevents many inner city youth from participating in organized recreation and obtaining the numerous benefits associated with playing team sports. In the past several years, working closely with community agencies, UWinnipeg has created an effective community outreach program. This is only possible because of the support of generous funders and donors: The Government of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg, Thomas Sill Foundation, Canadian Tire’s Jumpstart program, Wawanesa, Sun Life, Rettie Family, Manitoba Blue Cross, David F. Anderson, The Forzani Group Sport Chek Power of Sports program and UWinnipeg students who elected to contribute through an annual athletics fee.
COMMUNITY ATHLETICS
The UWinnipeg Community Athletics program now includes more than 250 boys and girls aged 8 to 18 who play on 13 Inner City Junior Wesmen community basketball, soccer, golf and wrestling teams. UWinnipeg provides coaching, uniforms, and equipment to participants for free through funding grants, plus practice space at the Duckworth Centre when possible. Once the new RecPlex opens on campus next year, UWinnipeg will be able to accommodate 500 neighbourhood youth with a full menu of sports, recreation and cultural activities to choose from including pow wow clubs.
“Dave Donaldson grew up in Winnipeg’s inner city and Buck Pierce is deeply committed to going the extra yard on and off the field to support this community,” said David Fitzpatrick, Dean of Kinesiology, UWinnipeg. “Pierce and Donaldson are important new resources and role models on campus, and can offer mentoring, coaching and insights to neighbourhood youth as well as our students and Wesmen athletes.”
“This is an awesome opportunity, it strengthens our football program in many ways, most especially for the kids who will get to play on an outstanding field and feel they are part of the University and can aspire to great things,” said Donaldson. “Once we have access to the RecPlex, my dream is to double the number of kids involved and turn this into an inner city football league. That’s what this partnership with UWinnipeg can accomplish.”
“This community has given me so much, and it is an honour for me to be able to give something back,” said Pierce. “I want to see our youth be given every opportunity to thrive and prosper.”
The UNITED Health and RecPlex construction and companion Duckworth Centre renovation is a $40 million project which began in Fall 2012 and is expected to be completed for Fall 2014.
Winnipeg Police Chief Devon Clunis with David Fitzpatrick, Dean of Kinesiology and Buck Pierce at UWinnipeg
BACKGROUND
The Inner City Youth Football Program started in 2010 for kids in Grades 4, 5 and 6.
It operates with funding from KidSport Winnipeg and is run by former Blue Bomber Dave Donaldson. The program encourages participation, teamwork and discipline while providing kids with a safe and fun environment. The program consists of bi-weekly practices with a final game between eight participating inner city schools: William Whyte, King Edward, Dufferin, Victoria-Albert, Norquay, John M King, Wellington and Pinkham.
Dave Donaldson “Double D” played both receiver and defensive back in his CFL career which included time with the B.C. Lions (1997-99), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2000-03), Ottawa Renegades (2004-05) and Toronto Argonauts (2006). Donaldson was a three-year starter with the University of Manitoba Bisons and played junior football for the now-defunct Winnipeg Hawkeyes. He was also an assistant coach for the Oak Park Raiders who won the Winnipeg High School Football League’s 2008 ANAVETS Bowl. He recently added officiating for the CFL to his skill set.
Buck Pierce was born in Kansas and now calls Winnipeg home. Pierce signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the 2010 CFL season after spending five years with the BC Lions. He played college football at New Mexico State from 2001–2004, starting at quarterback for most of his senior year. Pierce donates an extensive amount of time to charity work and was the recipient of the Ed Kotowich Good Guy Award which is given annually to a Blue Bomber player for their excellence in combining football ability, team camaraderie and extraordinary effort in the community and honours former Blue Bomber offensive lineman Ed Kotowich. Pierce attended New Mexico State University, in Las Cruces, New Mexico where he majored in kinesiology.
UNITED Health and RecPlex – Community Charter and Community Access Advisory Committee
The UNITED Health and RecPlex is an important new resource to University of Winnipeg students, faculty and staff, and to the inner city community. A Community Charter was conceived, created and accepted through a year of hard work and collaboration between the University and the community to ensure community access.
The Community Charter, approved by UWinnipeg’s Board of Regents in May 2013 and endorsed by the Community Access Advisory Committee outlines core principles: access, sustainability, respectfulness, accountability, openness.
A Community Access Advisory Committee is now active, chaired by David Fitzpatrick, Dean of Kinesiology, and comprised of eight University members and eight members of the broader community (including representatives from the Youth Agencies Alliance representing 19 community youth serving agencies, Spence Neighbourhood Association, and the University of Winnipeg Students’ Association.) Two subcommittees will meet over the summer to help develop programming and fundraising for youth programs.
UNITED Health and RecPlex
- new three story structure
- large multi-use artificial turf field that can be converted to three cross court fields
- will accommodate soccer, football, ultimate, baseball and other field sports
- regulation four-lane 60 meter rubberized sprint track
- retractable batting cages and a practice gym
- a multi event room including a soundproofed room for drumming and pow wow groups, with ventilation to accommodate smudging and a community gym
- studio for activities such as yoga and dance
- multi-media lounge space for students and visitors with food and beverage kiosks
- new Lifespan Physical Activity and Health Research Centre containing
*The Head’s Up Concussion Institute
*Institute for Inner-City Youth Sport Development
*Health and Education Research Institute
*Nutrition Counselling and Obesity Treatment Program
*UWinnipeg Sun Life Diabetes Awareness and Education Program
*Fitness and Motor Performance Assessment and Counselling
- new underground parkade will accommodate approximately 200 vehicles
- energy efficient with targeted Silver LEED construction
Renovated Duckworth Centre & new Health, Wellness and Healing Centre
- renovating 10,00 sq ft of Duckworth Centre, connected to new RecPlex via skybridge
- houses the Faculty of Kinesiology and its academic and athletic programs
- athletic therapy and massage therapy including sports medicine
- pharmacy including athletic therapy supplies
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Diane Poulin, Communications Officer, The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135, E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca
Grant Richter, Director of Athletic Program Development and Community Liaison
P:204.786.9897, E: g.richter@uwinnipeg.ca
