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CANADIAN STUDENT-ATHLETE ASSOCIATION
CSA
A NEW
BEGINNING
FOR THE FUTURE
OF SPORTS
2022
Follow us
HOT ISSUES
OUA/CCAA
"ELITE" ISSUE IMPACT ON 2022/2023 SPORTS
REMOVING SYSTEMIC BARRIERS REGARDING RACISM
SHOULD
UNIVERSITIES
& COLLEGES BE IN THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS?
Coming soon
IMPACT OF COVID 19 ON FUTURE FUNDING OF ATHLETICS
STUDENT-ATHLETES, TELL US WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU!
IF THERE IS AN ISSUE YOU BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT AND THAT
YOU WANT US TO CHAMPION CONTACT US NOW!
WHY
WE EXIST
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
A message from Garrett Holmes, Founder Canadian Student-Athlete Association
Before I begin, I would first like to say to anyone reading this that I hope that you, your family, and your friends are all safe, and healthy. That continues to be the priority in 2022. Do whatever is necessary to stay safe and healthy.
I would also like to say that I recognize that there are many more important things in life than athletics. Many more urgent priorities in a COVID-19/Omicron world.
That being said, athletics, and university/college athletics in particular is an important part of many people’s lives and futures as we move to a return to some semblance of “normalcy”, whatever that is in the new reality of COVID-19/Omicron. An important part that has been changed forever as we have seen from 2020.
Which is why I launched the Canadian Student-Athlete Association on July 20, 2020, in the midst of this crisis.
COVID-19 has changed university/college sports in Canada forever. Suddenly. That is the new reality.
In this new reality we saw a first wave of decisions made that dramatically impacted the lives, careers and futures of student-athletes. Unfortunately, as we also saw, those decisions were made with little or no input from student-athletes, as existing models/processes/systems at the time simply did not include a mechanism for student-athlete input.
Whether one agrees with the decisions that have already been made, or not, more important decisions are going to be made in the future, and that is why there is a need for the Canadian Student-Athlete Association. Student-athletes need a voice at the table - an independent voice - it is time for change.
Parents send their children to university to learn to think on their own, to become independent, to challenge conventional thinking, to innovate and impact the world around them in positive ways. To stand up for what is right and to do the right thing. To do good.
Not to have others make decisions for them, not to teach them to sit idly by without input, without comment. Not to have them accept the status quo with no questions asked, to not challenge when challenge is the right thing to do.
New ideas, new models, and new thinking are what is needed to deal with the new reality. Who better to bring this to the table than students?
While much needs to change, one thing has not changed. Student-athletes are and will continue to be the future of sports. They are the foundation upon which our provincial, national, and Olympic teams are built. They are the "feeder" for many professional sports. They are elite athletes.
COVID 19 despite its negative impact provides an opportunity to re-shape the future of sports. For student-athletes like myself, it is an opportunity to shape our future. To do that we need to have a voice - an independent voice.
The Canadian Student-Athlete Association was created to be that voice, to give Canadian student-athletes the ability to realize their full potential, and to mark a new beginning for the future of sports.
Student-athletes, I ask you to support the movement and join the Canadian Student-Athlete Association. Give yourself a voice. Make your voice heard.
There is strength in numbers.
Stay safe.
WHAT
WE DO
Our mission is to be the voice of Canadian student-athletes, and to make that voice heard in representing student-athletes best interests in the constantly evolving world of sports.
As the voice of Canadian student-athletes, our goal is to get a seat at the table on every decision making body in Canada impacting Canadian student-athletes.
HOW
WE DO IT
The Canadian Student-Athlete Association is a non profit unincorporated association founded by Western University student-athlete Garrett Holmes on July 20, 2020.
It serves as the only independent voice for Canadian university and college athletes.
The Canadian Student-Athlete Association works to fulfill its mission by engaging its members to understand the issues that are most important to them. It then raises those issues in the public eye, with the organizations which oversee University and College athletics in Canada including the Universities and Colleges themselves, and with all levels of government in Canada.
The Canadian Student-Athlete Association works for all Student Athlete's across all sports.
LEADERSHIP
The Canadian Student-Athlete Association was founded by student-athlete Garrett Holmes, a Political Science major who is a member of the Western Mustangs football team.
Garrett launched the Canadian Student-Athlete Association in response to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on university athletics. Garrett believes that the COVID-19 crisis has fundamentally changed university athletics forever and that as a result there are going to be many decisions to be made in the future that impact student-athletes as a result of this change.
Garrett believes student-athletes need a voice at the table in those decisions.
In addition to founding the Canadian Student-Athlete Association, Garrett has always been a strong proponent of athletes using sports to do good - something he has done through his GO GARRETT GO initiative, raising funds for Children's Miracle Network hospitals.
GOVERNANCE
SUPPORT
The Canadian Student-Athlete Association is proudly supported by:
The Canadian Student-Athlete Association is committed to full transparency of operations.
Board of Directors (coming soon)