Women in Sport Spotlight Grant: Creating Access, Belonging, and Opportunity at GirlsCAN Camp
© Leah Hennel
Beat the Streets extends its sincere thanks to Women and Sport Canada for their support through the Women in Sport Spotlight Grant, which made it possible for girls and women coaches from Quebec and Ontario (including Beat the Streets Coach Braxton Stone-Papadopoulos) to participate in the GirlsCAN National Athlete & Coach Camp in Calgary.
Because of this funding, 10 athletes and coaches were able to travel to Alberta to take part in a two-day national camp followed by a two-day competition, an opportunity that, for many, would otherwise have been out of reach.
An Opportunity Designed For Them
Led by Olympic champions and national leaders, including Erica Wiebe, Carol Huynh, and Leah Ferguson, the GirlsCAN camp brought together more than 75 high school-aged girl wrestlers from coast to coast.
The scale alone was powerful. The experience itself was transformative.
Olympic Champion Erica Wiebe
© Leah Hennel
As Erica Wiebe reflected:
“One of the athletes had never been on a plane prior to this trip. Another asked immediately if the camp was happening again next year. When I asked why, she said: ‘I’ve never had an opportunity like this — coaching and training partners that were actually focused on me in a way I could learn.’”
Representation That Changes What’s Possible
The camp was intentionally designed as a women-only coaching and training environment, created with care and purpose. Coaches represented a wide range of body types, wrestling styles, communication approaches, and lived experiences, allowing girls to truly see themselves reflected in the sport.
That representation mattered.
Girls weren’t just learning new techniques; they were learning that there is more than one way to be strong, successful, and respected in wrestling.
Competition, Confidence, and Connection
Following the camp, athletes competed in an intense national tournament, with a 14-hour competition day on Saturday and dual meets on Sunday. When asked during individual debriefs what their favourite part of the trip had been, the answers said everything:
winning matches
rooming with friends
learning new techniques
and, for some, simply: “everything.”
These moments, on the mat, in the stands, in shared hotel rooms, are where confidence grows, and belonging takes root.
Spotlight Grant Participants from Quebec with Erica Wiebe
Why the Spotlight Grant Matters
The Women in Sport Spotlight Grant exists to reduce barriers, increase access, and elevate representation in sport. This experience embodied that mission in real, tangible ways.
Through this support, girls from underserved communities were able to:
travel nationally
train with elite women coaches
compete at a high level
and experience a sports environment intentionally built for them
This is how pathways are created. This is how girls stay in sport.
With Gratitude
Beat the Streets is deeply grateful to Women and Sport Canada for investing in girls, women coaches, and inclusive sport leadership. Your support helped create an experience that participants will carry with them long after the medals are packed away.
We are proud to support initiatives like GirlsCAN that don’t just grow athletes, but help shape confident, capable young women who know they belong.
About Beat the Streets:
At Beat the Streets, our mission is to advance the education of low-income children and youth in the Greater Toronto Area through fun and unique wrestling, life skills, and employment-based development programs. Since 2015, we have served over 28,000 young individuals through our Wrestle 4 Fun, Level Up, You Grow Girl, Work it Girl, After-School and Open Mat Sessions programs, providing them with opportunities to develop their physical, mental, and social well-being. We believe in empowering the next generation by breaking down barriers and creating pathways to success.
Join us in our mission to impact youth:
Join us in making a difference by supporting our cause and learning more about how you can contribute to the education and growth of children and youth in need. Together, we can shape a brighter future for all.
