News from the Niagara Sport Commission

March 2010

Major step forward for the Niagara Sport Commission and local sport organizations

The Niagara Sport Commission continues to search for ways to benefit our local sports organizations and to fulfill our goals of increasing sport involvement in the community and promoting and attracting tournaments in our region.

We are pleased to announce our partnership with a software company to provide local organizations and the Niagara Sport Commission itself with software tools that assist in the management and administration of sport organizations, leagues, teams, and events. We will be rolling out the software to organizations in the upcoming months.

The key benefits to leagues as they use the software include:

Online registration for players/parents (for youth leagues and events) including complete but simple to use registration management
Scheduling tools to automatically or manually create schedules based on resource availability
Simple communication interface to send emails to coaches, parents or players
Volunteer registration and management
Parent Portal for parents to keep up to date with their children's sport schedule and registrations
And much more!

As a non-profit organization we strive to keep costs down for ourselves as well for our local sports organizations. With that in mind we are pleased to be in the final stages of development and testing in order to bring you a powerful set of tools that are easy to use, and is very cost effective.

Organizations should inquire about using this system at least one month before registration for their next season or session opens.

For more information please contact the Niagara Sport Commission.

Welland Community Sport/Recreation Grant

Can I Play Too?

The City of Welland along with local sponsor organizations have combined to help ensure all local youth have the opportunity to participate in sport.

"Can I Play Too" provides subsidies to Welland residents aged 3 - 18 who are participating in a sport or recreation program offered by the City of Welland, as found in their leisure guide.

Funding is offered to help minimize registration fees for the participants, covering two-thirds of the program cost. Applications are accepted year round, and are addressed on a first come first serve basis. All information is kept strictly confidential throughout the process.

Parents can contact the Community Development Coordinator Sarah Doherty, at 905 735 1700 ext. 2333 for more information and to set up an application appointment.

Niagara Sport & Social Club

"Where Games are Played & Friends are Made!"

The Niagara Sport and Social Club runs various sport leagues and tournaments throughout the year including:

Beach Volleyball
Dodgeball
Kickball
Indoor Volleyball
Ultimate Frisbee

Individual & team sign-ups are welcome!

For more information or to get involved visit
www.niagarasportandsocial.com or contact play@niagarasportandsocial.com or 289-686-PLAY (7529)

Welland-Pelham Chamber of Commerce Community Sports Fund

The Welland-Pelham Chamber of Commerce has created the Community Sport Fund to help establish and enhance sport and recreation events in these communities.

Local not-for-profit organizations which are hosting an event in either the Welland or Pelham community can apply for a grant of up to $500 by submitting an online application.

Grant Application Criteria must be met by the organization, including the completion of a final report summarizing successes, challenges, and future plans for the event.

Recent recipients of the grant include the Notre Dame Fighting Irish girls lacrosse team, who hosted the OFSAA Championships, and the Welland Saints bantam girls basketball team to help with their three-day tournament.

Click Here for a complete list of criteria and a complete description of the grant.

Experience the Region on the Greater Niagara Circle Route

The Greater Niagara Circle Route Trails System is over 140 km of mostly off-road, paved trails suitable for walking, cycling and rollerblading. The trail is paved throughout, 3 metres wide for the majority of its length, and passes through many communities along the Niagara Escarpment, with spectacular views of the waterfronts, and rural/agricultural areas. Along the way are numerous attractions of the Niagara Region, and several bed-and-breakfasts for accommodating those interested in multi-day excursions.

The system is comprised of several trails, including the Welland Canals Trail, the Friendship Trail, the Niagara River Recreation Trail, and the Waterfront Trail. Trail mileage markers can be found around the Circle Route starting at Old Fort Erie (as the 0 km mark) and proceeding in a counter-clockwise direction. We encourage community members and tourists alike to utilize this trail system, and to explore the Niagara Region. Olympic Torch

Watch video about the Greater Niagara Cycle Route

What the mind can conceive, the body can achieve - Peak performance through hypnosis

Sports psychologists have claimed that 80% of a high performance athlete's performance is in the mind. Mental rehearsal, also termed visualization, can create and reaffirm the confidence necessary to achieve top performance. The picture visualized in the mind can convince the subconscious that achievement is possible.

What can be accomplished through the powers of the mind?

The development of positive attitudes; negative thoughts pertaining to performance skills can be changed or eliminated.
Enjoyment of the sport will be enhanced as skills improve (intermittent incidents of poor performance will no longer cause irritation, anger, and/or discouragement)
Concentration, coordination, technique, and awareness of proper form and posture can all improve.

The same stumbling blocks that athletes can overcome through hypnosis can also be applied in other areas of life - business, personal, relationships, as well as to the achievement of goals and ambitions.

Read more about the power of hypnosis

Join the Niagara Girls Minor Softball Association