ParticipACTION and True Sport release the Top 15 Moments in Canadian Sport for 2015

To celebrate RBC Sports Day in Canada, 199 organizations receive $2 million in
RBC Learn to Play grants to fuel future top moments

TORONTO, Nov. 16, 2015 /CNW/ - In honour of the sixth annual RBC Sports Day in Canada, ParticipACTION and True Sport release the Top 15 Moments in Canadian Sport for 2015. The list captures moments that exemplify the role sport plays in defining our Canadian identity and celebrates 2015, the Year of Sport. From Andre De Grasse's "most historic" track season to four-year-old Addison McArthur's "most inspiring" gold-medal race at the World Transplant Games, the Top 15 Moments in Canadian Sport for 2015 remind Canadians that buzzworthy, remarkable, uplifting moments happen at every level of sport – from the professional arena to the podium to the playground.

The Top 15 list, curated by ParticipACTION with expert input from True Sport, Sport Canada, Canadian athletes, the B.C. Ministry of Health and leading Canadian sports journalists, categorizes moments to showcase all that sport has to offer, including: (1) most heartwarming, (2) most heartbreaking (3) most controversial (4) best demonstration of perseverance  (5) best fan moment (6) most inspiring (7) best comeback (8) best sportsmanship (9) best volunteer (10) best breakout (11) most unifying (12) most historic (13) most touching (14) most courageous and (15) funniest moment. The complete list can be found at top15.participaction.com. Canadians are also encouraged to share, comment and join the conversation using hashtags #RBCSportsDay and #Top15.

"Our athletes inspire all Canadians, especially our young people, to pursue their dreams in sport. The Top 15 Moments in Canadian Sport for 2015, during the Year of Sport in Canada, show the dedication, perseverance, and resilience Canadians bring to competition," said the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. "From the World Junior Hockey Championship to the Canada Games in Prince George; from the FIFA 2015 Women's World Cup, on to the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, and through more than 60 international single-sport championships hosted in Canada throughout the year, our athletes have continued to rise to the occasion in their pursuit of the podium whenever and wherever they competed."

"The Top 15 Moments in Canadian Sport remind us of the power of sport to inspire and connect people, while encouraging them to lead healthier, more active lifestyles," said Elio Antunes, president and CEO of ParticipACTION. "RBC Sports Day in Canada offers a great opportunity for Canadians to try something new and experience their own special moments in sport."

"Sport experiences that exemplify the True Sport Principles have the power to instill character, strengthen communities and increase opportunities for excellence. Many of the Top 15 Moments in Canadian Sport are good examples of True Sport in action – which is precisely the kind of sport we want to celebrate on RBC Sports Day in Canada," said Karri Dawson, executive director of the True Sport Foundation.

November 21 is RBC Sports Day in Canada

RBC Sports Day in Canada, taking place on November 21, 2015, is a national celebration of the power of sport to build community and get Canadians moving.  It caps off a week of more than 2,000 local events such as community-wide festivals, try-it days, open houses, games and pep rallies in every province and territory. It is an opportunity for Canadians across the country to participate in sport in their own communities.

In celebration of RBC Sports Day in Canada, RBC and the Public Health Agency of Canada, in partnership with ParticipACTION, today announced the 199 recipients of $2 million in RBC Learn to Play project grants to help community based organizations build and deliver quality sport and recreation programs. For information on the RBC Learn to Play Project, visit www.rbc.com/learntoplay.

"To be part of a team, make the game-winning shot or beat a personal best – those feelings of confidence and accomplishment are just some of the benefits sport can bring to kids and youth to help them prosper and lead happy, healthy lives," said Mary DePaoli, chief brand and communications officer, RBC. "At RBC, we recognize the importance of these lifelong lessons, and in this Year of Sport, we're excited to help Canadians celebrate and encourage them to get out and get moving at one of the many RBC Sports Day in Canada events happening across the country."

Get involved!

• Visit sportsday.cbc.ca to watch RBC Sports Day stories and videos or search for local events. Elite athletes, politicians, Paralympians and Olympians will be appearing at many RBC Sports Day in Canada events.
• Wear a jersey, team or club uniform to work, school or play on Friday, November 20, to celebrate national Jersey Day and show your love and support for sport.

Watch it live!
Canadians can also tune in to CBC Television from 2 – 6 p.m. EST to watch RBC Sports Day in Canada unfold. On November 21, CBC Sports will televise a national broadcast event from the Richmond Olympic Oval in Richmond, British Columbia, hosted by Road To The Olympic Games anchor Scott Russell. Russell will profile inspiring stories about the impact of sport on people, young and old, elite and just starting out, all across Canada.

Top 15 Moments in Canadian Sport for 2015

1. Most heartwarming moment - Cambridge skateboarder with a big heart sets off viral frenzy
2. Most heartbreaking moment - Canada eliminated from Women's World Cup
3. Most controversial moment - The "bat flip" heard 'round the world
4. Best demonstration of perseverance - Woman who is quadruple amputee plays scrumhalf for Halifax rugby team
5. Best fan moment - Sens superfan Jonathan Pitre, 14, surprised at NHL awards
6. Most inspiring moment - Four-year-old wins gold at World Transplant Games
7. Best comeback moment - Mountain biker comes back from near-paralyzing crash
8. Best sportsmanship - Curling sensor fail corrected by Team Alberta
9. Best volunteer moment - 2,000 Victoria kids learn to play tennis
10. Best breakout moment - Brooke Henderson, 17, earns her LGPA card
11. Most unifying moment - Community rallies around injured hockey star
12. Most historic moment - Andre De Grasse sprints into history
13. Most touching moment - Athletics Canada honours Daundre Barnaby
14. Most courageous moment - Figure skater Eric Radford competes as openly gay athlete
15. Funniest moment - Canada Geese join water ski competition

For details on each moment visit: top15.participaction.com. Canadians are also encouraged to share, comment and join the conversation using hashtags #RBCSportsDay and #Top15.

About RBC Sports Day in Canada
RBC Sports Day in Canada, on Saturday, November 21, 2015, is a national celebration of the power of sport to build community and get Canadians moving. The official day caps off a week of more than 2,000 local events and includes a special broadcast on CBC. RBC is title sponsor of RBC Sports Day in Canada, presented by ParticipACTION, CBC and True Sport, working in collaboration with national sporting organizations and their networks of coaches, athletes and sports enthusiasts across the country. RBC Sports Day in Canada is generously supported by Sport Canada and in B.C. through Healthy Families BC. For more information about RBC Sports Day in Canada, please visit: sportsday.cba.ca

For a list of other events taking place across the country, please visit sportsday.cbc.ca‎ or view the RBC Sports Day in Canada fact sheet. For more information on RBC Sports Day in Canada, to learn more about the Top 15 Moments in Canadian Sport for 2015, or to speak to a spokesperson, please contact:

Meaghan Beech
Hill+Knowlton Strategies
W: 416-413-4650
[email protected]

Katherine Janson
ParticipACTION
W: 416-913-1471
M: 647-717-8674
[email protected]

SOURCE ParticipACTION