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Families Challenge City's Grants Criteria

Thursday, 15 March 2012 07:35

Being disqualified by Woodstock's Community Grants Program isn't sitting well with some local athletes. City Council is getting a letter tonight from two Woodstock families, who are asking the city to take a second look at its criteria after their kids were denied grants. Cross Country skiers Bob and Mary Thompson, and track star Branden Wilhelm (photo courtesy of UWI Lance) have been denied funding on the premise that they are over 18-years-old and are not competing in the Pan-AM, Commonwealth or Olympic Games. Bill Thompson says the city should be helping aspiring athletes reach those goals. "The issue is getting experience by going to races at a high caliber where you can get results where you will get selected (to higher competitions), and have the experience and maturity to handle the competition at the International level." Thompson adds the city's criteria also doesn't make sense because by the time you're at the Commonwealth or Olympic level, you're fully funded. Thompson says their family is faced with expenses in the thousands of dollars to fund sending the budding athletes to training and competition across the country, and the globe. Bob and Mary Thompson, are set to compete in the national cross country championships in Quebec starting Saturday. Wilhelm, meantime, is dominating in the CIS track and field circuit. He won 1st place as a pentathlete at the 23rd Annual Team Challenge at the University of Windsor?s St. Denis Centre. Wilhelm is also ranked #1 in the CIS in high jump, hitting 2.15 meters earlier this year.

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