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Coach thrilled to receive WISE Fund

$1,000 grant will help Delta Deas Rowing Club para coach Julie Stevens and her athletes travel to events

Delta Deas Rowing Club para coach Julie Stevens was one of the recipients of a 2015 Women in Sport Encouragement Fund grant worth $1,000, it was announced last week.

Stevens said she was thrilled and surprised to get the grant.

The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity, with support from Sport Canada, awards 10 of the grants annually.

The funds go towards travel expenses to regattas, said Stevens, who helped start the para program at Delta Deas in 2012.

"Some of the larger competitions are over on the (Vancouver) Island and they would be out of pocket expenses for me and for my athletes. And that would be limiting. Now we can go over and I can accompany them and support them."

It will also be used for a learn to row program at the club.

While para rowing is a branding, Stevens said she prefers the term "adaptive" rower.

Para rowing, to her, "infers people in wheelchairs and that's not who we're only trying to reach," she said.

The Delta Deas website notes "adaptive rowing is suitable for a wide range of disabilities, including (but not limited to) paraplegia, autism, visual impairment, blindness, cerebral palsy, amputee, intellectual impairment, spina bifida, Down syndrome and hearing impairment." Asked what she enjoys about coaching, Stevens said no two days are ever the same.

"We're always working with so many changing elements and it's fun to think on your feet, be quick on your feet."

She said it's a really special moment to share someone's achievement milestone with them, especially when those moments might be more difficult to come by because of a disability.

There are health benefits to the sport and it's a great social outlet, she adds.

"It's not something that I think a lot of people once they are faced with a disability think they can do. I am always surprised at who can do this sport. We don't tackle it from a conventional way all the time," she said.

Stevens, who lives in North Delta, has been coaching recreational rowers since 1992 and has been involved in rowing since the late 1980s.

She said she wanted to express her gratitude to CAAWS, Rowing BC, Rowing Canada and ViaSportBC.

"CAAWS is pleased to support the WISE Fund grant recipients and recognize their efforts in developing their own leadership skills as coaches or officials and in offering sport programs that will give girls and women an opportunity to be actively engaged," said CAAWS executive director, Karin Lofstrom on the association's website.

For more information on the local club and its programs, visit www.deltadeas.com.