Program Focus

The IGNITE Athlete Development Program introduces young athletes to a high performance lifestyle by improving their athleticism, physical literacy and fitness through a multi-sport training program which is complementary to their current sport specific practice and competition. 

Prospective IGNITE athletes must be registered with an eligible Provincial Sport Organization (refer to list) and working towards provincial and national-level athletic success in their chosen sport.

Program Curriculum

Enhance foundational movement skills to allow athletes to become COMPLETE CHAMPIONS. Sessions will focus on balance, strength, speed and power in 3 movement streams:

1) strength and conditioning - increase training efficiency and decrease risk of injury

2) gymnastics - develop kinesthetic awareness, balance, mobility, landing skills, etc.

3) sprint training - improve technical proficiency for basic movement patterns like running, jumping, reaction time, speed, agility, range of motion, etc.

 Athletes Benefits

• Introduction to a high performance lifestyle
• Dedicated and experienced coaches
• Exclusive athlete to coach ratio (12:1)
• Improved overall athleticism
• Enhanced core strength
• Physical literacy and fitness
• Sport readiness training
• Two - 90 minute training sessions per week 

History of IGNITE

The PacificSport Fraser Valley IGNITE Athlete Development Program began as a successful 3-month pilot in May, 2011. Since then, the IGNITE program has expanded and evolved. Now, rather than offereing only one 3-month program to athletes, IGNITE has expanded to offer 4 progressively more advanced levels:

Level 1: Ignite the Fire
Level 2: Feed the Flame
Level 3: Create the Inferno
Level 4: Unleash the Explosion

The levels involve increasingly more complex movement patterns which require advancing skills levels. Each level involves pre-testing to ensure that athletes are prepared to be safely challenged by the program and post-testing to ensure that athletes are prepared to advance to the next level. The testing also alerts IGNITE coaches to possible deficiencies or imbalances that might increase the risk of injury to athletes and they can work with athletes to resolve these issues during the training sessions.

Programs in the Spring/Summer term are compressed into 2 levels per program, whereas Winter and Fall terms have one level each. The table below shows the IGNITE schedule for the next 2 years. Athletes considering applying to the IGNITE program should consult this table to assist with their long-term planning.

Term	Levels Offered
Spring/Summer 2012	Combined 1/2 only
Fall 2012	1 and 3
Winter 2013	2 and 4
Spring/Summer 2013	Combined 1/2 and also 3/4
Fall 2013	1 and 3
Winter 2013	2 and 4

We recognize that athletes sometimes need to take breaks between IGNITE levels, due to schedule conflicts during busy competitive seasons. As such, IGNITE is designed to empower athletes with the skills to improve their training abilities and train independently, safely and effectively. Athletes complete each IGNITE level knowing how to maintain the skills they've obtained. Additionally, they have access to resources such as training programs and references during their hiatus from IGNITE.

Testimonials

"I learned a lot about not only the activities we participated in, but also myself as an athlete outside of the water." - Nicole Gerwin, Jr. Women's National Water Polo team member










"IGNITE is a great program for many reasons. The coaches and athletes are amazing, plus great bonds and friendships are created. For me personally, it is great because I usually train by myself. Being able to train with others that motivate me is fantastic!" - Danielle Cowburn, high performance Alpine Skier

"I started with the IGNITE program at the beginning of this season because I wanted to improve my level of fitness and my performance standard. This past month I have had my best results ever, a top-16 at the Northern American Cup and a silver nationally at the Junior (under 21) level. This is due in part to the IGNITE program. My fitness level, my strength and my flexibility have all increased as a result of my participation. I'm currently enrolled in Level 2, and I'm also enjoying the benefits of meeting and interacting with high performance athletes from other sports." - David Shorey, high performance Fencer

    
Important to note - Athletes in this program are not asked (nor expected) to become gymnasts or track stars, but rather to work on enhancing foundational movement skills that will serve them well in their future athletic pursuits. With such a foundation in place, athletes can better focus on their individual sport-specific training.

Athletes involved in Paralympic sports are encouraged to contact Sherry Hunt to explore participation opportunities in IGNITE.