锘縂rowing up, sports were always a big part of Renee Doucette鈥檚 life.
But when she moved to B.C. from Alberta in 2000 as a single mother with her three young sons Ryan, Ritchie and Reagan 鈥� who were between the ages of five and eight 鈥� times were tough.
The boys鈥� father battled drug addiction which led to the couple breaking up and Renee moving west to start over.
With their father not involved in their lives and moving to a place where they had no family, things were not easy.
鈥淣eedless to say, life was quite a bit of a struggle for us,鈥� Renee said. 鈥淎nd it always has been.
鈥淚t took me a little while to get back to work and to get back in the swing of things after moving here.
鈥淲e had what we needed to get by and that was it; there wasn鈥檛 room for anything extra. There was not even $5 to put towards sports.鈥�
With no registration cost to join a flag football league, she signed up all three boys. But eventually it was going to cost money to keep her kids in organized sport and Renee knew the values she learned from playing as a child.
鈥淪ports was a huge part of my childhood and I wanted them to have that mentoring that sports provides and to get out there with other kids,鈥� she explained.
Sports taught her about self-esteem, independence, strength, camaraderie and mentorship, all things she wanted to instill in her children.
Ron Bunting, the principal at Shortreed Elementary where her boys were students, mentioned the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program as a way to help the family out.
Jumpstart is a nationally registered charity dedicated to removing financial barriers so kids across Canada have the opportunity to get off the sidelines and into the game.
According to a Vision Critical 2011 study, one in three Canadian families cannot afford to enrol their child in organized sport and physical activity.
The program is for kids between the ages of four and 18 and helps families with the costs associated with registration, equipment and/or transportation for sports.
Jumpstart provides financial assistance for families who can鈥檛 afford to enrol their kids in organized sport, and has helped more than 730,000 kids in the past nine years. One hundred per cent of every donation stays in the community in which it was made.
With the help of Jumpstart, all three boys played football and baseball.
Asking for help can be difficult.
鈥淭hey definitely had to overcome that,鈥� she explained about any stigma about needing help.
鈥淚t was hard for them to have to use second-hand equipment, it was hard for them to not have the nicer clothes or sports equipment or whatever, but that being said, they all excelled and became better young men because of sports.鈥�
They were also helped by the local associations, who sometimes didn鈥檛 make them pay the registration costs if the family was short, Renee added.
鈥淭hey never knew how I managed to get them into sports,鈥� Renee said. 鈥淭hat being said, I always made them aware that there was a lot of generosity that made it possible for them.鈥�
Reagan, the youngest, excelled the most of the three, especially in football with the 91原创 Minor Football Association.
The 19-year-old is still involved in football, hoping to play junior this season. And he knows that without Jumpstart, none of this may have happened.
鈥淲ithout Jumpstart and the help of my coaches, I wouldn鈥檛 have been able to play,鈥� he said.
鈥淚 love sports; they definitely give kids who don鈥檛 have much something to do. It gives them a purpose and confidence and sports are perfect for that.鈥�
Gary Ahuja/91原创 Times file photo
91原创 Stampeders' Reagan Doucette (#17) fends off a Meadowridge Knights tackler during 91原创 Minor Football's annual Golden Helmet Tournament at McLeod Athletic Park back in August.
鈥⑩赌⑩赌�
Saturday (May 31) marks the sixth annual Jumpstart Day and the 91原创 Canadian Tire (6312 200 St.) will host a day-long event in celebration of the Jumpstart Red Ball campaign. Throughout the month of May, customers were encouraged to donate $2 in exchange for a Red Ball 鈥� a national symbol for child鈥檚 play. Saturday鈥檚 festivities will include a barbecue and activities for the whole family.
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and will include special guests Canadian snowboarder Maelle Ricker and former B.C. Lion Angus Reid.
