Inner-city Athletics
Like many of the youth who play for UWinnipeg’s Inner City Junior Wesmen, 14 year-old Thierry Niyo is a recent newcomer to Canada. He was born in Congo, grew up in Tanzania, and arrived in Winnipeg three years ago.
Once the new Field House and Health and Wellness Complex opens on campus next year, we hope to attract 500 neighbourhood youth like Thierry.
“We plan to add inner city youth wrestling and baseball teams. Our goal is that every athletic program we develop will have a corresponding junior community team,” says Grant Richter, Director of Athletic Program Development and Community Liaison at UWinnipeg. “With a new recreation complex, all we have to do is open the doors and these kids will be there every night.”
The Community Athletics program is evolving at UWinnipeg to meet the needs of the neighbourhood and to provide inner city youth with a safe place to play. More than 200 boys and girls aged 8 to 18 now play on UWinnipeg’s 11 community basketball and soccer teams. UWinnipeg provides coaching, uniforms, and equipment all for free, plus practice space at the Duckworth Centre when possible.
Volunteer coach Bob Axworthy’s Inner City Girl’s Basketball team finished second at the Winnipeg Sun Inner City Girls Classic in December.