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Athlete Rep Spotlight: Byron Green – Wheelchair Rugby

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Every athlete was an inspired kid at some point, and I think that’s a cycle which we’re obligated to sustain. Being a great role-model, leading by example, and taking an active role in our communities and local schools are all ways to affect positive change in our youth, and ensure that the next generations of athletes have people to look up to, just like we did. The word “Champion” has two meanings: a person who wins a competition and someone who fights for a cause. As athletes we have an awesome opportunity to champion causes which we feel strongly about. There are so many charities, foundations and causes out there to choose from, that every athlete’s passion, personal experience or story can serve to promote or advocate one or more. It feels great to win, but it feels profoundly gratifying to use what you’ve just won to promote something of importance.

So many Canadian athletes are engaged with their communities and are making a difference. Being in a position to use my voice and to have a positive impact in the lives of others is most fulfilling.

I learned as a young athlete that this notion of giving back is very much the Canadian way, a trait that is natural in us as a nation - natural because of our history. It is what we do and I saw this when traveling the globe, representing Canada, and seeing the work of CIDA and Canadian volunteers in all corners of the globe. To all of the athletes out there: realize that not only can you be inspiring; you can also be inspired. Connecting with others and understanding the human condition is the greatest victory one can have in sport, and in life, too!

Giving back is about getting more energy. In life, there are commitments that leave you drained of energy, then there are commitments that leave you energized once the task is complete. These latter commitments seem to defy newtonian physics, and are the reasons why I give back. It took a lot of experimentation until I found the community involvement that optimized my energy, but it was worth it!

Sport began as an outlet for the British-elite, grew into a global forum for peace, and now is on a trajectory to become just another Hollywood fixture - something to watch, but not be a part of. We need to ask ourselves not only what kind of sport do we want, but what kind of athletes do we want and moreover what can athletes do for helping create a value-based sport system? Through my experiences and involvement with AthletesCAN, I have become aware of a pivotal ideological shift in the social consciousness of elite athletes in Canada. To that end, I decided to pursue a Masters Degree to investigate the motivations and implications of social responsibility among elite athlete populations. Through my research I found that athlete social responsibility can and does have a positive impact on an athlete's overall performance, personal development, and continued sport participation.

Attending Forum opened my eyes to the importance of athlete participation at the governance level. I learned so much about different nuances and challenges I might face, met other like-minded athletes who inspired me, and furthered my education using the resources available online. AthletesCAN and the tools provided helped me secure an athlete seat on the Board of Governors at Curling Canada. Thank you, AthletesCAN!

The AthletesCAN Forum was an incredible experience.  I had the opportunity to learn about some very important issues pertinent to sport in Canada and had the opportunity to discuss our personal challenges to gather feedback from others in sport to reach more effective solutions.

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AthletesCAN’s staff, operations, work, and network depend on traditional Indigenous territories to provide us physical space, sustenance, safety, and community to work, live, and play. We respectfully acknowledge that our members hail from across the country representing the many traditional, treaty, and unceded territories of all the Inuit, Métis, and First Nations people of Turtle Island.

We acknowledge that our ability to live and work on these lands is a direct benefit of policies of expulsion and assimilation of Indigenous peoples during the time of settlement and Confederation, and since. The harms of these policies are many and are still being felt in Indigenous communities today. We express gratitude towards the Indigenous peoples who have and will continue to steward these lands. We affirm our commitment to enacting the 94 Calls to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, especially the Calls to Action which directly relate to Sport, No. 87-94.