Red Deer trampoline athlete Kalena Soehn was one of 55 young Canadians to receive a $10,000 Fuelling Athletes and Coaching Excellence program grant.
Summer and winter athletes are selected based on potential and each athlete and each coach get $5,000 which is often used for training, equipment and travel expenses.
In May Soehn won gold in trampoline at the Canada Cup competition in Calgary in the national junior women division.
Soehn is building towards the 2024 Paris Olympics, and possibly the 2020 Games.
Soehn competes in synchro trampoline on the national team with her brother Keegan, a former Pan Am Games Gold medalist. Her other brother Kyle is also on the national team. She is coached by her father Kenneth.
In addition to the program’s financial support, athletes and coaches are invited to an annual summit to learn from Olympians and Paralympians, and receive advice on media training, public speaking, and personal-brand development.
Developed by Petro-Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee, and facilitated by their national sport partners, Fuelling Athletes and Coaching Excellence (FACE) program supports young athletes striving to represent Canada at the Olympic or Paralympic Games, but don’t yet qualify for government funding.
In 2017 Olympic curling hopeful Casey Scheidegger, of Red Deer, received a grant for her and her coach.
FACE is funded by Petro Canada.