The costs continue longer than an athlete’s competitive career. Time spent training and competing puts athletes behind the career path curve when they retire from competition.
Yes that is something that is a big cause for many athletes retiring prematurely. The financial impact of so many years of losing money negatively affects them in their next chapter.
@@nick_wammes I was just below carding in the 90s and retired after my varsity swimming finished. My son has squad mates that are on development cards.
Thank you for making this video !It is very important to bring up this message!You clearly described the situation that so many talented athletes are struggling through...So sad that in one of the most huge and rich countries such as Canada this is reality 😢
Thanks for making this video - it’s a tough and important message. The average person has no idea how “unsupported” our athletes are, especially how they must bear a significant part of their costs to compete in international events. In my local community (Ottawa), there’s a whole support network that helps our developing cyclists fund their first international trips. It’s great to see the community rally around our athletes, but it shouldn’t be necessary. The small beneficial consequence I can see is our athletes are forced to develop some great skills around marketing, social media promotion, communications and financial management that will be useful after their careers as athletes. But really - it would be best if they could just focus on the sport!
Nick, I want to congratulate you for making this video. Sport is health, it is less medicines, fewer deaths from various diseases, it is reaching an old age in better conditions, and the best way to publicize this is to support its athletes. That's why I congratulate you for this video. Hopefully other athletes do the same.
5:40-5:56 this is why I go out of my way to watch ANYTHING involving in the cycling world. Because one I love this sport and secondly because the athletes work just as hard (if not harder) as the athletes in the "popular" sports.
You make some good points here Nick. I, for one, would like to see more events in (track) cycling that bring in paying spectators. When will the town of Milton take my ticketing and food/bev dollars to watch you participate in a local 6-days race?
Thank you for being open about the financial sacrifices that athletes make to compete. Being able to travel to events and pay costs of living away from home is another difficulty. I am thankful to receive CPP disability but it is not enough to pay living expenses. We have seen government funding waver over the years. In the fourth year of the Olympic cycle it gets some coverage but not so much the rest of the time. Investments in sports, arts programming and education bring long and short term benefits to society as a whole. But was is not seen is easily ignored. The reality is that few athletes or creative people can earn a living doing what they are passionate about. So the rewards of doing and succeeding are all there is much of the time. 'And that does not help in times of injury or lack of results and events. Keep going and do well at the big show. You are an inspiration to many youth who would pursue their dreams and see them realized some day.
Hopefully the increase in funding is approved in this years budget. The proposed amount wouldn’t fix the issue but would improve the financial situation for many
yeah, Canada sucks when it comes to supporting athletes, other Countries do it way better. is there a financial difference between winter and summer olympics funding?
On the Canadian side I can't speak. On the other hand, each sport, each company only pays back a small percentage of the money it generates. And yes, track cycling is an ultra-minority sport in the world so it is impossible to get feedback from a track cycling sponsor. You absolutely need a non-sporting sponsor such as a general equipment manufacturer and a private contract. In my country France it is not complicated. If you are in the top 3 in track cycling and not too stupid you have 3 year contracts with the army and many countries do that. These aren't big salaries either, around 2000 euros per month. But that’s already it. Afterwards if I can afford it. in non-sporting life, you will also see later that things are not given like that. To have a good salary you also have to be above others and produce. Basically, competition is not just in sport.
Prize money for our sport is very little and does not go very deep in terms of placing. Sponsorships are available but can be difficult to get, especially monetary
Everyone is broke. TBH if you are an athlete in the national program you shouldn’t be putting money out of pocket. On the other hand, should you be making money, probably not in most people’s opinions. And of course funding should be directly linked to performance or potential.
The costs continue longer than an athlete’s competitive career. Time spent training and competing puts athletes behind the career path curve when they retire from competition.
Yes that is something that is a big cause for many athletes retiring prematurely. The financial impact of so many years of losing money negatively affects them in their next chapter.
@@nick_wammes Canada's Olympic Team, brought to you by the Bank of Mom & Dad. BMD - I suggest parody tshirts
@@nick_wammes I was just below carding in the 90s and retired after my varsity swimming finished. My son has squad mates that are on development cards.
Thank you for making this video !It is very important to bring up this message!You clearly described the situation that so many talented athletes are struggling through...So sad that in one of the most huge and rich countries such as Canada this is reality 😢
Thanks for making this video - it’s a tough and important message. The average person has no idea how “unsupported” our athletes are, especially how they must bear a significant part of their costs to compete in international events. In my local community (Ottawa), there’s a whole support network that helps our developing cyclists fund their first international trips. It’s great to see the community rally around our athletes, but it shouldn’t be necessary.
The small beneficial consequence I can see is our athletes are forced to develop some great skills around marketing, social media promotion, communications and financial management that will be useful after their careers as athletes. But really - it would be best if they could just focus on the sport!
Nick, I want to congratulate you for making this video. Sport is health, it is less medicines, fewer deaths from various diseases, it is reaching an old age in better conditions, and the best way to publicize this is to support its athletes. That's why I congratulate you for this video. Hopefully other athletes do the same.
5:40-5:56 this is why I go out of my way to watch ANYTHING involving in the cycling world. Because one I love this sport and secondly because the athletes work just as hard (if not harder) as the athletes in the "popular" sports.
We definitely appreciate that! Thank you!
Not for the money......but it would be mice to afford food, travel, training.....
As a junior rider I couldn’t agree more
You make some good points here Nick. I, for one, would like to see more events in (track) cycling that bring in paying spectators. When will the town of Milton take my ticketing and food/bev dollars to watch you participate in a local 6-days race?
Having those events would definitely be exciting. But it seems to be hard to attract those types of events anywhere outside of Europe
Thank you for being open about the financial sacrifices that athletes make to compete. Being able to travel to events and pay costs of living away from home is another difficulty. I am thankful to receive CPP disability but it is not enough to pay living expenses. We have seen government funding waver over the years. In the fourth year of the Olympic cycle it gets some coverage but not so much the rest of the time. Investments in sports, arts programming and education bring long and short term benefits to society as a whole. But was is not seen is easily ignored.
The reality is that few athletes or creative people can earn a living doing what they are passionate about. So the rewards of doing and succeeding are all there is much of the time. 'And that does not help in times of injury or lack of results and events. Keep going and do well at the big show. You are an inspiration to many youth who would pursue their dreams and see them realized some day.
Thank you for the kind words!
Tough to hear this bro.
Hopefully the increase in funding is approved in this years budget. The proposed amount wouldn’t fix the issue but would improve the financial situation for many
That’s crazy they should give you at least 100k these days…
yeah, Canada sucks when it comes to supporting athletes, other Countries do it way better. is there a financial difference between winter and summer olympics funding?
Not in terms of the AAP. I’m not sure on sport specific though.
On the Canadian side I can't speak. On the other hand, each sport, each company only pays back a small percentage of the money it generates. And yes, track cycling is an ultra-minority sport in the world so it is impossible to get feedback from a track cycling sponsor. You absolutely need a non-sporting sponsor such as a general equipment manufacturer and a private contract.
In my country France it is not complicated. If you are in the top 3 in track cycling and not too stupid you have 3 year contracts with the army and many countries do that. These aren't big salaries either, around 2000 euros per month. But that’s already it. Afterwards if I can afford it. in non-sporting life, you will also see later that things are not given like that. To have a good salary you also have to be above others and produce. Basically, competition is not just in sport.
Is there any prize money at these comps or is the only income stream state funding and possible hard to get sponsorships?
Prize money for our sport is very little and does not go very deep in terms of placing. Sponsorships are available but can be difficult to get, especially monetary
No wonder there is so much interest in DerbyWheel.
Yes the prize money does seem appealing
How can we help Nick?
The hope is that this funding increase goes through. We will just have to wait and see.
Everyone is broke. TBH if you are an athlete in the national program you shouldn’t be putting money out of pocket. On the other hand, should you be making money, probably not in most people’s opinions. And of course funding should be directly linked to performance or potential.
Hopefully the increase to the AAP is approved. It would be a start.
Derbywheel for some money!