Petro-Canada is once again demonstrating its support of amateur sport in Canada by helping another 50 athletes and coaches move one step closer to their Olympic and Paralympic dreams through the Fuelling Athlete and Coaching Excellence (FACE) Grant. The FACE program provides pre-carded Canadian athlete and coach pairings with $8,000 in financial grants to be used for everything from training to equipment.

Working with National Sport Organizations across Canada, Petro-Canada’s FACE program provides up-and-coming Canadian Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls with the resources necessary to achieve national carded status and to improve coaching skills. All Olympic and Paralympic sports are eligible for FACE program funding and follow the Sport Canada review process to qualify. FACE was formerly known as the Olympic Torch Scholarship Fund.

Petro-Canada’s FACE program has provided more than 2,300 athletes and coaches with nearly $7.5 million since 1988,” says Howard McIntyre, Vice President of Marketing at Suncor Energy... “Petro-Canada is comitted to providing support for athletes at a grassroots level within communities across Canada.”

“Elite athletes at a grassroots level have difficulty obtaining funding to pursue their dreams of reaching the Olympic or Paralympic Games; this program helps bridge financial gaps” says McIntyre. “Petro-Canada is proud to support Canada’s next generation of Olympic & Paralympic hopefuls.”

Coaches who receive grants, often purchase equipment that can be used to benefit multiple athletes within the same sport discipline. Mark Johnson, a curling coach and FACE Recipient from Calgary was able to purchase a laptop and slow motion video camera.

“The slow motion camera will allow me to film the players and provide them with instant, visual feedback on their curling deliveries,” he says. “I can't express enough my appreciation for the Petro-Canada FACE Program as this grant will benefit the entire team that I mentor. For a volunteer coach, this grant has sure made life much easier.”

Cynthia Berringer, a FACE recipient and Para Swimming athlete from Mississauga, Ontario hopes to represent Canada at a Paralympic Games. “The $4,000 bursary that I am receiving from the Petro Canada FACE Program will assist with some of the costs of attending out-of town competitions and getting extra training time in long-course training facilities,” she says.

The FACE program has provided financial grants to Canada’s top athletes including 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games medalists; Alexandre Bilodeau, Hayley Wickenheiser, Kaillie Humphries, John Morris, Kristina Groves, Mike Robertson, Jim Armstrong and Ina Forest. Some of the other previous FACE recipients include Mark Tewksbury, Canada’s Chef de Mission at the 2012 London Games, Sylvie Fréchette, Canada’s assistant Chef de Mission at the 2012 Games, Marianne Limpert, silver medallist at the 1996 Olympic Games and Annie Pelletier, bronze medalist at the 1996 Olympic Games.

For more on the FACE program and a complete list of this year’s recipients, please visit petro-canada.ca.