June 18, 2015 (Whitehorse, YK) – Zach and Emily’s rural youth sport development program, Northern Lytes, is off to a flying start. The program’s first initiative, a cross-country ski camp led by National Team Coach and three-time Olympian Justin Wadsworth, brought out a total of 45 young skiers and 12 coaches looking to improve their skills on snow.

The program mission is to connect young athletes with Olympic-level coaches and athletes by hosting training camps in the Yukon. The name Northern Lytes reflects this mission; Linking Youth To Elite Sport. The program offers this opportunity to youth in rural communities who would otherwise not have the chance to meet, let alone be coached by Olympians.

The sport program has been a long-time dream of two-time Olympian Zach Bell, who is thrilled by the result of the first camp. “This has been in the works for a while now. It is incredibly exciting to see it becoming a reality. I can’t thank Air North and SmartStop enough for their contributions and believing in the program.” states Bell.

The camps aim at inspiring youth and guiding them towards achieving their goals in sport. “The athletes had a fun time, all while learning new skills from a veteran in the sport,” added Nishikawa. “Meeting an Olympian can leave a lasting impression by helping young athletes see that the road to the Olympics is in fact possible. This gives them a better understanding of what their path could be.”

Canoe-Kayak has also joined the program with a community tour led by Canoe Olympic Bronze Medalist Thomas Hall. Hall shared important stories about his struggle with learning difficulties as a child and how sport helped him cope. The main message was to encourage Yukon kids to participate in multi-sport experiences and understand that although their sport of choice may not be available to them now, participating in what is available can lead to having the option to take part in their sport of choice later on.

“It is so amazing to have the support of Yukon Olympians Zach Bell and Emily Nishikawa. Even though they are still pursuing their goals in sport, they understand the importance of inspiring the next generation of athletes. Northern Lytes allows Yukon youth to interact with national and international athletes and coaches in their own community. This is what sport is all about; engaging youth and opening up their minds to a world of possibilities,” said Jeane Lassen, Sport Yukon’s Physical Literacy Coordinator.

Northern Lytes is possible thanks to a close collaboration with Sport Yukon. Any organization under the Sport Yukon umbrella is eligible to apply.

The deadline for the second round of applications is June 30th, 2015. To apply, consult here. Applications can also be picked up at the Sport Yukon office, located at 4061-4th Avenue in Whitehorse.

For more information:
Zach Bell
zach@podiumbound.ca
778.928.8399

Emily Nishikawa
emily.nish@gmail.com
403.609.5381

or facebook here.