Cameron Newest KidSport Ambassador

KidSport PEI is pleased to announce Kristen Cameron as the most recent addition to Team KidSport PEI.  Kristen joins a list of athletes from the province who wish to aid in the promotion of the charity. Kristen is the second para athlete to join the team.

A Charlottetown native, Kristen grew up spending summers on the soccer field and winters in the rink. At 17 she made the move to New Hampshire to further pursue hockey and soccer at Holderness School. From there, Kristen was admitted to Bowdoin College and in her tenure, had the opportunity to play hockey, soccer, and golf. While at Bowdoin, Kristen captained both the hockey and golf teams and earned first team All American honors in hockey.

After Bowdoin, Kristen served as an assistant coach for Mercyhurst University, a top notch Division I women’s hockey program. The Lakers were ranked first every week that season and saw a Frozen Four appearance. Just a couple weeks into the beginning of her second season with the Lakers, she was struck by a drunk driver while cycling and paralyzed from the chest down with very limited hand function. ‘

Instead of turning away from sport, she gained enormous amounts of strength in regaining her athletic identity. Kristen has most recently put her coaching on hold to pursue a new Paralympic dream in the sport of wheelchair rugby. She is working hard hoping to represent Canada at the 2020 games in Tokyo.

When asked why it was important for her to become an ambassador for the KidSport program, Kristen replied, “I’m very excited to be part of Team KidSport on PEI and generate awareness for such a great cause.  When I think about where I would be without sport it genuinely scares me. The values I have learned, the relationships I have made, and the confidence I have gained through sport is what keeps me going. Every kid should have this opportunity. Kids with disabilities have even more barriers to physical activity, let alone the financial side of participating. This is why it is so very important to me.”

Each year, KidSport must raise all of the money it distributes in grants to families across PEI.  The grants are used towards registration and or equipment.  It can be challenging in a small province to raise these funds, but its initiatives like the KidSport Ambassador Team that are helping raise awareness for the program.

If you are looking to get involved, KidSport’s largest fundraiser of the year is taking place on March 9th.  Cooking for KidSport involves PEI’s top 5 sport organization as they battle it out on the culinary stage.  Visit cookingforkidsport.ca for more information, and to check out the online raffle and auction.

For more information on KidSport, please visit kidsport.ca/pei

Team KidSport PEI:

Lorie Kane – LPGA Tour
Mark Arendz – Canadian Paralympic Biathlete
Katie Baker – Former Canadian Field Hockey Captain
Jeff Ellsworth – Former Canadian Softball Captain
Morgan Ellis – Swedish Hockey League
Shannon MacAulay – Canadian Rowing
Emily Cameron – Oxford Rowing Team
Brett Gallant – Second for Brad Gushue Rink
Kameron Kielly – UPEI Men’s Hockey
Noah Dobson – QMJHL Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Kristen Cameron – Canadian Wheelchair Rugby