ParaTough Cup: Home Edition encourages Canadians to try Para sport at home in support of athletes with a disability

The Paralympic Foundation of Canada is launching an innovative at-home version of its signature fundraising event this month, revamping its format due to the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage people across the country to try out some Para sport-inspired challenges from their own homes. ParaTough Cup: Home Edition fuelled by Petro-Canada™ will kick off October 9, raising funds to provide more opportunities for people with a disability to try sport at all levels.   

“As we are not able to gather in person right now, we are excited to make this year’s edition of ParaTough Cup nationwide and for Canadians to have the chance to experience activities that have been inspired by Para sport and hopefully have some fun with it,” said Dean Brokop, Director, Paralympic Foundation of Canada. “Everyone in Canada should have access to sport, and funds raised through ParaTough Cup are critical to growing sport opportunities for people with a disability. Thank you in advance to everyone who supports ParaTough Cup this year; your support is so valued and is making a difference in the lives of many athletes with a disability.”  

Typically held in four cities across Canada each year – Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, and Vancouver – ParaTough Cup first began in 2017 in Toronto and officially crossed the $1 million threshold raised with its final event in early 2020. The event gives participants real-world experience of Para sport, trying multiple sports alongside their fundraising teams with the assistance of Para athletes onsite.  

For the home edition, anyone can partake in ParaTough Cup by trying any of three adapted sport challenges – sitting volleyball, Para ice hockey, and wheelchair basketball. Demonstrated in videos by Para athletes, each challenge has been designed so they can be completed from the safety of one’s own home or local park.  

Wheelchair Basketball
Demonstrated by Tara Llanes, member of the Canadian women’s national team and Lima 2019 Parapan Am Games gold medallist and attempted by Nicolas-Guy Turbide, Para swimmer and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games bronze medallist 

Sitting Volleyball
Demonstrated by Shacarra Orr, Rio 2016 Paralympian and Tokyo 2020 athlete ambassador, and attempted by Rob Armstrong, member of Canadian national Para ice hockey team and PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Games silver medallist 

Para Ice Hockey
Demonstrated by Billy Bridges, member of Canadian national team, five-time Paralympian and three-time Paralympic medallist (one gold, one silver, one bronze), and attempted by Melanie Labelle, member of Canadian national wheelchair rugby team and Lima 2019 silver medallist 

Participants are asked to challenge, donate and share: record a video of themselves trying one of the sport challenges, donate online or via text, and then share their #ParaTough attempt on social media – perhaps even challenging their friends and family to do the same.  

“ParaTough Cup is such an exciting event and the home edition is an awesome chance for everybody to get a little taste of how challenging yet incredibly fun Para sport is,” said wheelchair basketball’s Tara Llanes. “I really encourage people to try it out for themselves and donate even if it’s just $5, $10, or $20. Sport has been my life and all people with a disability in this country should have the chance to play or compete – whether it’s getting out there to be healthy and active or compete at a high level and represent Canada like me.” 

Anyone can donate via Paratoughcup.ca/donate or by texting PARATOUGH to 41010 to make a one-time donation of $10, $20, or $25. Together, Pfizer and ParaTough Cup: Home Edition presenting sponsor Petro-Canada, a Suncor business, will also donate $1 every time the hashtag #ParaTough is used on social media, up to a maximum of $30,000.  

In addition, individuals can create their own fundraising pages and encourage their networks to donate, with prizes awarded based on fundraising totals and the top five fundraisers receiving a ParaTough Cup: Home Edition trophy. A silent auction will run online from October 19-30 as well.  

ParaTough Cup: Home Edition will officially kick off on October 9. For more information, please visit Paratoughcup.ca.  

The Paralympic Foundation of Canada is a registered charitable foundation and the philanthropic arm of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Founded in 2015, the PFC believes that every single Canadian should be able to imagine themselves at the start line, regardless of ability. Funding provided by the PFC is critical to supporting and providing more opportunities to Para athletes and programs across the country.