Athletics & recreation

Amateur sport builds community spirit and develops a love of activity that can last a lifetime

At a university where many students live away from home, sports and recreation are especially important in maintaining well-being and enjoying campus life. UVic offers a comprehensive program of competitive sports and fitness programs in facilities used by students and community groups. Each year more than 250 student athletes compete on 16 UVic teams and 35,000 spectators attend Vikes games.

The Vikes coaches are considered among the best in their field and their knowledge, commitment and passion for their sport ensure each student athlete’s experience is exceptional. Since 1980, more than 80 UVic students have represented Canada in the Olympic Games and UVic ranks fourth in Canadian Interuniversity Sport championships, a remarkable record for a mid-sized university. Since 1975, UVic teams have captured 45 CIS national team championships and won 80 gold, 85 silver and 65 bronze medals in individual events.

To be successful, student athletes must train on a year-round schedule. Many practise two or more hours per day and spend weekends travelling to competitions. With a full academic course load, there is little time for part-time work to finance their studies. For high performing student athletes, choosing a university is often based on the availability of athletic financial awards.

While American universities have long offered student athletes full financial assistance, it is only in recent years that Canadian universities have been permitted to expand their support to a level that covers the cost of tuition and fees. Through the generosity of corporate and individual donors, many Canadian universities and colleges now offer attractive athletic scholarships that allow time-starved student athletes to pursue their passion for sport, maintain their academic standing and contribute to the community. But UVic ranks low in the value of its athletic awards - 11th out of 13 post-secondary institutions in western Canada. The university urgently needs to increase athletic awards to a level that is competitive with other institutions if they are to sustain the winning record of Vikes teams. Creating new annual awards and building the athletics scholarship endowment will enhance UVic’s ability to recruit and retain top talent, crucial to competing at the highest levels of varsity sport.

For more information, visit the Vikes Athletics or contact Mr. Brent Dobbie, at 250-472-4642, email bdobbie@uvic.ca.

To make a donation now, please go to the online giving form. You may give to a fund of your choice or choose a Vikes Athletic fund from General Funds.