Brock Badgers wrestler Garette Saunders has been awarded funding and an accelerated path to the Olympics after impressing scouts at the RBC Training Ground national final.
“Garette, a member of our high performance centre at Brock, is a determined and disciplined wrestler who has a ‘gas tank’ that goes forever,” said Chris Woodcroft, High Performance Director, Wrestling Canada. “He is doing everything possible to put himself in contention for the 2028 Olympic Team, but is not a carded athlete, so we are thrilled he is getting this RBC Training Ground support.
Saunders finished second at Wrestling Canada’s 2025 senior national championships, and is a multiple USports medalist. He also earned a Bronze Medal this year at the Senior Pan American Championships. He also joins fellow Brock Badger Mia Friesen to be recognized at the RBC Training Ground.
“Garette is a selfless leader who puts his teammates’ needs above his own. He is a determined individual who has worked tirelessly to improve his technical, tactical and physical abilities (his 30 m Shuttle results at RBC Training Ground are a testament to his efforts)!,” said Woodcroft. “Garette is on the trajectory to earn a spot on the National Team in the near future and since wrestling is predominantly a self-funded sport this will really assist him in reaching his athletic goals.”
Saunders was one of more than 2,500 athletes (aged 14-25) to participate in RBC Training Ground this year, an annual cross-country talent search run in partnership with the Canadian Olympic Committee and regional Canadian Sport Institutes. Only 100 athletes were invited to the final, held in Vancouver on November 1.
Only 35 of the finalists were selected for funding. Funding is administered by the participating National Sport Organization bringing the athlete into its system, and is used for things like coaching, transportation, travel, equipment, and nutrition.
RBC Training Ground sees athletes from a wide range of sports perform core speed, strength, power and endurance tests in front of Olympic talent scouts from fifteen different national sport organizations to find the sport for which they are most suited. An athlete’s anthropomorphic measurements (height, wingspan, etc), sport-specific testing (conducted following the qualifier stage) and competitive sport history also play a role in who is selected for funding. At the national final athletes complete a second round of core testing.
In addition to funding, selected athletes earn a spot in the national development program with one of the partner sports and mentorship from RBC Olympians.
“Some of the athletes who participate in RBC Training Ground are looking to re energize or boost an Olympic dream in a sport they are already participating in,” said Evan MacInnis, Technical Director, RBC Training Ground. “Others participate with the hope of being discovered and directed toward an Olympic sport they may have never considered. But they all rely on raw athleticism to impress our sport partners and compete for funding.”
A new season of RBC Training Ground will be launching in early 2026. Visit RBCTrainingGround.ca for a complete schedule and details.
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
