Local KidSport committee helping local athletes
October 27, 2025, 1:58 pm
Ashley Bochek
KidSport helps support young athletes succeed at sport by helping cover financial cost for families. The goal is to help all kids participate in their favourite sports.
KidSport Saskatchewan is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year. A gala was held in Regina recently to mark the 30th anniversary, and Sue Shepherd, who organized the KidSport group in the Whitewood-Moosomin area, was singled out at the provincial gala for her efforts over the years.
Beth Oslund of Whitewood, Sue’s daughter, is now the chairperson of KidSport in the Whitewood-Moosomin area.
She explains the organization’s commitment to helping all kids in the area participate in sports. “We are KidSport Whitewood-Moosomin and area. We cover Whitewood, Wapella, Moosomin, Rocanville,” she says. “We are an organization, and we cover the registration fees so kids can participate in sports. Our motto is, ‘So no kids will be left on the side lines.’
“I am the President of the club. I volunteer my time. There are a couple of others as well as myself who go over the application. I am the chairperson of this KidSport chapter in our area.”
KidSport Saskatchewan celebrates 30 years
Oslund says her mom was instrumental in getting KidSport established in the Whitewood-Moosomin area.
“We are celebrating our 30th anniversary this year—KidSport Saskatchewan. It has been around for quite a long time. I fully took over from it in 2019 when my mom passed away. She had been doing it for years and I had actually just found a picture of her 22 years ago at an event supporting KidSport, so it has been around for quite a long time.”
Oslund says the group helps cover registration fees for families in the area. “There is a need,” she said. “Last year, we helped about 40 kids in the area with registration fees. We cover registration costs, and we can also cover equipment costs, but for a lot of it we have equipment. Out here they wouldn’t send stuff out from the cities. We usually try to offer the Jumpstart program for equipment costs as well. It is pretty easy to find a pair of hockey skates or equipment around our communities as well, so we don’t see the need to help support with equipment often.”
She explains the program focuses on helping low-income families with kids interested in participating in sport.
“Whoever is interested in applying can contact me or they can go to the KidSport Saskatchewan website and there will be a button on the website that says ‘Find My Chapter’ and they can apply online for a sport. We cover $750 per year per child.
“There are eligibility requirements. A lot of it is more for low-income families. You can still apply if there are some circumstances that have come up for some reason. You can just explain in your application what is going on.”
Oslund says they have supported many young talented athletes including a well-known NHL hockey player.
“I think it is for the kids’ sake,” she said. “We don’t want to see a kid not be able to take part in something they love doing or want to do because of their financial situation at that time. We just want to keep kids active, allow them to do what they love and see them succeed. We have had previous people that have applied and we funded—one has now played in the NHL and he wouldn’t have had that chance if it weren’t for us supporting.”
KidSport Saskatchewan is funded from grants and donations. “We are funded through grants,” said Osund. “We do fundraise as well. Through KidSport Saskatchewan and KidSport Canada we get allocations from them. We do a lot of fundraising. We just did the Fuel Good Day and we get lottery grants from towns and donations. Anyone can donate.
“We’ve done a barbecue fundraiser at MacLeod Elementary School on one of their end-of-year sports days. Flaman’s has donated to us before. It is such a small committee that we don’t have the people behind us to do big events, so we are always looking to expand our committee so we can be out in the communities more.”
Steps for applying to KidSport Saskatchewan
Oslund explains how families can apply to KidSport in our area.
“Once they apply online, my committee will get together, look over the applications, make sure everyone is eligible and approve or disapprove or if we need more information from them. If they are approved they will receive an email from us. There are also paper applications to fill out to apply.
“The town office in Moosomin should have some application forms, and if not we can get them some, and the schools have them.
“Then, after that they register for their sport, I usually get in touch with the committee part of the sport. We just had a few for football season so I contacted the groups who look after that, listing the kids who are covered by us, and we send the cheque directly to the sports organization.”
Oslund says KidSport is important for small communities.
“Out in smaller communities we don’t get programs like this like they do in the cities,” she said.
“Knowing how much this program is used in our area shows it is needed everywhere, especially here—the costs could be higher than in other places because you are rural and need to cover facility fees with possibly less kids.”
Apply in advance
Oslund says it is best for families to a
pply in advance of registration dates for KidSport and local organizations.
“We just ask that you apply in advance of registration. For example, hockey groups have to put their fees into Hockey Canada by a certain date, so it’s easier to do it all ahead of time before it starts so we aren’t holding up the organizations. Most people are pretty good with applying ahead of time.”
The Whitewood-Moosomin Chapter is one of 38 chapters across the province. Over the years KidSport Saskatchewan has helped more than 170,000 kids participate in sports with more than $17 million in funding.
Reach out to our area’s KidSport President and Chair Beth Oslund by email: pipestonekidsport@hotmail.com Or apply online at: https://kidsportcanada.ca/saskatchewan/
