Inside the Royal Canadian Legion’s Mission to Expand the Legion National Youth Track and Field Championships
By Connie Jeske Crane
The alumni list is formidable. Five-time Olympian Charmaine Crooks, and 2024 Olympic hammer throw gold medalists Ethan Katzberg and Camryn Rogers, all came up through the Legion Nationals. At the 2012 London Olympics, a whopping 60% of Team Canada athletes did too.
With these successes to their credit, the Royal Canadian Legion presses on, intent on supporting ever more young athletes. “We’re always trying to grow,” says Emily Gentes, senior program officer.
Here’s a closer look at the Legion Nationals’ forward-looking sport hosting strategy.
CHALLENGES
In looking to grow, Gentes identifies two main challenges with the Legion’s signature championship event:
Shifting audience: Because athletes are continually “aging out,” the target audience keeps shifting, putting a huge onus on proactive communication. “Athletes [participate] for years, U16 and U18, so a lot of the athletes and parents are new. It’s always kind of like beginning information sharing again,” Gentes explains.
Location changes: The event moves to a different Canadian city every two years. “Sponsorships have been a little bit more difficult to secure on that front, but we are trying,” Gentes adds.
KEY GROWTH STRATEGIES
Last October, Gentes attended Spo Ho Xperience in Regina to have one-on-ones with sport hosting professionals. Knee-deep in the bid process for 2028 and 2029, she says, “I appreciated the opportunity to both meet people that had expressed interest in hosting Legion Nationals… and meet with those looking for more information.”
OUTREACH TO PARA ATHLETES
To further grow the event, the last two years organizers have encouraged para athletes to participate. While only one para athlete competed in 2025, Gentes says the initiative “has a lot of potential.”
As part of the strategy to attract more para athletes, military veteran Mike Trauner was appointed a Legion Nationals ambassador. “He is an Afghanistan veteran. He lost both of his legs and had other various injuries as a result of his service,” says Nujma Bond, manager of communications for the Royal Canadian Legion. Bond notes the retired master corporal, and rower, shares his story with athletes and “cheers them on throughout the games.”
COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNICATIONS
Given the constant flow of newcomers to the championship competition, Gentes says multiple channels are needed to reach parents, athletes and potential sponsors. With the new para initiative, for example, “we had a poster email campaign,” Gentes says. Messaging “is also supported with our social channels here in the Legion, however the Legion channels aren’t just for sport.”
Beyond Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, Gentes says it’s important for the organization to push communications internally and externally. Besides provincial commands within the Legion, updates go to Canadian sport communities—such as coaches, national and provincial sport organizations, and school athletic associations.
“All of that leads to our website,” Gentes adds, noting the Legion Nationals website has a technical manual and scrupulous details on everything from qualifying to registration and event accommodations. “It helps the parents or anyone coming to our website grasp what is needed.”
MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES
Achieving growth requires a quality experience for those involved. Organizers first ensure the Legion Nationals are professionally run, something Bond says is also foundational for athletes aiming to go on to compete professionally: “They have that initial introduction at a very young age of what it’s like—the pressures and the emotion and how it all works.”
In addition, Bond says leadership skills, a coming together, themes of remembrance and honouring of veterans’ sacrifices all make the overall sentiment of the Legion Nationals unique. “The spirit and the camaraderie and the friendship is really palpable when you are at this event… We are so proud of these championships.”
THE LEGION NATIONALS
Roots: It started with one branch. In the early 1950s, Ontario Legion Hydro Branch No. 277 held invitational track meets to support youth, including those with parents in the military.
Today: Now an annual three-day event, the Legion Nationals are a national competition for U16 and U18 athletes.
International recognition: Over the years, many participants have achieved national, international and Olympic success.
Heart: On and off the field, organizers instill lessons about leadership, camaraderie and the sacrifices of Canadian war veterans.
Steady growth: Some 800 athletes competed in 2023; 900 in 2024; and 1,000 in 2025.
Locations: The host destination shifts every two years—Calgary in 2024 and 2025; and Regina for 2026 and 2027.
PHOTOS: ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION; STEPHEN J. THORNE
Published March 2026
