On May 15, 56 Yukon athletes participated in the RBC Training Grounds to test their physical and athletic ability.

Founded in 2016, the RBC Training Grounds is a series of regional combine events designed to help partnering sports uncover athletes with Olympic potential. At RBC Training Ground events, athletes between the ages of 14 and 25 are tested in speed, strength, power, and endurance by National Sport Organizations and the Canadian Olympic Paralympic Sport Institute Network.

Results are then compared against high-performance benchmarks, with (up to) the top 30 athletes receiving funding to pursue their Olympic aspirations.

Since the program’s inauguration, 5,500 athletes have been tested across Canada. Of those athletes, 600 were identified as high potential and invited for further testing.

During the Training Grounds, athletes are put through five baseline tests - the vertical jump (cm) 10m sprint, 30m sprint, isometric mid-thigh pull (kg), and the beep test. The athletes perform these tests in front of National Sport Organizations.

It was the first time the event has been held North of 60.

In 2019, close to 2,000 athletes participated in one of 30 local RBC Training Grounds. Of those 2,000, 100 were selected to the Olympic Talent Search final, including Whitehorse archer Vincent Menard.

On September 14, Menard, 18, will complete the tests again in Calgary. This time with funding and a spot in a national team program on the line.

Thirty athletes will be officially selected as RBC ‘Future Olympians’ and will receive funding and resources to pursue their Olympic dreams.

For Menard, it was a job interview that brought him to the RBC Training Grounds on that May weekend.

“I wanted to apply for a summer job at Flatwater North,” said Menard. “The boss is a family friend, Daniel Girouard. I wanted to work with the canoe kids and I asked if I could apply for that.

“He said ‘sure, on Saturday I’ll be at the RBC Training Grounds it’s a thing you can apply for if you want to and if not come and see me there and we will do the interview’.

“I learned about the RBC Training Ground two days before and saw it was something quite big going on in Whitehorse and something I could apply for.”

The weekend was a successful one for Menard, not only did he have a lot of fun testing himself, he also got the job.

When he received the email informing him he was in the top 100 athletes invited to Calgary he said it unexpected.

“I was very surprised,” said Menard. “I know I got in the top three for a couple events in the Yukon but I didn’t know I was that high up in the whole of Canada. I was quite happy for what I accomplished it wasn’t something I thought I never would have done.”

In Whitehorse, Menard had the top score, 232 kg, in the isometric mid-thigh pull. He was second in the 30m sprint and third place in the vertical jump.

Menard said he is going into Calgary with low expectations.

“I’m not expecting much,” he said. “What is amazing is they invite a bunch of Olympic athletes and professional coaches. If I don’t get in the top three or top two which I highly doubt I will. I can still outdo myself and participate in another sport if they see potential in another sport.”

At the final Menard will have the opportunity to meet and seek advice from Olympic champions Justin Kripps (Bobsleigh, 2018), Patrick Chan (Team Figure Skating, 2018) and Penny Oleksiak (100m Freestyle Swim, 2018). Tokyo 2020 medal hopeful Melissa Humana-Paredes (world number one, Beach Volleyball) will also be on site.

The RBC Training Grounds is just to test physical ability and to find the gems and it is about pairing athletes with a sport even if they have not played or participated in it before.

In the Olympics, archers only compete with recurve bows - Menard shoots compound. He said he would be willing to try a different sport if the opportunity presented itself.

“I can’t participate in the Olympics (in compound),” said Menard, “but if they offer me a sport I have the potential to participate in, I may as well try it. I’m open.”

“I want to have fun over there and I want to try out new things. If I have potential for new sports may as well try it.”

Menard said he still hasn’t taken a second to appreciate the accomplishment.

“It’s pretty cool to represent the territory,” said Menard. “There will probably be like 50 from Ontario, 30 from Quebec but the Yukon is kind of the place that’s undermined.

“It’s weird to wrap my head around that. That’s why I couldn’t believe it when I got the email. I’ve beaten over 1,800 athletes to get to this spot. I’m going to try and represent the Yukon as best I can and do my best. I can’t promise anything.”

Menard went out on a whim and said he will probably be the only archer at the final. He doesn’t consider archery a physically demanding compared to other sports but a mentally demanding sport.

“What you need the most in archery is endurance,” said Menard. “You are up there shooting 72 arrows over three hours. You have to be ready to shoot 72 arrows and shot as many 10s as possible.”

Menard went out on a whim and said he will probably be the only archer at the final. He doesn’t consider archery a physically demanding compared to other sports but a mentally demanding sport.

“What you need the most in archery is endurance,” said Menard. “You are up there shooting 72 arrows over three hours. You have to be ready to shoot 72 arrows and shot as many 10s as possible.

“You need the mindset you are only going to shoot 10s and for three hours straight you think about that. It’s not 30 seconds on the ice then go sit back down.”

The mental aspect of archery he said will help him at the final, in an event like the isometric thigh pull.

“Deadlift I can pull, pull, pull, but I know I can pull more,” said Menard. “I am physically and mentally pushing myself to pull more, so mental aspect always going to help me with that.”

Before he tests himself at the Olympic talent search Menard will be taking on a new academic challenge. He will soon be leaving for Ottawa to attend Carleton University.