What We Do

Honouring the sacred sentiment of Remembrance,
while serving, promoting and acting

Youth National Track and Field

The Royal Canadian Legion’s mission is to support Veterans, promote Remembrance and strengthen communities. As part of our commitment to our communities, the Legion is involved in developing youth leadership at the local and national level. Canada’s youth play a crucial role in the growth of our communities and in continuing the tradition of Remembrance.

In the Legion’s early days, Legionnaires promoted youth sports as a way to help children whose fathers or mothers were serving abroad. From these informal beginnings, the Legion developed local, provincial and national youth athletics programs.

Today, Legion Branches support youth sports in their communities and help channel athletes into the Legion’s Provincial and National track and field programs.

The Legion’s National Youth Track and Field competition is the only one of its kind in Canada and has come to be regarded as one of the best in the country. Annually, it helps hundreds of athletes aged 12 to 17 years to develop their potential and strive to become Canada’s future Olympians. In fact, many of our former participants have gone on to international and Olympic success.

Through Legion sponsorship, many youth have learned the value of leadership and teamwork, among other important skills. In addition to promoting youth leadership, the Legion provides youth education opportunities to promote and encourage Remembrance among the next generation.

Cancelled: 45th National Youth Track and Field Championships

The pandemic and related public health concerns have forced the cancellation of the 2021 Legion National Youth Track and Field Championships, originally scheduled to take place from August 6-8 in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

“It is with great sadness that we decided to cancel, however it’s our responsibility to protect our youth,” says Brian Weaver, Dominion Vice President and Sports Committee Chair. “We knew they might be some of the last to be vaccinated, and large gatherings are still not advised or permitted. We sincerely thank all of our Provincial Commands, our sporting partner organizations and communities across Canada for their collaboration to date.”

Next year’s 2022 Legion Nationals will take place in Sherbrooke, Quebec from August 5 – 7.