Sports Teams - Variety Village

Variety Village is proud to be the home of several sport teams, all part of the Variety Village Athletic Club (VVAC). The VVAC gives athletes of all abilities the opportunity to be active and competitive to the best of their ability.

Since 1982, the teams of the VVAC have provided the perfect training ground for athletes who go on to compete at provincial, national and international levels. Children, youth, and adults competing as members of integrated sports teams see many benefits: developing both muscle and self-esteem, learning coordination, making new friends, and learning to see abilities rather than disabilities.

Athletics (Track & Field)

Aligned with Athletic Canada’s LTAD stages, Variety Athletics offers training that supports the athletes event speciality. Depending on the stage of development, athletes begin to be streamed into the event group area (throws, jumps, sprints, endurance or wheelchair events) where they can experience success. Speed, strength, aerobic capacity and power are optimized based on the event requirement.

The annual training plans are built around the indoor and outdoor athletic season. Club athletes are committed to regular training and competition with other track & field teams at the provincial, national and international level.

Head Coach:
Jamal Miller, jmiller@varietyontario.ca
NCCP Level 2, Club Coach, Engineering and Biomechanics

Athletics

Boccia

Boccia is an inclusive and adaptive sport that provides athletes of all ages and abilities the opportunity to learn, train, and compete in a supportive team environment.

Variety Village is proud to offer a Boccia team with weekly practices held in our accessible fieldhouse. Participants receive coaching and have opportunities to develop skills through practice, training, and competition.

Athletes of all abilities and experience levels are invited and encouraged to register and participate.

Contact:
Archie Allison, aallison@varietyontario.ca

Boccia

Challenger Baseball

Challenger Baseball is an adaptive baseball program designed for children, youth, and adults with physical, cognitive, or developmental disabilities. The program creates an inclusive team environment where every athlete is valued, supported, and celebrated. Through baseball, participants develop important life skills such as teamwork, communication, confidence, and social inclusion, while building friendships and a strong sense of belonging.

Variety Village is proud to be a Jays Care Community Partner and to host Challenger Baseball in both indoor and outdoor settings. Programs take place indoors during the winter season in Variety’s fully accessible fieldhouse, as well as outdoors at Variety’s courtyard baseball diamond and the Roy Halladay Field of Dreams, located near Variety Village.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate.

Contact:
Archie Allison, aallison@varietyontario.ca

Challenger Baseball

Flames Swim

The Flames Swim team is an integrated competitive swim team that provides opportunities for training and competition to swimmers of all levels, ages, stages, and abilities. The team has a long history of developing swimmers who reach provincial, national, and international levels. Our swimmers focus on developing fundamental skills in preparation for competition.

The Flames Swim team offers various training and program options. To learn more, please contact the head coaches.

Head Coach:
James Berry
jberry@varietyontario.ca

Flames

Golf

Variety Village’s Golf program introduces athletes to the game in an inclusive and welcoming environment that supports learning, growth, and connection through sport.

During the fall and winter seasons, athletes participate in indoor sessions focused on building core skills, understanding technique, and developing confidence, while training alongside teammates of diverse ages, abilities, and experience levels. Beyond indoor sessions, participants may also have opportunities to visit a driving range and take part in golf tournaments and competitive events.

Athletes of all backgrounds are encouraged to join and explore this engaging and rewarding sport.

Head Coach:
Stephen Bialowas, sbialowas@varietyontario.ca

Golf

Sunshine Swim

The Sunshine Swim team is the only team at Variety dedicated exclusively to individuals with developmental disabilities. Our coaches work to ensure that athletes train toward competitive swimming in an environment that is supportive and inclusive.

The 10-month training season is part of Special Olympics Ontario and Swim Ontario. The team has well-developed relationships with other competitive clubs across the province. New athletes interested in joining the team are asked to meet with the coach to ensure they meet a standard both in the pool and on the deck.

Head Coach:
Marilyn Jang
mjang@varietyontario.ca

Sunshine

Taekwondo

Variety has provided martial arts classes for students of all ages and abilities for over 25 years. Under the curriculum and guidelines of the Young Choung Taekwondo™ Academy, this specialized program is ideal for recreational and competitive streams, with the main focus on Taekwondo’s sport principles.

Our coaching staff develop under the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) standards. Taekwondo classes follow the LTAD (long term athlete development) model with the focus on purposeful practice.

For more information, please contact the head coach.

Head Coach:
Master Rommel Cabanatan, ChPC-6th Dan, NCCP Level 4, rcabanatan@varietyontario.ca

Master Rommel is a past Provincial and National Team Coach. He is also an International Referee and the Tournament Director, Learning Facilitator and Evaluator. He is also a former Member of the Provincial Military and Canadian National Team.

Taekwondo

VOLT Hockey

VOLT Hockey is an accessible form of hockey that is played in a specifically designed hockey sport chair by people with a variety of disabilities, particularly those with limited upper mobility. For many of these children, it is their first opportunity to play on a team and learn valuable life skills such as team-building, competition, and social inclusion.

Variety is proud to offer VOLT Hockey at partnering locations across Ontario. To find a location near you, and to learn more about how to participate, please visit our VOLT Hockey page.

VOLT Hockey

Weightlifting

Olympic Weightlifting trains the athlete for functional strength and utilizes the body’s major muscle groups. Athletes are introduced to – and train toward -two Olympic lifting techniques: the snatch, and the clean and jerk. Training involves quality repetitions and building body strength. The training season runs 12 months of the year with the competition season starting in the summer months.

Head Coach:
Abdallah Alsebaai, aalsebaai@varietyontario.ca

Abdallah is an Olympian and World Champion and has been coaching since 1989. He is a Level 2 Certified Coach and Internationally Ranked Weightlifter. Abdallah has also been Competition Director for several competitions, including the 2011 Canadian Senior Weightlifting Championships, and 2014 Pan American Masters Weightlifting Championships.

Weightlifting

Wheelchair Basketball

For over 25 years, Variety has run an integrated wheelchair basketball team. With the focus on teaching athletes the skills necessary to play wheelchair basketball, the club also provides competition opportunities by attending local and regional games.

Over the years, team members and coaches have attained great milestones – including the Men’s and Women’s Canadian Wheelchair Basketball teams representing Canada at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England.

To learn more about the team and how to register, please contact the head coach.

Head Coach:
Stephen Bialowas, sbialowas@varietyontario.ca

NCCP Level 4. He is the Head Coach of Canadian Junior Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team, the interim head coach of the Canadian Senior Men’s National Team, as well as the coordinator for the Centre of Performance.

Wheelchair Basketball

Interested in being on a team?

For more information on Teams please contact:
Archie Allison
Manager, Teams
(416) 699-7167 ext 236
aallison@varietyontario.ca

Our Teams

Interested in being on a team?