Northern Lights Women's Development Program

Thank you for making it this far. Together with the Canadian women’s development program in Wheelchair Rugby, we are fundraising for the 2026-2027 season. Right now we need funds to help us host the development/selection camp in September in Edmonton and participate in the world championships in Paris in December. We are at a point where there are enough women interested nationwide that we need to select a team! 

Undoubtedly Wheelchair Rugby has made me who I am in my second life. I’ve been playing for about 3 1/2 years now, and the sport has kept me motivated to train, travel, and push my limits. The women’s national development program is the first team that I have officially been a part of, which reminded me of the beauty of female camaraderie in sport, and reignited my childhood competitiveness and a desire to win. Since our last meeting at the inaugural women’s national championships, I feel this desire across the squad. 

If you have a little to spare, we are looking for all the financial support we can get. Development camps and tournaments cost quite a bit with court costs, travel, and accommodation. Support and coaching staff are currently volunteers who we are very grateful for, but even though sometimes make financial contributions to come out. Any funds collected would go towards covering all these costs. We are grateful for absolutely anything, thank you so much!

That’s my spiel. We are doing a workout challenge starting August 15 to look out for on social media and we have T-shirt sales if you’re a T-shirt person.Below is a more official team description of our program, what we’ve been doing and what we are working towards.

The Northern Lights Women’s Development Program is a volunteer-led initiative, delivered in collaboration with Wheelchair Rugby Canada, dedicated to growing participation and elevating the visibility of women in wheelchair rugby.

Women remain underrepresented in the sport, despite growing interest and momentum worldwide. World Wheelchair Rugby has publicly called for the creation of a women’s division at the Paralympic Games, making this a pivotal moment to invest in the future of the sport and gender equity at the international level.

The Northern Lights are helping lead that change. By creating training and competition opportunities across the country, the program brings women together to train, compete, and develop at a high level.

In 2025, the Northern Lights made history at the Rugbymania tournament in Prague, becoming the first all-female team to compete in an international mixed-gender wheelchair rugby competition. Building on that momentum, the program has continued to advocate for greater opportunities, contributing to the creation of the first-ever Women’s Wheelchair Rugby National Championships.

This progress has led to another historic milestone: the first Women’s Wheelchair Rugby World Championships, taking place in Paris this December. The Northern Lights are now fundraising to support athletes and staff as they prepare for and compete on the world stage.

Your support helps make all of this possible. Donations directly fund athlete development, training camps, travel, and competition opportunities, ensuring more women have the chance to participate and excel in wheelchair rugby.

Be part of this movement. Help us continue to break barriers, create opportunities, and represent Canada at this landmark moment for women’s wheelchair rugby.