9 Team Canada Paralympians That Have Completely Different Jobs When They're Not Competing
There are so many diverse careers!👇
Talk about a busy schedule! Although being an athlete is a full-time job for many of the Team Canada Paralympians, others have completely different careers when they're not competing on the world stage.
While Canadian Olympic athletes who make the podium can actually make up to $20,000, Paraolympians actually don't get any financial compensation for winning, the Canadian Paralympic Committee has confirmed.*
Here are just a few examples of the diverse jobs Canada's Paralympic athletes have when they're not travelling, practicing and competing in their respective sports:
Jennifer Brown
Who: Jennifer Brown
Their sport: Para athletics
Their side hustle: When she's not winning medals in para athletics, Brown works as a business strategist for the City of Calgary in waste and recycling services. She also studied Urban Planning at the University of Saskatchewan and serves on the Athletes' Council of the Canadian Paralympic Committee. Impressive, eh?
Byron Green
Who: Byron Green
Their sport: Wheelchair Rugby
Their side hustle: Talk about multi-skilled! In addition to his "rigorous training schedule," Green also works as a civil engineer. If that wasn't enough, he also volunteers within the community by recruiting new athletes, visiting rehabilitation hospitals and coaching wheelchair rugby programs.
Danielle Ellis
Who: Danielle Ellis
Their sport: Sitting Volleyball
Their side hustle: When she's not busy competing in Sitting Volleyball on an international level, Ellis works in the dispatch centre for B.C. Ambulance in Langley. She's also an ambassador for Endur Apparel and attended the Justice Institute of British Columbia.
Tammy Cunnington
Who: Tammy Cunnington
Their sport: Para swimming
Their side hustle: Tammy Cunnington must be a busy person. In addition to being a Paralympian, the swimmer owns and operates her own construction business with her husband. She's also an ambassador for Fast and Female and The Rick Hansen Foundation AND she volunteers with the Canadian Blood Services and the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Oh, she's a public speaker too!
Tristen Chernove
Who: Tristen Chernove
Their sport: Para cycling
Their side hustle: When he's not cycling and winning medals for Team Canada, Chernove actually owns an airport management company called Elevate Airports Inc. He operates the Canadian Rockies International Airport, as well.
Jessye Brockway
Who: Jessye Brockway
Their sport: Para rowing
Their side hustle: Away from Para rowing World Championships, Brockway is trained as an Ayurvedic specialist. She also completed a B.A. in Human Kinetics at Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C. and earned her certification at the Integrative Institute of Nutrition Health Coaching.
Renee Foessel
Who: Renee Foessel
Their sport: Para athletics
Their side hustle: In addition to setting world records in the F38 discus, Foessel works for Barrie Police in records and information management services. She's also a Humber College graduate and is continuing further education.
Marie-Ève Croteau
Who: Marie-Ève Croteau
Their sport: Para cycling
Their side hustle: When she's not cycling and competing, Quebec's Croteau works as an administration and accounting technician for a mental health organization.
Lauren Barwick
Who: Lauren Barwick
Their sport: Para equestrian
Their side hustle: Before becoming a Para dressage athlete, Barwick worked as a professional stunt woman in the film industry — she even guest starred on Heartland.
When she's not competing on a professional level, she now works as a horse trainer and is a "four-star professional instructor." Pretty cool, right?
*This article has been updated.
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