LEAP Program

Quest University’s Leaders in Elite Athletics and Performance program (LEAP) is an innovative model for the Canadian sport system; a partnership between an educational institution and sport, and a means by which to support the high-performance Canadian athlete. The full integration of the Quest EAPP into Sport Canada’s Athlete Assistance Program would place Canada’s high-performance athletes in a situation in which there was no conflict between pursuing their sport and life goals. This unity of purpose is a stated goal of Canada’s athletes and of The Canadian Sport Policy (2012).

Unlike traditional universities, Quest University does not have a varsity athletic program. Individual sports and excellence are woven into the culture at Quest.

Athletes are not the only ones who benefit from the LEAP program. Creative performers of all types have joined, thanks to the flexibility it affords them when needing to spend extended time away for things like concert tours, acting gigs, or travel-related performance opportunities.

Benefits

Quest University’s academic Block Plan is perfectly suited to elite athletes and performers. LEAP students have the flexibility to take months off for training, competition, media tours, or performances without missing a full slate of classes like you would at a traditional university.

LEAP students will also benefit from personal brand development coaching provided by expert partners of the university. Quest is committed to investing in both the academic and professional careers of each student during their journey through the LEAP program.

LEAP program benefits include:

Extra flexibility in campus housing, billing, and scheduling
Awarded the LEAP scholarship, which can be combined with other Quest scholarships or bursaries
May take longer to complete their degree
Can take up to 4 Blocks of independent study courses one-on-one with a Quest University professor
Priority course registration
Flexibility to drop classes later than other students without penalty
Personal brand development coaching designed to support and train LEAP students in managing their brands through personal and public media.
Exclusive Quest LEAP branded gear

The Elite Athlete and Performer Program (EAPP) at Quest University Canada is explicitly designed to accommodate the special needs of accomplished student athletes and performers. LEAP students are afforded unmatched flexibility in housing, billing, and course scheduling. Students accepted into the program are awarded an automatic $5,000

Training Facilities

Squamish, British Columbia is known as the Adventure Capital of Canada. Boasting world-class rock climbing, mountain biking, and kite surfing in its backyard, as well as Olympic skiing and snowboarding with its neighboring community at Whistler – site of the 2010 Winter Olympics – Squamish beckons past and present Olympians from around the world for training.

Quest is located on 60 acres of property on the border of Garibaldi Provincial Park for outdoor cross-training.

On-campus gymnasium, tennis courts, a bouldering gym and squash courts.

An outdoor FIFA-certified soccer field.
Access to Garibaldi Provincial Park adjacent to campus, with world-renowned trails
Outstanding fitness and sports medicine practitioners and facilities in Squamish
Thirty-minute drive to Whistler Olympic training facilities, 45 minutes to Vancouver

Eligibility

To be eligible for LEAP, students must meet at least one of the following requirements:

Be an officially recognized athlete by the government of your country, state and/or province
Be officially registered with a governing body or organization (national, provincial, state, or general) representing their sport or performance discipline
Be a sponsored athlete, artist, musician, actor, speaker, or media personality
Earn majority of personal income from participation in an art or sport

For more information, contact the LEAP Director.

Current and Past Members

2x Canada Olympic Halfpipe Ski Team
1x Team Canada Alpine Snowboard
1x Canada Olympic Luge
2x Team Canada Sailing
1x Bouldering World Champion
2x Team USA Certified Climbing coach
2x Internationally Competitive Dancers
2x Professional Team Road Cyclists
1x BC Provincial Road Cycling
2x Provincial Level XC Mountain Biking
4x Provincial or State Team Alpine Skiing
4x Freeride World Tour Big Mountain Skiers
4x Women’s World Tour Cycling Team
8X Canadian National Road Champion team
3x National Junior SCO Championships
1x Canadian Olympic Mtn. Bike team
1x Canadian Olympic Cycling Team
4x medal winner Canadian Olympic Para Ski-team
Ajay Friese – Actor/Musician (Riverdale, Lost in Space)

Kimberly Cooper, LEAP

Kimberly Cooper is a dancer from Calgary, AB, who has qualified for North American Nationals and numerous major international dance competitions since 2006. She has been competing in the World Championships since 2009.

Byron Essert, LEAP

Byron Essert is a skateboarder born and raised in Piedmont, California. In Spanish, pie de monte means foothills, so one might say he grew up in the perfect place to learn how to bomb...

Kaela Evenchick, LEAP

As a child, acrobat Kaela climbed on pretty much anything she could get her hands on. It wasn't much of a surprise when she took up Circus Arts. She started through recreational programs...

Darren Gardner, LEAP

Originally from Burlington, ON, Darren lives and trains in Squamish. Darren started snowboarding at the age of 4, and is a member of the Canadian Alpine Snowboard Team. He competed for Canada in...

Roz (Rosalind) Groenewoud, LEAP

Rosalind started skiing when she was 3 years old. She had to temporarily give up the sport when her family moved to Quito, Ecuador. When her family returned to Canada in 2002, she...

Keltie Hansen, LEAP

Originally from Edmonton, AB, Keltie is a member of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association and competes in multiple events at the international level. She earned her spot on the National Team in 2010....

Katherine Kurdyak, LEAP

Katherine studied classical music as a child—playing violin and piano, singing in choirs and taking music lessons. She started writing music when she was 12. Currently, she is a singer/songwriter for the popular...

Martin Lentz, LEAP

Martin is an elite skier from New Mexico. His academic focus is on environmental science and public policy. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to the small ski town of...

Kyle Martin, LEAP

An avid sailor from Vancouver, Kyle's academic focus is on Math and Physics. Kyle trains at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. He is a member of the Canadian National Sailing Team, and currently...

Mason Pitchel, LEAP

Mason started his climbing career at age 9 and hasn't stopped since. Climbing started off as a competitive sport for the New England native, but his passion for the podium soon shifted to a...

Dexter Robson, LEAP

Dexter, a professional mountain biker, grew up on Salt Spring Island, BC. When not in competition or filming his latest video project, he spends his time enthusiastically getting sideways in the sloppy, muddy,...

Gaelen Schiedel-Webb, LEAP

Originally from Haliburton, ON, Gaelen Schiedel-Webb relocated to Park City, Utah, where he is a State-Level Alpine Snowboarder. Notable results: 2nd Place: 2012 USASA Snowboard National Championships 6th Place: 2012 Giant Slalom #1 1st...

Natasha Weninger, LEAP

Natasha is a member of the BCW Saskatchewan Cycling Team, which serves both recreational and competitive cyclists in and around Saskatoon. The club is operated and sponsored by Bruce's Cycle Works, and is...

Andrew Wood, LEAP

Andrew Wood grew up in Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. He is accomplished in both slopeside and freeride snowboarding. He trained on the BC Development Team in Slopestyle in 2008, based out of...

Hayden Wyatt, LEAP

Hayden was born in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He was lucky to be raised in a small cabin in Grand Teton National Park, and spent his winters skiing and his summers playing in the...