The object of the game is to roll a hollow ball with a bell across a goal line. Because the players suffer from varying degrees of blindness, players must wear a blindfold at all times. To cover training costs and living expenses, Christie receives funding from Sport Canada. Sport Canada, a branch of the federal department of Canadian Heritage, funds more than 1,000 amateur athletes through its athlete assistance program. But amateur athletes have to break through a lot of red tape to receive federal funding.
Disabled athletes have to break through even more.
To receive card status an athlete has to meet certain government requirements. To reach that status, Sport Canada offers lower ranked cards for athletes that show potential. Dan Smith, the director general of Sport Canada, says in the past there hasn't been as much card funding for athletes with disabilities, but that's changing. Whether it be gender equity, inclusion of people with disabilities, or inclusion of aboriginal athletes, Smith says they're working on programs to make things as equitable as possible. Smith says they're going to give out an additional 300 cards, add more coaches, improve facilities and provide more funding for international competitions.