Our Mission
Removing barriers so every kid can play
Mission, Vision & Values
Our Vision
Empowering kids through sports
Our Values
Inclusivity, Empowerment, Community, Integrity
Our Story
Athletics4Kids was founded over 23 years ago by Craig Knapton and a group of friends from North Vancouver, BC, driven by a shared belief that every child deserves the opportunity to participate in sport. Inspired by the transformative power of sport, they personally invested to launch Athletics4Kids and support access to organized sport in their community.
Today, Athletics4Kids remains a grassroots organization with significant reach as our team of three staff and small army of volunteers ensures that kids across BC have the chance to play.
With the help of individual donors, companies and foundations, we have provided over $3.1 million through over 14,500 Sport4Life Grants. This has enabled thousands of kids to participate in over 55 eligible sports.
Honouring Our Founder, Craig Knapton
Craig Knapton believed deeply in the power of sport. His vision, generosity, and leadership helped build Athletics for Kids into an organization that ensures every child—regardless of financial barriers—has the chance to play, grow, and thrive.
Craig’s legacy continues to guide our mission today. Through dedicated programs created in his honour, we celebrate the impact he made and the thousands of young lives he continues to inspire.
Craig Knapton Legacy Fund
Supporting kids today, honouring Craig forever.
The Legacy Fund helps ensure that future generations of young athletes have access to organized sports
Craig Knapton Community Spirit Award
Recognizing youth who reflect Craig’s values.
This annual award celebrates young leaders who demonstrate resilience, compassion, and a commitment to their community.
Craig’s Tribute Page
A life dedicated to empowering young people.
Visit Craig’s In Memory page to learn more about the legacy he leaves behind and the profound influence he had on our community.
We work hard every day to get more kids off the bench and into the game
We champion families
We champion families across BC and children who face barriers to participating in sport. Through a simple, discreet granting process, we help parents and caregivers say “yes!” to their kids by supporting access to registration in over 55 organized sports — season after season, year after year. In 2024, we were excited to expand our program to include support for summer sports camps.
We work with our community
Through our growing network of coaches, counselors, educators, and administrators, we connect with families across BC that need our support to get their kids in the game. We focus on serving communities where child poverty rates are high, and access to sport is low.
We partner with donors
We believe in the power of our collective action and partner with individual donors, foundations, businesses and government to ensure we are able to fulfill every grant application we receive. With a small, talented team and efficient processes, we maximize the impact of every dollar given to ensure as many kids as possible are able to play sports.
Meet our Staff Team
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Maggie Larocque is an award-winning, nationally recognized nonprofit leader with a deep commitment to advancing equity, youth empowerment, and access to opportunity. An honours graduate of McGill University, she is currently completing a Master’s in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at Carleton University.
As Executive Director of Athletics 4 Kids (A4K), Maggie leads the organization in its mission to provide equitable access to sport for children and youth across British Columbia. She is passionate about breaking down financial and systemic barriers to participation, ensuring that every young person has the chance to benefit from the physical, social, and emotional opportunities sport provides.
Beyond A4K, Maggie is the founder of the Uplift Canada Foundation, a nonprofit that bridges the gap between environmental aid and community need through clothing redistribution and sustainable, justice-oriented solutions. In 2025, she was selected to represent Canada as a youth delegate at the United Nations Financing for Development Conference in Seville, Spain, where she advocated for youth-led financing solutions that advance equity and quality education.
In addition to her nonprofit leadership, Maggie is a published children’s book author whose work promotes self-confidence and empowerment in young readers. Through her writing and community involvement, she continues to champion youth voice, creativity, and leadership both locally and nationally.
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Breiana brings a strong background in administration and community engagement into her role as Administrative Coordinator at Athletics for Kids. With many years of experience in administrative roles, she ensures smooth day-to-day processes while supporting initiatives that help kids access sports.
Holding a Bachelor’s in Athletic Therapy and a kinesiology license, Breiana is passionate about youth wellness. She is currently pursuing a certificate in Human Resource Management at Simon Fraser University to expand her expertise in organizational leadership.
Beyond work, Breiana has dedicated time to volunteering with youth sports and athlete support, from on-field first aid to program coordination. She believes every child deserves the opportunity to play, grow, and reach their full potential - both on and off the field.
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Pamela holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and brings a strong background in organizational development to her role as Grant Coordinator at Athletics for Kids. With over eight years of experience across administration, education, and organizational support, she combines detail-oriented processes with a people-centered approach to ensure the efficient delivery of programs and meaningful community impact. Dedicated to building systems that foster equity and access for children and youth, Pamela is passionate about supporting initiatives that create opportunities for growth and development. Beyond her professional role, she is committed to fostering growth, opportunity, and meaningful impact in every community she serves.
Meet our Board of Directors
Our board of directors consists of 9 dedicated members. While they are from all different backgrounds, each Board Member has a unique passion for ensuring that every child has the opportunity to play sports.
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Scott Trotter has been a supporter of A4K since 2012, a member since 2013 and joined the Board of Directors in 2015. Through sports Scott has learned valuable life lessons such as teamwork, sportsmanship, perseverance, hard work and how to deal with success and failure. Through his involvement with A4K, Scott’s goal is to see young athletes achieve their dreams of playing sports and building important skills that will be the foundation for a healthy and successful life. Scott is the President of Staub Electronics, a proud father of two and is active in a number of sports including golf, squash and snowboarding. When not travelling throughout North America for business, Scott is regularly involved with his boys athletic pursuits which include baseball, golf, skiing, swimming, BMX biking and skateboarding.
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Realtor, FormanPilkington
Upon graduating from UBC with a Bachelor of Commerce in Urban Land Economics, Ross entered the commercial real estate sales and leasing industry on the North shore where he has excelled in that field, winning multiple awards such as top 30 producers in Re/Max Western Canada, and top 30 worldwide (of over 40 countries). But along with his work achievements, Ross has always believed that giving back to his community is equally as important, and he has won the Realtors care Award and taken part in such initiatives as the Cinderella Project Ball (“helping encourage youth to stay in school and achieve the milestone of high school graduation, giving young people the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their families”) over the past few years. Ross joined Athletics 4 Kids in 2014, and became a Director in mid- 2015; he is an active member of the Gala committee and over the past year, has worked tirelessly to engage sponsors, prizing and donations in support of A4K initiatives. He is an avid believer that sports can play a vital positive role in the development of children and youth and has been passionately involved with the North shore sports community both through his own pursuits and those of his son and daughter, who are very active in a number of sporting pursuits.
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Chief Financial Officer, Global Education Communities Corp
Paul joined A4K in 2020 as part of the finance committee and joined the Board of Directors in 2022, hoping to use his knowledge of accounting and finance to benefit a cause about which he was passionate. He grew up in Adelaide, Australia where he played cricket, Australian rules football, soccer, golf and volleyball along with downhill mountain biking throughout his school and university years. He moved to Vancouver in 2018 and continues to play golf (poorly), along with making the most of living in close proximity to the abundance of mountain biking and snowboarding playfields. He truly values the friendships made, life lessons learnt, and support received through participating and volunteering in organized sports in his formative years. He strongly believes that removing barriers holding back kids from playing sports is a fantastic way to enrich communities, but more importantly, to enrich children’s lives as they grow up.
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Meghan is an award-winning nonprofit executive, educator, and community builder with more than 15 years of experience leading organizations, driving social innovation, and strengthening communities across British Columbia.
As Executive Director of BabyGoRound, Meghan has led significant organizational growth, expanding access to essential resources and support services for thousands of families experiencing financial hardship. Over the years, Meghan has secured more than $18 million in charitable revenue, developed innovative programs that address systemic barriers, and championed collaborative approaches that bring together government, healthcare, business, and community partners. Her work has earned recognition for its impact on both service delivery and broader community outcomesThroughout her career Meghan has worked alongside households facing complex financial challenges and has witnessed how quickly opportunities can become inaccessible when budgets are stretched. Her involvement with A4K stems from a belief that participation in sport should not be determined by a family's income. She is passionate about ensuring children can experience the confidence, connection, and sense of belonging that come from being part of a team, learning a new skill and simply getting the chance to play.
Beyond her professional work, Meghan has volunteered extensively for more than two decades and spent over ten years mentoring students in the classroom. As a speaker, advocate, and community leader, she is passionate about creating systems and opportunities that help families and communities thrive.
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Speciality Sales Representative, Novartis
Ryan has been with Athletics 4 Kids for almost 6 years, and was elected Vice President in late 2013. Ryan is blessed to have three lovely daughters who keep him busy in activities like swimming, dancing, bike riding and occasional wrestling matches – teaming up on their poor Dad! Ryan participated in many different sports growing up, including soccer, lacrosse, football, hockey and baseball. He played Junior Baseball and Hockey locally in BC. Pursuing his hockey dreams, he played for the Wentworth Leopards in Boston, Mass – part of the NCAA. Ryan completed his University degree at UBC, specializing in Human Kinetics and has first hand knowledge of all of the qualities that come from a life enriched by sport. As a young father of three, Ryan is already looking forward to more coaching opportunities. He believes strongly in the values that sport teaches – good sportsmanship, respect, teamwork, social skills, the value of hard work and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
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Vice President, Gulf Pacific Group.
Ryan is excited to join the board in 2020 working along side a great team. Being able to continue to give back to kids sports is important to him. He played multiple sports growing up and believes the lessons learned from them have transferred to leading the team in the commercial property management business. While he’s still playing hockey, golf, softball and cycling, his greatest sports pleasures now are watching, supporting, and driving (coaching days are done) their two teenage kids who play soccer, volleyball and baseball. 4 years ago he put together a cycling team to participate in the Ride to Conquer Cancer, with hopes to make a difference in some small way with the funds raised. Ryan, his wife Jacqueline and their two kids live on the North Shore.
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President, Multi-Sport Mindset
Joe Germaine joined the A4K Board in 2024. In his role as President of Multi-Sport Mindset he designs and creates pathways for individuals and teams to level up.
As a professional development coach, Joe partners with schools, associations, teams, coaches, and athletes to achieve their goals through individualized programming. Joe has a unique ability to match programming in a way that links to measurable results and outcomes.
A lifelong athlete, Joe grew up playing many different sports and after high school, played baseball in Texas (NJCAA Div. 1) and Mississippi (NCAA Div. 1) on a full-ride scholarship and completed a BSc. in Exercise Science. After university, Joe played and coached professional baseball for 7 years in Australia & Germany, while acquiring several other certifications including:
Strength & Conditioning Specialist (NSCA)
Learning Facilitator & Coach Developer (NCCP)
Chartered Professional Coach (CAC)
Advanced Coaching Diploma (CSI)
In his spare time Joe enjoys developing engaging challenges that generate in-game results for athletes looking to improve. It keeps him fit and holds him accountable as every concept that he expects his athletes to perform he wants to execute, explain, and demonstrate at a high-level of expertise.
A4K resonates with Joe because he wants to give back to a community that has afforded him so many unique opportunities. Sports provided a vehicle to receive an education, travel the world, turn his passions into a career, and create a blue print for taking personal responsibility of his life.
He believes every child deserves the opportunity to participate, improve, and be part of a team because not only can sports create a love of physical activity, but more than that, sports can equip youth with the tools to become better people and handle the adversity of life.
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Simon Straith has been a dedicated supporter of A4K since joining the Finance Committee in 2018. Having benefited from a lifetime of participation in sports, he now enjoys cheering on his two children from the sidelines. Simon is passionate about ensuring that every child has the opportunity to participate in sport and experience the physical, social, and personal benefits that come with being active.
With more than 18 years of experience in the commercial financial services sector, Simon currently serves as Market Vice President, Business Banking for Western Canada at CIBC. In this role, he leads a team of 120 professionals, overseeing business banking operations, driving growth and fostering strong client relationships across diverse markets.
Simon holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Liverpool and a Bachelor of Management in Economics from the University of Lethbridge, where he was co-captain of the Pronghorns men's basketball team.
His commitment to community involvement extends beyond A4K through his volunteer coaching with the Squamish United Football Club and Squamish Hustle Basketball.
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Shirley is an International Tax Director at Deloitte. Originally from Hong Kong, Shirley moved to Canada at 9 years old, an experience that showed her just how much a supportive community matters when you're trying to "find your people" (as the kids nowadays would say). And as a mom to an energetic toddler, Shirley spends most of her weekends taking her daughter to different sports lessons (quite a sport in and of itself!) and seeing firsthand how much physical activities, play and team dynamics build resilience, confidence and joy in a child's life. She's very excited to be bringing both her financial background and her passion to help A4K in the capacity of a board member.
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Elise Davenport is an experienced educational leader and community advocate based in the Lower Mainland, BC. She serves as a Vice Principal with Langley School District #35, where she fosters strong partnerships with students, families, and the broader community.
Throughout her career as a teacher and Vice Principal, Elise has developed expertise in mentorship, collaborative leadership, and supporting diverse learners. She is committed to creating inclusive environments where all young people feel a sense of belonging and opportunity. She holds a Master of Educational Leadership and Mentorship from the University of the Fraser Valley.
A lifelong advocate for youth sport, Elise participated in athletics throughout her teen and young adult years and later coached junior girls’ basketball, emphasizing skill development, teamwork, and personal growth.
As a parent of four children who have been actively involved in sports through high school, university, and beyond, Elise understands the financial barriers many families face. She is deeply committed to ensuring equitable access to sport and its benefits.
Elise brings a strong commitment to leadership, collaboration, and community well-being to her work with Athletics 4 Kids.
Meet our Spokesperson
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After a 19 season NHL hockey career, including the infamous Vancouver Canucks Stanley Cup run in 1994, Dave Babych joined Athletics for Kids as an inaugural member of the Board of Directors in 2002. He has remained involved ever since as a public ambassador to the cause, and has recently resigned as a director. Dave has coached baseball and hockey for over 15 years, both amateur and professional (hockey), and remains involved in the Canucks’ organization working in Player Development. Dave has 5 kids that were all involved in a variety of sports and he feels that all children deserve the right to do the same.
Meet our Co-Founder
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Craig Knapton, a founding sponsor of A4K, joined the Board in 2003 and became President in 2005. Craig was the President of CanKen International Wood Products and has travelled the world extensively for both business and pleasure. He knew first hand the positive connection that sports can provide within many diverse cultures and countries.
Craig participated in a variety of sports while growing up and was an accomplished long distance runner. He credited sports with helping to keep him grounded and as a great stress reliever.
Having two active children who also played sports, Craig had been involved in many athletic associations and served at board level. He believed firmly that participation in sport gives kids positive direction, self-confidence and respect for others – it puts them in the game.