The story of B2ten, the below-the-radar group that could play a key role in Canada’s Olympics

It's no secret that it takes a lot of time and resources to get Canadian athletes to a level where they can compete and win at the Olympics. Much of that comes from the athletes themselves, but there's also plenty of well-publicized support for Canadian Olympic athletes from organizations like Sport Canada, agencies like Own The Podium and businesses (from big to small). However, not all important contributions are flashy. Although many people probably haven't heard of B2ten, they played a vital role in preparations for the 2010 Games and could be crucial to many Canadian athletes' success in London this summer as well.

What exactly is B2ten? Well, it's a private business group with a surprising origin story. Things all got started in 2002 thanks to Dominic Gauthier, the ski coach, motivational speaker and boyfriend of Canadian moguls star Jenn Heil. Gauthier's persistence eventually convinced businessman JD Miller to become involved in getting Heil the equipment and resources she needed, and that investment paid off in a huge way, with Heil winning four straight world moguls championships and a gold medal at the 2006 Olympics. After that, Miller, Gauthier and Heil decided to work to help other Canadian athletes towards the 2010 Games, and they quickly put their networks of business contacts to substantial use. By 2007, 20 community leaders across the country were contributing personal funds to the group, and nine athletes from eight different sports were given support. By late 2008, the program had raised $2 million and was helping 18 different athletes prepare for 2010. 2009 saw it already making a massive impact, and the success of the sponsored athletes in 2010 motivated program leaders to expand the program through 2016 and work with Summer Games athletes as well.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about B2ten's approach is how subtle and effective it is. Most business sponsorships of athletes are shouted from the rooftops to try and drum up favourable publicity, and most of them come with lengthy lists of conditions. The B2ten approach is much less about publicity and conditions. How it works is simple: B2ten doesn't provide monthly or yearly funding to athletes, but instead focuses on providing specific, tangible goods and services to complement what athletes already receive and give them the resources they need to train and win. That "top-up" support has ranged from replacing Helen Upperton's bobsled to getting Brent Hayden high-tech starting blocks, a renowned coach and access to advanced video breakdowns to bringing together various athletes, speakers and motivational coaches for a retreat in advance of the 2010 Games. Amazingly, as recently as 2009, the organization wasn't spending anything on administration, instead relying on the donated time of people like Gauthier, Miller, Heil and accountant Andrew Parsons.

Are private-sector programs like B2ten a model that should replace government funding of athletes, as groups like the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation have argued? The view from this corner is absolutely not. As impressive as B2ten's results are, the money they've raised is still minuscule by comparison with the amounts distributed by Own The Podium (which will distribute $331 million in 2012-13 alone), Sport Canada and other groups the Canadian government's involved with (for reference, Own The Podium receives corporate dollars as well), and by and large, there's nowhere near enough private-sector support to let Canadian athletes find much success on the world stage. Moreover, with most corporate groups concerned about publicity, the chicken-and-egg dilemma comes into play as well; many businesses want to associate themselves with Olympic medal winners, but it's tough to win medals without funding.

By and large, the government funding system and its strict criteria work, and the existing high-publicity corporate sponsorships are important as well. There's still a substantial role for an organization like B2ten, though, one that can quickly step in to get athletes like Upperton and Hayden the equipment and support they need to excel. B2ten won't replace the existing programs any time soon, but it's a valuable supplement to them, and it's great to see members of Canada's business community step up in this under-the-radar way to make a significant impact in athletes' lives without a ton of recognition in return.