motionballU
ABOUT US
motionball is a national non-profit organization that empowers young Canadians to be leaders in their communities, raising funds and awareness of the Special Olympics movement through inclusive social and sporting events.
The motionball University program was established to give Canadian university students the opportunity to create meaningful, relevant ways to support Special Olympics through their own on-campus initiatives and events.
motionball events are putting the fun back into giving, one campus at a time.
All motionballU events are purposeful, fun, and inclusive – bringing together university students and individuals from the community with intellectual disabilities who participate in Special Olympics programs.
Students are able to give back to a great cause while building meaningful relationships with the very individuals who are benefiting from their support: local Special Olympics athletes.
motionball now donates over $2 million to Special Olympics Canada Foundation annually, with a significant amount of this funding being generated by passionate university students.
Interested in getting involved? Start your own motionballU chapter at your university if there isn’t one already! Contact sarah@motionball.com for more information on how to get started!
Want to participate? Click on your university name below to get involved! There are lots of ways to help out including joining a committee, volunteering, or putting in a Team for Marathon of Sport. Join today!









Meet our national leadership council 2021/2022
Meet this year’s National Leadership Council (NLC). This council is made up of 8 passionate, dedicated, and enthusiastic past and present student leaders who work alongside motionball’s National Office to help enhance the motionball University program.
Each of these leaders serve as mentors to our current motionballU Event Directors across Canada, providing them with guidance and support throughout the school year.

Subhan Malik
Council MemberSubhan is a past volunteer at McMaster University and on the City of Hamilton’s motionball committee. His favourite part of motionball is meeting all the amazing people who choose to get involved. After you attend a motionball event, you are part of the journey forever. motionball hosts great events for everyone which makes it super impactful! Subhan loves brainstorming creative and innovative ideas to the new adaptive world we live in! He can help facilitate networking with different schools and help bring your ideas to reality. Fun fact: Subhan loves learning new languages.

Erin Heidecker
Council MemberErin is a current Event Director at Western University. Her favourite part about motionball is the people involved in motionball! Every athlete, organizer, partner, and volunteer inspires her with the amazing & contagious energy that the organization is known for. Erin loves to help with fundraising initiatives & increasing overall motionball awareness on campus! Fun fact: Erin’s favourite place to be is at the beach

Cassie Zumwalt
Council MemberCassie is a past Event Director at Queens University. Her favourite part of motionball is facilitating a sense of community that reaches beyond Queens and creates meaningful connections between students and Special Olympics athletes! Also... the fun and memories we make along the way. Cassie can provide a support system to bounce ideas off of! I can also help facilitate your events by providing assistance with logistics! Lastly, she can help structure your year, set goals, and help lay out a succession plan for your chapter. Fun fact: Cassie has swam with beluga whales.

Vienna Van Veen
Council MemberVienna is a past Event Director at McMaster University. Her favourite part of motionball is the opportunity to make a huge impact while also learning an immense amount, growing as a human, and gaining a fantastic network. Vienna can Increase monetary outcome of your event, improve focus on Special Olympics athletes, organization & succession planning. Fun fact: Vienna lives 15 minutes from the closest stoplight.

Eric Gratton
Council MemberEric is a past Event Director at Mount Royal University and was one of their first Event Directors when motionball began at Mount Royal in April 2019. His favourite part of motionball is having fun hanging out with the Special Olympics athletes and fellow motionballers. Eric can help others by encouraging them to get outside of their comfort zone with fundraising challenges. He can also provide a lot of insight and guidance to those starting a new chapter at their school. Fun fact: Eric can cook rice in 59 SECONDS

Stephanie Hawley
Council MemberSteph was an Event Director at McGill University for 3 years. Her favourite part of motionball is the message motionball stands for and all the amazing people I get to work with - I love collaborating with people! She also loves the leadership, communication, and team management skills that she has learned. Steph has great attention to detail, she loves brainstorming ideas to solve problems, and getting creative on social media. Fun fact: Steph ate her first ever grilled cheese sandwich this year.

Natalie Hamel
Council MemberNatalie is a current Event Director at Brock University. Her favourite part of motionball is having the opportunity to make a positive impact in a Special Olympics athlete’s life AND the ability to introduce other Brock students to the Special Olympics. Natalie can give advice on how to grow a committee and social media presence. Fun fact: Natalie has a twin brother

Maxymme Begin
Council MemberMax is a past Event Director at McGill University. Her favourite part of motionball is getting the chance to have fun while taking part in inclusive sports and promoting physical activity for all. Maxymme can help with recruiting, getting creative with finding social event ideas and logistics of organizing motionball events. Fun fact: Maxymme does not like condiments. She even eats her poutine WITHOUT gravy.