Two area athletes were named Thursday as two of 100 finalists in RBC Training Ground, the Canadian Olympic Committee’s official cross-country talent search. Both participated at the program’s first visit to Windsor last April.
Kingsville’s 15-year-old Ethan Phillips was identified for a sport he’d never considered — Skeleton.
“Ethan was our most dedicated recruit during sport specific testing this summer, attending both recruitment camps and making a strong impression on the coaching staff,” said Joe Cecchini OLY, Skeleton Head Coach and Technical Lead with Bobsleigh Skeleton Canada.
“He demonstrated speed, focus, and a high level of coachability. As our youngest male recruit this summer, Ethan is eligible for the 2028 Youth Olympic Games and is fully committed to making skeleton his primary sport. His rapid progression has positioned him among the top athletes in the National Development Team. Ethan undoubtedly has a bright future in skeleton.”
Phillips attends Cardinal Carter Catholic Secondary School in Leamington.
Max Milinkovic-Gene, a 17-year-old who attends Riverside Secondary School, has a competitive history in track and gymnastics and was the 2025 WECSSAA pole vault champion. He was identified as having Olympic potential in the sport of Bobsleigh.
“Max was a standout athlete during both National Bobsleigh Program offseason camps held in Calgary this summer,” said Ryan Sommer, OLY and High-Performance Manager for Bobsleigh at Bobsleigh Skeleton Canada who also came through the RBC Training Ground Program.
“Max’s track and field background contributed to his success at the August Canadian Push Championships, where he finished 9th overall in a field of 30 athletes. He achieved the Senior National Team push standard, making him eligible for nomination to the Senior Bobsleigh Team. Max has expressed his enjoyment of the sport and his interest in progressing as a pilot within the Athlete Pool for targeted athletes, so we’re really excited to see him get this opportunity,” said Sommer.
Milinkovic-Gene and Phillips were among more than 2,500 athletes (aged 14-25) from a wide range of sports who participated in free local qualifier events across the country in 2025, performing core speed, strength, power and endurance tests in front of Olympic talent scouts to either find the sport for which they are most suited, or earn a funding boost in their existing sport based on their raw physical abilities.
The top 100 deemed to have great Olympic potential will now compete in the RBC Training Ground national final on Saturday November 1, 2025 in Vancouver. Thirty five athletes from the final will earn funding, a spot in the national development program with one of fifteen partner National Sport Organizations, and an accelerated path to the Olympics.
During RBC Training Ground National Final testing, athletes’ speed, power, strength, and endurance will again be tested against sport-specific, high-performance benchmarks under supervision of program sport partners. An athlete’s anthropomorphic measurements (height, wingspan, etc), sport-specific testing (conducted following the qualifier stage) and competitive sport history also play a role in who is selected for funding.
The finalists, who will have transportation hotel and food covered by RBC, will be joined at the Final by RBC Training Ground alumni and several Olympic medalists.
The 35 athletes selected for funding will be announced in the weeks following the final. The funding is administered by the participating National Sport Organization bringing the athlete into its system, and is used for things like coaching, transportation, travel, equipment, and nutrition.
Participating sports include Biathlon Canada, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton, Canoe Kayak Canada, Climbing Canada, Cycling Canada, Field Hockey Canada, Freestyle Canada, Luge Canada, Rowing Canada, Rugby Canada, Speed Skating Canada, Volleyball Canada, Football (Flag) Canada, Ski Jumping Canada and Wrestling Canada – all looking to identify new talent for development.
Click here for the complete list of 100 finalists.
A new season of RBC Training Ground will be launching in early 2026. Visit RBCTrainingGround.ca for a complete schedule and details.