What is a PSO?
Provincial Sport Organizations (PSO) are autonomous, not-for profit societies responsible for the regulation of all areas and levels of their sport’s participation within the province and for the governance of the province-wide development of the sport. A PSO is the provincial voice on behalf of its members: clubs, affiliated recreation and education members.
This organization ensures the safe development of the sport within the province. The PSO will have a listing of all clubs or associations in the province in their sport.
What A PSO does:
- Regulates all areas of the sport within the province
- Acts as a liaison with the National Sport Organization
- Provides professional development opportunities
- Provides resources for clubs and members
- Hosts clinics and courses for its members
- Provides insurance coverage to full members of the organization
- Selects and manages any provincial activities.
- A PSO may also be responsible for administering any sport specific grants or scholarships
- There are several other items which refer to the organizing of Games and Competitions, coaching.
Why does OUC refer to itself as a “de-facto” PSO?
The real key to being an official “PSO” and equally important, to receive funding, is that the “sport” must be recognized on one of the major “Games” programs, i.e. Olympics, PanAm Games, or Commonwealth Games. That is one of the real fundamental criteria. As scuba diving is not a recognized sport under this PSO criteria, OUC operates primarily on a volunteer basis, providing liability insurance coverage to its members and covering nominal administrative functions from membership fees and fundraising activities.