Right now, the sport runs almost entirely on volunteers. If we can earn government recognition, we open the door to real funding: the kind that can pay for professional technical officials instead of relying on volunteers forever.

To get that recognition, we need to meet Sport Canada's requirements, plus international sport accord standards. That's a mountain of paperwork and process most federations don't have the time or tools to manage well.

So I built TheSport.Fit. Software that takes everything I learned managing functional fitness and turns it into a platform for national and international governing bodies: membership, competition and qualification management, technical official certification, club directories, governance tools, all built around the standards these federations actually need to meet. The goal is simple: get internationally recognized movement standards and technical officials into the hands of every federation that wants them, faster and cheaper than building it themselves.

I've donated the full product to the Canadian Functional Fitness Federation (CF3) to serve as our beta tester, and it's already running their 2026 National Championship registrations. Next: rolling out subdomains and back end access to all 50 federations under the IF3 (International Functional Fitness Federation), so each one can meet sport accord requirements with efficient, transparent governance of their own.

Check it out: http://cf3.thesport.fit

Overview

The Canadian Functional Fitness Federation (CFFF) is committed to transparency, athlete wellbeing, and the long-term growth of our sport in Canada. Following the 2025 competitive season, and Canada’s participation in the IF3 Junior and Senior World Championships, we reviewed feedback from athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and provincial partners through direct communication and formal event feedback surveys.

This summary focuses specifically on the 2025 CFFF domestic season and Canada’s participation in the IF3 Junior and Senior World Championships. A separate report addressing the IF3 Masters World Championship will be prepared once IF3’s findings from that event are formally released. Feedback related to the Masters event continues to be collected and will be incorporated into that subsequent report.

This review also includes reflection on national leadership responsibilities. A consistent theme in the feedback was that we need clearer role definition, stronger delegation, and expanded on-site national representation at major events so athletes, coaches, and families feel supported and connected to CFFF leadership. That is on us to improve, and those lessons are already being built into how we plan and staff future seasons.

What follows outlines what we heard, what we learned, and what we are doing next to strengthen athlete experience, improve alignment across the sport system, and ensure Canada continues to meet international and Sport Canada expectations.

Key Themes Identified

1. Athlete Experience and Event Expectations

Athletes value clear communication, consistent standards, and visible leadership presence at national and international events. Feedback reinforced how important it is to know who to approach, what support exists on-site, and how national leadership is represented in real time.

Key takeaway: Athlete experience is directly tied to clear roles, accessible support, and consistent expectations across provincial and national levels.

2. Funding and Event Scale

CFFF Nationals are currently funded primarily through registration fees and modest annual athlete memberships. Without predictable, shared funding alignment across provinces, national events face limits in scale, production quality, and athlete services.

Key takeaway: Sustainable growth of Nationals requires stronger national and provincial funding alignment, and shared responsibility for national programming.

3. Communication, Governance, and Leadership Structure

Feedback pointed to confusion caused by fragmented communication pathways and unclear escalation processes. In some cases, this was compounded by insufficient clarity around national leadership roles and the scope of on-site responsibilities at events.

Key takeaway: Clear governance structures, defined communication pathways, and well-supported national representation are essential for trust, consistency, and effective engagement.

4. Coaching Standards and Athlete Development

Observations at international competition reinforced the importance of emotional regulation, respect for officials, equipment safety, and coach behaviour as part of long-term athlete development, particularly for youth and junior athletes.

Key takeaway: Competitive success must be balanced with psychological readiness, safety, and development principles that support athletes over the long term.

Alignment With Long-Term Athlete Development

These themes align closely with the Functional Fitness Long-Term Development (LTD) Framework. When competitive intensity increases faster than developmental readiness, challenges can emerge related to stress management, behaviour, and athlete autonomy.

CFFF remains committed to reinforcing LTD principles across all levels of the sport to support athlete wellbeing, retention, and sustainable performance.

What Happens Next

This is where we move from “themes” to “implementation.”

The actions below are designed to be practical, non-punitive, and focused on clarity, consistency, and sustainability. They are not about calling out individuals. They are about building a stronger system that supports athletes, protects officials and volunteers, and improves the experience for everyone involved.

1) Stronger National Representation at Major Events

• Clearer, published role definitions for CFFF representatives at major competitions (so athletes and families know who does what, and where to go for what).
• Expanded delegation and on-site support, so national leadership presence is not dependent on one person trying to do everything.
• Better advance planning for event-specific responsibilities (including presence management), so athlete support does not get lost inside logistics.

2) National and Provincial Alignment on Funding and Responsibility

• Formalizing a shared funding model that supports Nationals and national programming. This includes a phased approach for implementation beginning in 2026, with the goal of full alignment by 2027.
• Clear annual reporting on how national funds are allocated, including Nationals production quality, athlete services, judge and volunteer development, and standards enforcement.
• Stronger integration of provinces into national planning so expectations and realities are aligned early, not debated under pressure later.

3) Governance Representation and Clear Communication Pathways

• Encouraging each province to have formal representation within national governance and operations, including Board and committee involvement.
• Strengthening national committees (Athlete Development, Coaching and Education, Technical Officials and Standards) with broader provincial participation so decisions reflect real on-the-ground context.
• Defining clear, consistent communication and escalation pathways so athletes, clubs, and provinces know where “official updates” live, and how concerns are raised and addressed constructively.

4) Coach and Guardian Expectations That Match the Level of Competition

• Implementing a formal Coach Code of Conduct for CFFF Nationals and IF3-sanctioned events, aligned with Safe Sport and long-term development principles.
• Requiring acknowledgment of that code as part of coach accreditation or nomination processes (without creating new, parallel disciplinary systems).
• Standardizing a mandatory pre-event orientation for coaches and guardians attending Nationals and Worlds, delivered annually (roughly 60 to 90 minutes), covering:
  • international event realities and rule clarification processes
  • access limitations at IF3 events
  • expectation setting, escalation pathways, and athlete support best practices

This is a simple step that prevents a lot of avoidable conflict.

5) Consistency Through Shared Tools, Event Sanctioning, and Continuous Improvement

• Improving visibility of sanctioned events, standards, and expectations so athletes are not relying on informal channels to stay informed.
• Developing clearer event sanctioning protocols across levels to support consistency and quality.
• Expanding committee and volunteer involvement to reduce over-reliance on individual roles and build a more resilient federation structure.
• Continuing to use athlete and member feedback to guide ongoing refinement, with a stronger cadence of review and follow-up.

A Shared Responsibility

The continued growth and credibility of Functional Fitness in Canada depends on collaboration between athletes, coaches, clubs, provincial federations, and national leadership. Strong provinces help shape national standards. National alignment ensures consistency, fairness, and international credibility.

Our objective is simple: build a system where athletes feel supported, informed, and proud to represent Canada, with leadership structures that are clear, accessible, and resilient.

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who contributed feedback and engaged constructively throughout the 2025 season. Your input directly shapes how CFFF evolves and improves. Ongoing feedback is always welcome at: www.cfff.fit/feedback

Simon Damborg

CFFF President

Not just because we're partnering with @canadian_functional_fitness to host the first-ever multi-day super playoff event, but because if we can make that event what it deserves to be, it'll help show the Canadian government that Functional Fitness is a sport Canadians care about—getting me one step closer to my real dream...

When I opened @raincityathls a decade ago, I dreamed of kids coming to my gym and earning PE credit for working out with their parents, being part of a healthy community. I imagined my coaches being hired to teach the proper mechanics of an air squat or a burpee in schools.

If I can legitimize FF as a sport in Canada, I can finally make that happen. One of the biggest hurdles? Awareness.

Functional Fitness isn’t here to replace @crossfit, @hyroxworld, obstacle racing, or anything else. We're here to legitimize the umbrella so we can access grant funding—and, more importantly, so I can finally get my @raincityfitclub kids school credit for all the torture I put them through (jkjk 😉).

So I’m asking for your help. I have 💯 confidence in my ability to run incredible events—if you've been part of any of the 25 FFL seasons or playoffs I’ve run, you know that's true...

The only thing I don’t know how to do? Get the word out.

I'll be sharing a LOT of videos and content over the coming weeks. If you can help spread the word, I’d appreciate it more than you can ever imagine 🙏

#FunctionalFitness #FunctionalFitnessCanada #canadianfunctionalfitness #FunctionalFitnessLeague #FFL #FFLYVR #sportgovernance #nationalsportorganization
#nso #volunteer

Experience: My background in Functional Fitness

In 2013, I founded Raincity Athletics, a CrossFit gym that grew to 7,500 sq. ft. with 6 full-time and 8 part-time coaches. In 2017, we dropped our CrossFit affiliation to become the first recognized Functional Fitness club in BC. Post-COVID, we downsized to 5,000 sq. ft. with 4 full-time and 6-8 part-time coaches which we still operate today in Vancouver, BC.

As an athlete, I competed from 2009 to 2013, at sectionals/regionals as an individual and team athlete, until injuries led me to shift focus to coaching. Since then I’ve coached multiple athletes to regionals, and a master's athlete with multiple games apperances, who placed 6th at the CrossFit Games in 2019.

I also run the Functional Fitness League (FFL), the longest-running recreational competitive league in the sport, with over 20 seasons since 2015. Known as the "beer league" of functional fitness, FFL focuses on accessible, affordable team events while attracting top athletes over the years.

Additionally, I created the Raincity Fit Club, a program for children on the autism spectrum. As a government-approved behavior interventionist, I prioritize inclusion, fairness, and accessibility—values I carry into all aspects of my work as we develop and grow the sport nationwide.

Functional Fitness vs. CrossFit: Understanding the Difference

One of the most common questions I get asked is, "What’s the difference between functional fitness and CrossFit?" It's simple: CrossFit is a brand, much like the NFL or NHL, while functional fitness is the sport itself—comparable to soccer or hockey. CrossFit is a private company that uses elements of functional fitness but operates with its own rules and standards. Our role at CFFF is to govern and develop the sport of functional fitness, much like international federations standardize sports for the Olympics.

We create and oversee the rules, standards, long-term athlete development plans, and judge certifications. Our goal is not to replace CrossFit but to complement it by providing a pathway for athletes and coaches to develop in a fair, consistent, and athlete-centered environment.

Our Vision: Bringing Functional Fitness to Schools

One of my personal long-term goals is to see functional fitness integrated into schools across Canada. When I opened my CrossFit gym 11 years ago, I dreamt of offering PE programs that would teach students the basics of squatting, lifting, pressing, and carrying—fundamental movements that go beyond the gym and impact daily life. Unfortunately, CrossFit, as a brand, can’t be part of school curriculums. But functional fitness as a recognized sport can.

Imagine a world where your child can attend a functional fitness class, earn PE credits, and learn lifelong habits in a supportive, community-driven environment. The focus wouldn’t just be on competitive fitness but also on building strong, healthy movement patterns that benefit kids in all areas of life. This vision drives much of our work at the CFFF as we aim to make functional fitness a sport recognized provincially, nationally, and, eventually, internationally.

Why Do We Need Governing Bodies?

Recent events at the CrossFit Games have shown us why athlete-centered governing bodies are so essential. CrossFit is a private company that, like any business, prioritizes entertainment and sponsors over athlete safety and development. This is why we need non-profit governing bodies like CFFF—organizations created by athletes, for athletes. We exist to ensure the sport’s development is focused on what matters: athlete health, long-term development, and safety.

Governing bodies like CFFF set the rules and standards for the sport, free from profit-driven motives. Our nonprofit status allows us to prioritize fairness, transparency, and accountability to athletes, not shareholders. As athletes and coaches ourselves, we understand the importance of being deeply involved in the decision-making process, and that’s what makes functional fitness unique.

Ongoing Projects and Initiatives

We have a number of exciting projects in the pipeline, all focused on building a safe, inclusive, and fair sport for everyone. Here are a few of the key initiatives:

• Athlete Feedback: We want to hear from you! We’ll be sending out a survey to gather input from athletes, coaches, and clubs on how we can make functional fitness the sport you want it to be. Your feedback will shape the future of functional fitness in Canada.
• Consistent Movement Standards: Athletes and judges alike know the frustration of constantly changing standards. We’re working with the International Functional Fitness Federation (IF3) to develop consistent standards for all movements. These standards will ensure athletes know exactly how they’ll be judged, allowing them to focus on performing their best.
• Professional Technical Officials: We’re building a pathway for certifying technical officials (judges) who will be consistent across all competitions. This standardized process will ensure that every judge knows the rules inside out, creating a fair competition environment for athletes at all levels.
• Coaching Standards: Just like we’re standardizing technical officials, we’re also creating a certification process for coaches. This will ensure that all coaches understand safety, long-term athlete development, and best practices for working with athletes of all ages and skill levels.
• Olympic Pathway: While the long-term goal of the Federation is to see functional fitness as an Olympic sport, I personally believe the focus should be on integrating it into schools. Provincial and national recognition will pave the way for students to learn the sport in high schools and universities, gaining valuable movement and fitness skills.

Building International Recognition

Functional fitness is gaining momentum on the international stage, with over 70 countries involved in the IF3. Some countries, like Sweden and Norway, have already recognized functional fitness as a national sport, with government support for their athletes. This international recognition is what makes functional fitness unique and gives us the opportunity to create a truly global sport, one that is inclusive and accessible to athletes from all over the world.

Developing Custom Software for Growth

To support the growth of the sport, we’re also working on developing custom software that will manage athlete profiles, clubs, technical officials, and more. This software will standardize data across countries and federations, making it easier for athletes, judges, and coaches to connect and grow the sport together. The ultimate goal is to create a centralized platform that’s accessible to all countries involved in functional fitness, helping streamline event management, certification processes, and athlete tracking. Check it out at cf3.thesport.fit.

Get Involved!

We’re passionate about growing functional fitness in Canada and internationally, but we can’t do it without your help. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or simply a fan of the sport, we encourage you to get involved. We’ll be sending out a survey soon, but in the meantime, create a profile on our website and start sharing your ideas. This sport is for you, and we want you to have a voice in shaping its future.

Final Thoughts

The future of functional fitness is bright, and we’re excited to build a sport that prioritizes athlete safety, long-term development, and fairness. With your involvement, we can create a sport that’s inclusive, transparent, and accessible to everyone. Let’s work together to grow functional fitness in Canada and beyond, and make it a sport we can all be proud of.

Thanks for your support, and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

– Simon Damborg
President, Canadian Functional Fitness Federation

And what's even more 🤯 than that is every one of these affiliates invited the FFL in out of love for the community, as we fumbled to try to find a system that worked 😅 and that's the only reason the FFL was able to function for so many of those early years 🙏.

Fast forward to 8 years, 25 seasons, hundreds of matches, 6 different softwares and 20+ playoffs later... and I'm proud to say we've sent out our first commissions to affiliates who hosted a match! We're also able to pay competitive hourly rates to their coaches who are able to help facilitate the matches they host💸

Our events are by no means perfect (hence the debrief) but I finally feel I can confidently say I have the experience, and a custom built back end, that help us run very efficient and enjoyable events, while still being affordable and accessible to athletes of any level or ability 💪

So if you want to generate some easy income for your affiliate (and your coaches) while also getting a huge community boost (everyone comes out for a home team match!) then let's chat 2024 season 📩 simon@league.fit

Huge thank you to everyone who's been a part of getting the FFL to where it is 🙏and allowing me to treat entire regions like a big group class 😂 and to my better half hiding behind the desk @r_wu 😘 and I'm very excited for our post COVID regrowth alongside our partners over at @bioedgesciences 🤩 stay tuned.

#Functionalfitnessleague #FFLYVR #FFLYYJ #FFLYYC #functionalfitness #ffcomp #competition

Though I didn't get to compete these season like originally planned thanks to #mythorknee (#mykneeistoothor) it was awesome to (kind of) be on a team, and allow @laurentindale & @s.dnldsn and the rest of the behind the scenes #functionalfitnessleague help with the leg work (heyooo!). In the end I still took on the lead at Playoffs, but it was a lot more fun not having all the back end stress just on me.
We've built something awesome and we've created the back end to make sure it's consistent from region to region.

Checkout or regions that have kicked off or are coming in, and don't hesitate to contact me if you think you've got interest to bring it to yours.

League.fit/regions -

Thank you to @athlete_inside for being a constant reminder of what an amazing thing we've created at the league through incredible photos and media.

Thank you to my favorite humans, our division 3 team that dressed up as me for playoffs complete with super hero suits and knee wraps 😂 that's the kind of (slightly offensive) support that means the world to me <3

Thank you to our @raincityathls team that lost 2/3 of it's Raincity athletes (@leobman survived) in the season due to injury 😂 they showed up, had fun, made friends, and didn't lose! Crushed it. Even without their best athletes (that's me and Scotty obvs 🙄) Thank you to @ovrdriveathleticclub for hosting, and all our other partners and volunteers this season, couldn't do it without the community support every season -

We've got some really exciting stuff coming down the pipeline for 2019, including FFL ELITE - working with the @canadian_functional_fitness to provide qualified paid judges, and bring back year round top level competition & affiliate pride.

Sign up for updates: league.fit/elite

I'll be heading to Victoria in a couple of weeks for playoffs of their season that's currently running! Can't wait.

#fflyvr #fflyyj #functionalfitnessleague #crossfit #competition #thefitleague #findyourfit #community #vanfit #vancouver #vancouverfitness #mythorknee

After over 3 years and 14 seasons of running & developing the @functionalfitnessleague I finally feel like we've got a refined product that we can take to any region.

As I sit on the ferry heading to Victoria to @cftaranis I'm both terrified and excited.

Terrified... because as a Vancouver born and raised it's easy and comfortable to go out on a limb in the city I've lived in in my entire life...going out on that same limb in a new city is terrifying.

Excited... Because I know how incredible the league is for everyone who gets involved. I don't need to sell amything I just need to do justice explaining how incredible it really is.

Athletes love it.
Gyms love it.
Brands (local and national) love it.
Communities flourish in it.

It reminds #crossfit & #functionalfitness athletes everywhere that every other box has just as many amazing people as their own, and now you get a chance to throwdown with them on a regular basis!

Excited & terrified... because I know once we prove the @functionalfitnessleague model works outside of Vancouver it's going to be a landslide across Canada... And that's going to be a heluva adventure.

A huge thank you to every gym, athlete, ambassador, owner, company, brand, person, dog and everything in between that's helped make the league what it is, and put up with me while I try to grow it.

If you're in or around the Victoria area and want to know more. I'll be at CrossFit Taranis at 5:30pm doing a lil presentation! Come on by you might get a treat (and no I'm not claiming that listening to me ramble is a treat). 🤞

#functionalfitnessleague #thefitleague #fflyyj #fflybr

Thank you @ryu_apparel for always being so supportive of me and all my (not so little) projects.

It was awesome to get to share a room with crossfitter from affiliates all over the lower mainland, and I'm pretty excited for everything coming down the pipeline.

Thank you to everyone who's helped get it his far. Excited to keep it rolling!

If you're gyms not listed it means we need someone representing your box at the table so shoot me a DM and let's get you on the team!

#Repost @functionalfitnessleague
・・・
A huge thank you to @ryu_apparel for hosting our ambassadors tonight at their metrotown location so we could taco about how to make the league the best it can be. #tacotuesday #tacoboutit

The Functional Fitness League is not only about bringing recreational weekly league format games to the sport you already love, but it's uniting all the incredible communities in the region.

The #FFLAmbassador program gives us a touch point at every affiliate so we can not only get feedback, but also help make sure your affiliate is kept up to date on what's going on!

Got feedback or questions? Talk to your ambassador!
Gym doesn't have one? Apply now!

League.fit/ambassadors-partners

@girl.in.a.dress // @surreyathletics
@mikxrock @salina.autumn // @semiahmooathleticclub
@flashmawji // @studeocrossfit
@sthom21 // @driftwoodcrossfit
@haveanicedavedude // @crossfit_cbc
@thesmallcimo // @dogsdencrossfit
@nikkicvitrealtor // CrossFit Overdrive
@laurentindale @_amandalei // @raincityathls

@julietafb_ // @athlete_inside
@jaimealmond @s.dnldsn // @functionalfitnessleague

@thor604 // Commissioner

#functionalfitnessleague #fitnessleague #fitleague #crossfit #beerleaguecrossfit #sports

It's not often I take the time to truly step back and feel proud of some of the things I've built. I know I should. But as any entrepreneur knows we're too busy trying to make things better.

Our 11th season was one of the 2nd largest we've ever had (even with playoffs on a long weekend) with almost 150 athletes taking part, and it was the smoothest most effortless one yet.

Now that's something I am truly proud of.

Thanks to an incredible team of workers, volunteers, ambassadors, and brands we've managed to streamline the process of running the largest League format competition for the sport of Functional Fitness (and #crossfit) in Canada, and we've managed to make it a step by step streamlined process (#spreadsheets)

With our eyes set for leagues in Victoria & Kelowna we'll be taking it to Calgary and Toronto after that. If you're in these areas check the link in the @functionalfitnessleague bio for how you can get involved.

THANK YOU.

Huge thanks to all the volunteers & ambassadors who help make this possible as well as @surreyathletics for letting use use their incredible space this season!

And always to @athlete_inside for the absolutely incredible photos.

And of course to my team of helpers who put up with me all season and have helped make this everything it is today:
@laurentindale @jaimealmond @s.dnldsn @flashmawji @daniel_heroculture @cschaalo

Our team is growing so don't hesitate to reach out if you want to get involved!

#entrpreneurship #functionalfitnessleague #fitleague #fflcanada #fflyvr

Thank you to every athlete who took part in what I'd consider the best @canaffleague season yet.

Thank you to our incredible photographers @athlete_inside and @dan_ika for making sure we get to keep the memories.

Thank you @semiahmooathleticclub for being incredible hosts and welcoming the entire community with open arms.

Thank you to every gym owner who let their teams take over their space for an hour or two every week.

Thank you to the incredible communities that exist in those spaces, that hopefully are a little tighter after every season we put together.

Thank you @heroculture for managing so much creativity within such a basic design every season.

Thank you to everyone who travelled near and far week to week to throwdown and make new friends.

Thank you to the @internationalfunctionalfitness for coming up with an epic format for our finals, and I'm even more excited for the things you'll bring in the future.

Especially big thank yous to the volunteers who are genuinely excited to be involved in helping me bring all these communities together and who ask for nothing in return except the joy of being a part of something.

And last but definitely not least, thank you to the behind the scenes team that puts up with my freakouts, finds my typos, and helps me put together the spreadsheets, the floor plans and the systems to help make it as easy as possible for the volunteers to make sure the athletes have an incredible season & final day.

This was our 8th season of the #canadianaffiliateleague and the smoothest most exciting one yet. I can't wait to show you all what we've got coming down the pipeline as we work alongside @canadian_functional_fitness in helping legitimize this incredible sport.

#Functionalfitnessleague aka #FFLcanada coming in hot.

I hope you're ready. I know we are.

#thankful #crossfit #competition #calyvr #canaffleague #vancouver #competition