Ottawa Sports

What Ottawa Sports does

Ottawa Sports is a privately held, Ottawa-based multi-disciplinary sports and education organization founded in 2020 by Nicholas J.R. Hammell. The company operates a portfolio of winter sports instruction and academic certification programs serving the National Capital Region (Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec). Core offerings are organized under three pillars: the Ottawa Sports Snow School (CSIA/CASI-certified ski and snowboard lessons from beginner to expert at $150-$1,215 per package), the Ottawa Sports Alpine Club (competitive ski racing training with 15+ coaches and 120+ athletes at Mount Pakenham and other resorts, gated by a $200 non-refundable membership fee), and Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) certification programs (Ontario Ministry-designated dual certifications in Health & Wellness and Sports for Grade 11-12 students, delivered at $1,250+HST per certification day for up to 15 students).

The business generates revenue across five streams: ski/snowboard lessons (one-time and multi-week packages), Alpine Club membership and program fees, SHSM school certification contracts, equipment tuning services ($70-$90 per tune with pickup/drop-off), and lift ticket resale. Supporting products include adult racing programs (Masters in Motion, Summit Series), summer camps, junior counselor programs, and private events. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the ottawa-sports.ca website registration portal, phone/text booking, and direct school outreach. Operations run at three core Ottawa-area resorts (Mont Cascades, Mount Pakenham, Centre Vorlage) with seasonal camps at SkiBig3, Tremblant, Le Massif, and Camp Fortune.

The organization has grown to 30+ team members under sole founder ownership, with no external funding disclosed. Its technology stack is non-proprietary, built on Squarespace with Silk Web Solutions providing digital marketing services. Competitive positioning rests on instructor credentials (CSIA Level 4, Course Conductors, sports psychologists, kinesiologists), a traveling multi-resort model offering 75-minute lessons (15 minutes longer than standard), maximum 3 students per session, and a 96.7% SHSM pass rate. The company maintains an Advisory Board of Directors chaired by Tonya Hughes (Department of National Defense) with senior leadership including Tonya Hughes, Nancy Miqdadi, Dave Senior, and Curriculum & Mental Performance Manager Alexandre Rocheleau (University of Ottawa M.A. Sport Psychology). Founder Hammell received Alpine Ontario's 2024 Coach of the Year award.

Name

Ottawa Sports

Legal name

Ottawa Sports

Website

https://ottawa-sports.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ottawa Sports is a privately held Ottawa-based sports instruction and education organization founded in 2020, operating a Snow School, Alpine Club ski racing team (120+ athletes), and SHSM academic certification programs for Ontario high school students across multiple regional ski resorts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Instruction and Training

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Ski & Snowboard Schools (Instruction & Coaching) (THAAAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Winter Sports & Snow Training Schools (Ski, Snowboard, Ice Sports) (MPAKAJAI), Strength & Conditioning / Athletic Performance Training (HSADAEAB)

Keywords

• Ski and snowboard lessons
• Alpine ski racing
• High school SHSM certifications
• Ski equipment tuning
• Adult racing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ski and Snowboard Lessons: Revenue from private and semi-private ski/snowboard lessons offered as one-time sessions, 5-week packages, and 6-week programs. Lessons are 75 minutes long and priced per person or group.
2. SHSM Certification Programs: High school certification programs in Health & Wellness and Sports for grade 11-12 students. Priced at $1250 + HST per certification day for up to 15 students, offering dual certifications.
3. Equipment Services: Ski and snowboard tuning services including Full Tune ($70), High-Performance Tune ($90), and additional services like P-TEX fill and binding mounting.
4. Alpine Club Membership: Membership fees including $200 non-refundable membership fee plus program fees for ski racing training, Masters in Motion, and Summit Series programs.
5. Lift Ticket Sales: Discounted lift ticket sales through Ottawa Sports reservation center for member access to partner resorts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ottawa Sports is a regional sports and education organization that sells ski and snowboard instruction (private and semi-private lessons, multi-week programs), competitive alpine ski racing training through the Ottawa Sports Alpine Club, Ontario high school SHSM dual certification programs in Health & Wellness and Sports, ski/snowboard equipment tuning services, and adult racing programs. Instruction is delivered by CSIA, CASI, and ACA certified coaches and kinesiologists across multiple partner resorts in the Ottawa/Gatineau region.

Product overview

Ottawa Sports is a multi-faceted sports and education organization offering a portfolio of winter sports programs and academic certification services. The core offerings include the Snow School (ski/snowboard lessons), Alpine Club (competitive racing), and SHSM Certification Programs (academic credentials in Health & Wellness and Sports). These are supported by Equipment Services (tuning), Lift Ticket Reservations, Adult Racing Programs (Masters in Motion, Summit Series), Private Events, Summer Camps, and the Junior Counselor Program. The Snow School and Alpine Club form the primary sports pillars, while SHSM provides academic programming, with Equipment Services and Lift Tickets serving as add-on services across all programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ottawa Sports Snow School: Ski and snowboard lessons for all skill levels from beginner to expert.
• Ottawa Sports Alpine Club
• Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)
• Masters in Motion
• Summit Series

Quantifiable outcome

• 96.7% average mark on SHSM certification competency tests with zero failures
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered industry partner, gold partner, silver sponsor, bronze sponsor, partner and resort partner.

• Snowhawks Ottawa - Ski & Snowboard Schoolindustry partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerSnowhawks Ottawa operates one of the region's leading travelling ski & snowboard schools, offering coach-bus programs, after-school bussing, and recreational on-snow instruction for youth and adults. Their programs complement Ottawa Sports' industry operations, making this partnership a natural fit.
• Headgold partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerHead is one of the top ski brands globally, setting the standard in ski racing, performance, and innovation. As a Gold Partner, Head provides support through equipment and brand partnership to power Ottawa Sports programs on and off the slopes.
• Kev-Tec Electrical Inc.silver sponsorGTM or Marketing PartnerKev-Tec is Ottawa's leading commercial electrical construction company. Their sponsorship helps make everything possible at Ottawa Sports, supporting the organization's operations and programs.
• Capital Athletic Therapy & Rehab Centre (CapitalATR)bronze sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCapitalATR provides tailored therapy programs for competitive athletes including Ottawa Sports ski racers. Services include acute injury rehabilitation, chronic symptom management, pre-surgery strengthening, and post-surgery conditioning to help athletes return to active lifestyles safely.
• Silk Web SolutionspartnerTechnology or IntegrationSilk Web Solutions provides website design, refresh, maintenance, branding, SEO, social media, email marketing, and WordPress training services to help Ottawa Sports build a stronger brand and connect with ideal clients through unique web design.
• Mont Cascadesresort partnerOthersPartner ski resort for Ottawa Sports Snow School weeknight lessons (Tuesday and Friday nights) and Masters in Motion training sessions.
• Mount Pakenhamresort partnerOthersPartner ski resort for Ottawa Sports Alpine Club training and Snow School weeknight lessons (Wednesday nights). Home base for Masters in Motion program.
• Centre Vorlageresort partnerOthersPartner ski resort for Ottawa Sports Snow School weeknight lessons (Thursday nights) featuring $10 Wing Nights at Centre Vorlage Hub.
• Goodlife FitnesspartnerGTM or Marketing PartnerGoodlife Fitness provides membership discounts to Ottawa Sports staff as part of employee benefits package.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Ski Academy (Canadian): Canadian alpine ski racing and education program blending elite training, sports science support, and academic credit. Comparable athletic/academic integration model to Ottawa Sports' Alpine Club and SHSM stack.
• Mont-Tremblant Ski School: Major Quebec ski resort ski school offering private/group lessons, racing programs, and multi-resort terrain. Comparable to Ottawa Sports' Snow School and Alpine Club offerings, and an explicit away-camp destination for Ottawa Sports.
• Calabogie Peaks Resort Ski School: Resort-affiliated ski and snowboard school serving the Ottawa region with lessons, racing programs, and multi-discipline instruction. Comparable CSIA-certified instruction and regional ski-racing customer base within ~1.5 hours of Ottawa.
• Stratton Mountain School: Independent winter sports academy in Vermont combining alpine ski racing, academics, and athlete development for elite student-athletes. Comparable integrated model pairing competitive ski racing with academic programming, similar to Ottawa Sports' SHSM + Alpine Club structure.
• Snowhawks Ottawa - Ski & Snowboard School: Operates one of the region's leading travelling ski & snowboard schools in Ottawa, offering coach-bus programs, after-school bussing, and youth/adult on-snow instruction. Directly comparable model, geography, and customer base; Ottawa Sports lists them as a mutual strategic partner.
• Burke Mountain Academy: Vermont-based independent ski racing academy combining elite alpine coaching, sports science/psychology, and college-prep academics. Strong comparability to Ottawa Sports' Alpine Club + mental performance coaching + SHSM academic stack, though at a residential scale.

Others

• Alpine Ontario Alpin (AOA): Provincial sport governing body for alpine ski racing that grants the Coach of the Year award won by Ottawa Sports' founder. Relevant ecosystem/industry participant rather than a direct competitor, shaping the competitive landscape and certification pipeline.
• Capital Athletic Therapy & Rehab Centre (CapitalATR): Ottawa-based athletic therapy and rehabilitation provider and Ottawa Sports partner offering injury rehab and sports science support. Adjacent enabling services rather than direct competitor; relevant for understanding the integrated sports-medicine ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• École du Ski Français (ESF): France's national ski and snowboard school network with 220+ schools, deeply standardized instructor certification (comparable to CSIA/CASI), and broad beginner-to-expert instruction. Relevant global benchmark for scale, curriculum, and brand-driven ski instruction.
• Whistler Blackcomb Ski & Snowboard School: Largest ski school operation in North America with extensive private lessons, race programs, and multi-discipline instruction. Compares on instruction methodology, certification pipeline, and racing development model at much greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ottawasports
• Instagraminstagram.com/sports.ottawa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ottawa-sports

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ottawa Sports