Amateur sport in Toronto

Amateur sport in Toronto has a vibrant and distinguished history, with a breadth of sports featuring significant participation in youth leagues, collegiate sports, and other organised and ad-hoc events.

Basketball

Toronto youth basketball is the most participated sport in theHighschool programs in the GTA, often considered the fastest growing sport at the Toronto Highschool level.

Hockey

Toronto youth hockey teams participate in the world's largest organised hockey league, the Greater Toronto Hockey League, founded in 1911 in the The Beaches neighbourhood.

Football

Toronto was for many years the host of the annual Vanier Cup football championship, and also hosted (and won) many of the early Grey Cup competitions that were contested by amateur football teams. Both championship games will once again be held in Toronto in 2007, along with the annual Metro Bowl high school championship.

Collegiate sports

Universities

* Ontario Tech Ridgebacks
* Ryerson Rams
* Varsity Blues
* York Lions

Community colleges

* Seneca Sting
* Humber Hawks
* George Brown Huskies
* Centennial Colts

Events

There have been some proponents for the city to host the Summer Olympics. With city council's endorsement, bids were submitted to the International Olympic Committee to host the 1996 Olympics, eventually awarded to Atlanta, and the 2008 Olympics, awarded to Beijing.

With Canada's selection as host for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Toronto was established as the venue for the final and third-place matches, hosting twelve games in total.

Starting in 2007, every January the city hosts the International Bowl, an NCAA college football bowl game. The inaugural match was contested between the University of Cincinnati and Western Michigan University.

The city also features ad-hoc events like the Toronto Donut Ride, an informal weekly road cycling tour that also covers parts of York Region.

ee also

*Professional sport in Toronto
*List of sports teams in Toronto