SFC selects athletes to its National, Development, and Junior representative teams based on demonstrated performance against published performance standards and the objectives of SFC’s High Performance Program.
The National Team includes athletes capable of delivering competitive international performances and progressing toward Top-15 ISSF World Cup results, CAT Games finals, and Olympic or Paralympic quota positions. The Development Team includes athletes demonstrating the performance trajectory to progress toward National Team standards. The Junior Team includes athletes eligible under ISSF Junior age criteria who are capable of competitive international junior-level performances and who demonstrate the potential to transition to senior international competition.
Athletes who meet the minimum standards required to compete internationally, but who do not yet meet National, Development, or Junior Team criteria, may be recognized as Identified (ID) Athletes, providing a pathway toward future team selection.
2027 Percentile-Based Ranking Model
The High Performance Program uses a world-class, percentile-based ranking system to assess and compare athlete performances for the purposes of National and Development Team selection. This replaces the previous approach, of using a % of an 8th place standard based on a single reference year (e.g., “2022 average 8th-place World Cup scores”) with a multi-year, evidence-based model that reflects how scores have actually translated into competitiveness at the highest levels of international competition.The complete normalized score tables used to calculate percentile-based rankings and overall team selection rankings are available here.
2027 Team Selection Criteria – Provisional until March 31st 2026*
*Note: the 2027 Team Selection Criteria are provisional until March 31st 2026, at which point they will become FINAL. Please contact Sue Verdier before March 31st if you have any questions about the criteria.
National & Development Teams EN FR
2026 Team Selection Criteria
National & Development Teams EN FR
National Paralympic Team EN FR
2026 Team Designation and Ranking List
Athlete Assistance Program (AAP)
SFC also nominates a limited number of eligible athletes each year to Sport Canada for consideration under the Athlete Assistance Program (AAP Carding) based on criteria outlined in the following document:
2026 Athlete Assistance Program Criteria – EN FR
2027 Athlete Assistance Program Criteria – EN FR
