Sport for Life Champions "Give and Go": A Documentary Redefining Youth Sport Success • Sport for Life

Sport for Life proudly endorses Give and Go, a groundbreaking 34-minute Canadian documentary that examines the critical balance between sport specialization and multisport participation in youth development. GIVE AND GO Sport Education (GGSE) is a not-for-profit advocating for the physical, emotional and mental health of kids in sport. Released in 2024, this research-backed documentary features insights from Olympic medalists, professional athletes, medical experts, and national sport leaders who collectively present a compelling case for a more balanced approach to youth sport.

“The multisport model isn’t just about creating better athletes—it’s about developing healthier, more well-rounded young people,” said Mark McGuire, Executive Director of GIVE AND GO Sport Education. McGuire is a former professional European Coach and Athlete, Coaching Association of Canada Learning Facilitator and Hockey Canada speciality skills instructor. “After 35 years in coaching and sport development across four countries, I’ve seen firsthand how seasonal, multisport participation creates more resilient, adaptable athletes while preserving what matters most—their joy in movement and play.” Mark acknowledges that what we have in Canada is very good and that sport volunteers are to be commended. However he feels the documentary can help more amateur sport stakeholders move from good to better and potentially… better to best.”

The Case for Multi-sport Participation

Give and Go thoughtfully examines how youth sport has evolved from seasonal participation to year-round specialization, often at significant cost to young athletes’ physical, mental, and social development. The documentary presents compelling evidence that early sport sampling—participating in multiple sports during developmental years—creates not only healthier individuals but ultimately better athletes, who in turn stay in sport as volunteers, administrators, and board members.

The documentary highlights a reality often overlooked in today’s competitive youth sport environment: less than 1% of young athletes will ever become professionals. Yet many children are funnelled into intensive, year-round programs focused on a single sport, potentially sacrificing both childhood experiences and long-term athletic development. “The goal is to prepare the child for their path of choice rather than prepare a path for the child”.

Voices of Experience and Expertise

What makes Give and Go particularly powerful is its impressive roster of contributors who bring both scientific knowledge and lived experience to the conversation:

Olympic gold medalist Damian Warner, whose multisport background contributed significantly to his decathlon success
NHL Hall of Famer Eric Lindros, founder of the Lindros Legacy Research Centre
Paralympic champion Danielle Campo McLeod, a seven-time Paralympic medalist and ambassador for the documentary
Joe Siddall, former MLB catcher and current Toronto Blue Jays analyst
Dr. Bob Litchfield, Medical Director of the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic
Dr. Leigh Vanderloo, Scientific Director at ParticipACTION
Marco Di Buono, President of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities
Lorraine Lafreniere, CEO of the Coaching Association of Canada

These contributors examine how early specialization often leads to burnout, overuse injuries, and diminished enjoyment, precisely the opposite outcomes intended by well-meaning parents and coaches seeking to develop athletic excellence.

Physical Literacy: The Foundation for Lifelong Activity

A central theme in Give and Go that perfectly aligns with Sport for Life’s mission is the importance of physical literacy—the development of fundamental movement skills, confidence, and motivation that enable individuals to enjoy a variety of physical activities throughout life.

“Physical literacy is the cornerstone of both participation and excellence in physical activity and sport,” says Richard Way, CEO of Sport for Life. “When we develop physically literate children through diverse movement experiences, we’re setting them up for a lifetime of activity and enjoyment. Give and Go powerfully reinforces what research has shown for years—that early multisport participation creates not just better athletes, but healthier, more active individuals.” “When GGSE considered making our first documentary, Richard was among the first that I reached out to for direction and support. I wanted components of the documentary message to complement the Sport for Life messaging as well, “ recalls McGuire.

Through diverse sport experiences, children develop:

A broader movement vocabulary across different environments and contexts
Greater adaptability and creative problem-solving in physical challenges
Enhanced confidence to try new activities and sports
Stronger intrinsic motivation to remain physically active for life

Sport for Life has long championed physical literacy as the cornerstone of both long-term athlete development and population health. Give and Go reinforces this approach with compelling narratives and evidence from both the scientific community and elite sport.

Returning to Seasonal, Balanced Sport Participation

The documentary doesn’t simply identify challenges—it offers practical solutions. Give and Go advocates for a return to more seasonal approaches to sport, where children can experience different activities throughout the year, developing varied skills while reducing physical and psychological burnout.

This vision aligns perfectly with Sport for Life’s Quality Sport framework, which emphasizes developmentally appropriate programming that prioritizes both enjoyment and skill development at every stage.

A Call to Action for Sport Leaders

As a non-profit organization committed to enhancing the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada, Sport for Life sees Give and Go as an essential resource for coaches, parents, educators, and sport administrators who influence youth sport experiences.

We encourage our network to:

Watch the documentary at giveandgosport.ca to understand the research-backed benefits of multisport participation
Share these insights with parents, coaches, and sport organizations in your community
Implement balanced approaches to youth sport that prioritize physical literacy and long-term development over early specialization
Create partnerships between different sport organizations to facilitate Multisport participation

By joining forces with GIVE AND GO Sport Education—a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting seasonal, multisport participation among young athletes—Sport for Life continues its commitment to building systems where every child can experience quality sport, develop physical literacy, and enjoy being active throughout their lives.