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Easing the Pain of Cutting Kids From Sport: Are There Best Practices? (Dr. Lauren Sulz)

Dr. Lauren Sulz, University of Alberta Dr. Louise Humbert, University of Saskatchewan Dr. Doug Gleddie, University of Alberta The practice of cutting, or the non-selection of athletes from sport teams, is one of the most controversial debates in youth sport. Whether you believe the team selection…
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Long-Term Athlete Development: Exploring Key Factor #3 “Developmental Age” – The Bio-banding Experience

Grouping young athletes according to chronological age is the most common method used to create training cohorts and design competition. Although convenient for sport organizations to implement, there are numerous limitations to this approach such as the fact that children of the same chronological age…
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Keynotes and early-bird registration for the 2018 Sport for Life Canadian Summit

Victoria, B.C. – Early-bird registration is now open for the 2018 Sport for Life Canadian Summit, which takes place January 23-25 in Gatineau, Quebec. The theme of this year's Summit is "Working Together". If we want to give participants in sport and physical activity the best possible chance to…
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Physical Literacy for Communities welcomes four new projects

Four communities have equipped themselves to deliver sustainable physical literacy programming and improve the health and achievements of their citizens by committing to the Physical Literacy for Communities initiative. Over the next three years, Aurora, Hamilton, Sudbury, and White Rock will each develop…
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Sport for Life receives national award for excellence in health promotion

Victoria, B.C. – In its efforts to promote quality sport and physical literacy development throughout Canada, the Sport for Life Society has been recognized by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA). Each year the CMA honours those outside the health sector for activities and initiatives that have…
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Bob Bearpark Foundation

“Coaches teach important lessons in life... reliability, honesty, team building, life skills and values” Bob Bearpark Robert ‘Bob’ Edward Bearpark 1943 - 1996 Bob Bearpark embarked on a career in teaching and coaching in the southwest of England where he was a well-known athlete, physical educator…
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Making meaningful competition affordable and accessible in rural Saskatchewan

Reflecting on the competition concepts outlined in Section 1 and Long-Term Athlete Development/Long-Term Participant Development Pathway 10 Key Factors, there are questions to consider when examining competition from a sport and athlete development perspective. To participate in competition, how…
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How to create meaningful competition: calendar planning, competition selection, and a quality event

Two of the desired outcomes of meaningful competition are that it supports competitors’ learning and encourages their improvement. Since being introduced to organized football in 2009, the Aboriginal athletes of northern Saskatchewan have displayed these qualities in abundance. “It would be an…
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Competition: Contributing to the positive development of athletes

It’s hard to imagine that an 18-year-old lacrosse player who was selected fifth overall in the National Lacrosse League (NLL) draft – who was named to both the all-star and all-rookie teams in his inaugural season, who proceeded to win the NLL championship in each of his first three seasons in the…
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The Dichotomy Between the Aboriginal and Mainstream Sport Systems

Every Easter weekend for the past 55 years, hundreds of Aboriginal soccer players from around British Columbia have come to Victoria to compete in the annual Totem Soccer Tournament. Upwards of 70 teams – spanning men’s, women’s and youth divisions – treat the Victoria soccer community to a display…
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The challenges around meaningful competition

Every 3 years the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) brings together thousands of Aboriginal athletes from across the continent to compete in the 14-sport event. For many of these athletes, ranging in age from 13 to 19 and striving for excellence in their respective sports, the NAIG is the ultimate…
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The power of sport and meaningful competition

Sport has a potential beyond what happens in the field of play. It can be the mechanism to cope with and ultimately overcome tragedy and grief. If the sport structure provides meaningful competition for participants, it can open the door to opportunities that they wouldn’t otherwise have. When the…
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