Calendar

When is it appropriate to begin specializing, based on the type of sport and other factors? An expert panel will address questions such as: What does “appropriate specialization” mean to you? What does the research tell us are some consequences of “inappropriate” (generally too early) specialization? Is there a consensus on the right time to specialize? What are the “must have” qualities before the athlete should start specializing? How does this differ in different sport types? For example, Gymnastics is traditionally an early specialization sport…what about other types of sport? What about the role of “academies” and “centres of excellence” etc. that purport to groom athletes for high performance, scholarships, etc.? What advice would you give the parent of a “talented 8-year-old”?

The Sport for Life Canadian Summit brings together leaders who work to enhance the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada. Sport for Life recognizes that quality sport and physical literacy offer rich benefits to Canadian society through improved health, stronger communities, higher sporting achievement, and stronger national identity.

The 2020 Sport for Life Canadian Summit theme “Celebrating Success” highlights the importance of bringing together individuals from multiple sectors not only to reflect on and share past successes, but to understand how these successes came to be and what we can do to ensure continued success. Collaboration is key if we are to achieve our shared goals — within our organizations; throughout the national, provincial, and local levels of our sports; and across the whole of the Canadian sport and physical activity ecosystem. Join us in celebrating what has gone well and in focusing on what we can continue to do to ensure positive change going forward.