This resource provides a framework for the development of every child, youth, and adult to enable optimal participation in sport and physical activity. The objective of the framework is to promote both sporting excellence at the highest international level and life-long engagement in health-enhancing physical activity. This third edition brings a number of important updates and enhancements. Despite an unwavering belief that every child is born an athlete, Sport for Life has chosen to call this resource Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity for these reasons:
- To maintain focus on the key idea that development is a process that takes time, and that sport and physical activity should look very different, based on the individual’s stage of development.
- To reinforce the idea that long-term development is important both in sport performance and for life-long engagement in physical activity for health.
- To broaden the focus. Effective development requires the alignment of ALL parts of the Canadian sport and physical activity ecosystem, from community programming through to targeted high -performance sport excellence, and this involves far more than just sport organizations.
