Sport for Life July Newsletter

2023 Volume: Edition 7

To our Sport for Life champions,

The work never really ends.

Engaging as many people in quality sport and physical literacy opportunities as possible begins with childhood, lasts a lifetime, and renews with every new generation. We are routinely amazed at the work being done in this country to achieve inclusion and engage the population, and couldn’t be prouder to play a role in making that happen.

Because we believe in the Japanese concept of Kaizen, which means relentless self-improvement, we're always striving to take our work to the next level. In this eNewsletter, you'll find plenty of examples of this commitment to growth and continuous engagement.

Ultimate program creates transformational connection opportunities for Indigenous Participants

Can a frisbee be a tool for reconciliation?

When it comes to the Ultimate Spirit program, the organizers’ ambitions go well beyond having a fun time – they also want to build lasting relationships with the Indigenous communities they’re working in and create opportunities for players to be mentored into coaching roles.

“Our vision is to create transformational connections with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, with the vehicle being ultimate,” said Jimmy Roney, program coordinator for the BC Ultimate Society.

>>Read more

Newcomer soccer fanship project launched in Winnipeg and Greater Vancouver

One of the best ways to engage the New to Canada population in quality sport is to encourage their existing interests, including their love of soccer. Having a positive experience off the field of play can give them the opportunity to be involved in Canadian culture through fanship, making them feel welcomed and invested in the sport community.

Sport for Life has hypothesized a fan experience model that could reduce cultural and social barriers to sport participation among New to Canada Participants. These include unfamiliarity with the Canadian sport system, insufficient information on how to get involved in organized sport, and a need for more social connection. This model has been successful in both Scotland and Canada at achieving health-related outcomes.

>>Read more

Sport for Life celebrates social sport legacies on International Nelson Mandela Day

Sporting events have the potential to create lasting social legacies on a global scale, and few people understood this better than Nelson Mandela.

The first democratically elected president of South Africa and an instrumental figure in the fight against the evils of apartheid, Mandela spent decades incarcerated as a prisoner of conscience before emerging as an international symbol of peace and unity. During his years as president and beyond, he championed the transformative power of sport.

He is celebrated every year on July 18 as part of International Nelson Mandela Day, which the United Nations voted to observe starting in 2009 – a testament to the way Mandela continues to inspire people worldwide.

>>Read more

Fourteen elementary schools participate in physical literacy research

Fourteen West Vancouver elementary schools have participated in a two-year longitudinal research project on physical literacy, using Sport for Life's PLAY Tools. This work will provide the baseline for follow-up studies.

The research – published in June and authored by Yiling Tang, Beatrix Algurén, Chelsea Pelletier, Patti-Jean Naylor and Guy Faulkner – followed up on a recent review and meta-analysis that found "a fifth of young people across 23 countries do not meet any of the recommendations and only 10.3% of children meet the recommended 24-hour movement guidelines for all three behaviours worldwide."

>>Read more

New learning facilitators recruited through Sport for Life’s Education Series

The team of learning facilitators qualified to deliver Sport for Life workshops country-wide continues to grow, aided by the recent success of the Education Series in June.

Over 50 new facilitators have completed the onboarding process, bringing them one step closer to reaching participants with learning opportunities such as:

“We continue to build our team of learning facilitators from coast to coast to coast, and we couldn’t be more pleased to welcome these new recruits,” said Senior Manager of Knowledge Scaling Thalia Moore.

>>Read more

Reaching children during childhood is key to lifelong physical literacy

It has never been more clear that people who are encouraged to develop their physical literacy during their foundational childhood years are much more likely to remain active throughout their lives – but it requires support and proactive guidance from their educators.

In a recent article from the Sport Information Resource Centre, University of Victoria professor Jean Buckler argued that based on the available evidence, early childhood educators are not receiving the education and professional development they need to properly facilitate physical literacy development in their participants.

Read on to find out how Sport for Life's resources address Buckler's concerns, and how they can empower you to deliver quality early childhood education opportunities.

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Sport for Life team member heads to FIFA Women’s World Cup

Sport for Life’s Jackie Sawicki is headed to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, representing the Philippines for the country’s first time on the world stage.

Sawicki was on the football team last year when the Philippines reached the semi-finals of the 2022 AFC Asian Cup. Coached by Australian Alen Stajcic, the team has been on a historic upwards trajectory since winning the 2022 AFF Women’s Championships held in the Philippines.

“We’ve been following with interest and pride as a member of our Sport for Life team competes at the world stage, and we applaud Jackie for the achievements she’s experienced in the past few years leading up to this World Cup,” said CEO Richard Way.

“Jackie continues to be a terrific example of athletic excellence, and we’ll certainly be cheering on her team The Filipinas when the action gets kicked off.”

>>Read more

Sport for Life engages New to Canada Participants

By 2030, immigration will account for all of Canada’s net population growth. Cities across Canada are being transformed by immigration, and these demographic trends will undoubtedly impact Canadian sports. Grassroots and professional sport organizations need to find ways to appeal to this diverse new audience.

Sport for Life is working on programs and resources to support engagement of New to Canada Participants based on the Awareness and First Involvement stages of the Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity framework. These programs will offer a platform on which your organization can build resources and education to engage New to Canada Participants in your community.

Resources and Links