Sport for Life enewsletter

2021 Volume: Edition 6

To our Sport for Life champions,

Passion for movement is what drives us. No matter what work we’re doing within the quality sport and physical literacy ecosystem, it all comes back to the love we have for moving our bodies. We believe everybody should have the opportunity to enjoy physical activity, and all the health benefits that come with it. No exceptions.

In this newsletter you’ll find plenty of ways we’re expressing our passion. We have two stories with LGTBQ+ people to celebrate Pride Month, and we interviewed Len Morris Jr. of the Geronimo Canoe Club for Indigenous History Month. We also have a story about Dr. Charles Cardinal, who devoted his life to the betterment of the sport of volleyball, and another one about a wheelchair sport program called Let’s Play BC.

Read on to find more opportunities to get engaged and get active.

VOICES OF PRIDE MONTH, VOLUME I

Pride Month is an annual opportunity to celebrate the rich diversity of the LGBTQ+ community. Beyond the typical parades and festivities, it’s also a chance for the greater public to learn about the unique perspectives and lived experiences of people of all sexualities and gender identities.

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CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS HISTORY MONTH

Indigenous communities have been coming together to get active, compete and enjoy the benefits of physical activity since long before Canada was a country. During this year’s Indigenous History Month, there are many reasons to celebrate the traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation and the resiliency of the Indigenous people.

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For the love of volleyball: A conversation with Dr. Charles Cardinal

Canada has been recognized internationally for the quality of its Long-Term Development resources, but still has a long way to go before coaches at every level of the Canadian sport system properly prioritize implementation, according to planning and periodization expert Dr. Charles Cardinal.

One of the original authors of the seminal Canadian Sport for Life—Long-Term Athlete Development resource paper but now retired, Cardinal spent his career championing the development of all players from an early age, rather than focusing on creating winning teams.

>>Read more

Engaging Newcomers in Physical Activity: Podcast

Need inspiration on how to engage newcomers to Canada in physical activity?

ParticipACTION recently hosted a podcast with Sport for Life’s Senior Manager of Operations and Newcomers Engagement Kabir Hosein and Nancy Clement of the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada.

Together they talked about the progress that’s been made so far to develop programs in Canada, how to tear down remaining barriers to participation, and ways we can all look to the future.

Check out the podcast here.

Global Design Challenge for Sport and Physical Activity 2021

The Global Design Challenge 2021 is a worldwide search for ambitious, innovative ideas to get people physically active. It was launched last year by University College Cork, Ireland, in association with Sport Ireland, and under the patronage of UNESCO.

There are development grants of up to €10,000 for the best concepts. On June 7, the Global Design Challenge for Sport and Physical Activity opened for registration, following a year of lockdown and restrictions that have seen participation levels plummet.

To learn more visit the Global Design Challenge website.

Let’s Play BC ignites passion

The creators of Let’s Play BC have a pretty straightforward ambition.

Let’s Play is a BC Wheelchair Basketball Society program, and is focused on the first two stages of Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity: Active Start and FUNdamentals.

It provides everything the kids need to learn wheeling and become active in their home, school and communities.

>>Read more

Riding on the Spirit North wind

It’s always been Sandra Lynn Kruger’s dream to ride like the wind. This year, that dream came true.

In the spring, an organization called Spirit North worked with Outma Sqilx'w Cultural School youth on a mountain biking course that saw 55 students learn the basics of the sport along with safety skills. Learn more about Spirit North here.

You can read the full inspiring story in The Penticton Herald .

Recruitment and Retention of Volunteers

Volunteers are the public face of community events, non-profit organizations, and the corporate sponsors that support those events and organizations. Volunteer workforces should be diverse and inclusive, and every volunteer should feel safe, respected, and appreciated at all times. This course educates volunteer workers about acceptable and unacceptable attitudes and behaviours, how to respond appropriately, and their role in supporting a respectful, productive volunteer environment.

>>Register here