A Movement Designed to Change a Culture

The thing about starting a movement that's designed to change a culture is that it's never an easy task. Yet that's the main objective of the Give And Go Sport Education Documentary.

"We want to make a difference in the lives of kids in sport," said Mark McGuire, the executive director of GIVE AND GO Sport Education.

McGuire is a former professional European athlete and coach, and graduate of Windsor's St. Clair College, who for more than 35 years has certified coaches and instructed skills to thousands of learners in four countries.

The film examines the rise of one-sport specialization in youth sports, highlighting its dangers and disadvantages, and offering solutions to the problems it has created.

The Give And Go Sport Education Documentary was officially launched Oct. 30 during a media event at St. Clair College, one of the backers of the film. The Canadian Mental Health Association and the Windsor Spitfires Foundation are other local charities stepping up to the plate to make the cause of Give And Go become a reality.

"The message in the documentary is important for every parent, coach, activity leader, and sport leader to understand and embrace," said Marco Di Buono, president of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities. "Children need a variety of experiences to leverage the benefits of sport over the long-term."

The message of Give And Go isn't about denigrating sport specialization, but rather to open the eyes of parents and coaches to the reality that the best route to making children excel at sports is by enabling them the opportunity to participate in a variety of different activities. By following this path, they will development their growing bodies more naturally, with over stressing certain bones and muscle groups.

"We think it's about time someone stands up and says something, does something to advocate for the kids," McGuire said. "And not just the sport piece, it's the emotional and the mental piece, which is equally as important as the physical piece."

From a mental health aspect, by engaging in a variety of activities, youngsters are learning from different coaches and building a much wider base of social activity and a broader group of friends. The chance of them burning out from over activity in one sport becomes minimal. The change does them good.

Among those lending their voices to the documentary are Olympic decathlon champion Damian Warner, Paralympic swimmer and Windsor native Danielle Campo, Hockey Hall of Famer Eric Lindros, and Windsor area former pro athletes like Joe Siddall and Frank Renaud.

Mental health advocates and sport medicine specialists speak to the inherent dangers that the pressures brought on by sport specialization can bring into the lives of youth sport participants.

Supporting the cause of Give And Go are such national sport organizations such as the Coaching Association of Canada, Baseball Canada, Basketball Canada and sport advocacy groups like the Canadian Centre For Ethics In Sports, Parachute and the Respect Group.

"This documentary is a tremendous resource for sport volunteers, administrators, educators and even grandparents," said Wayne McNeil, co-founder of the Respect Group. "Together we can all make amateur sport more safe, enjoyable and engaging for kids of all ages."

The Give And Go Sport Education documentary is now available for download on this website.

- with files from Rich Garton