Sports & Athletics

A NEW WAY FORWARD - An exerpt from a recently released white paper from "Sport Alberta".

"As a province and as a country we are entering a time of change and transition. Moving post-Vancouver 2010 there will be a shift in the attention and resources dedicated to sport. Similarly, in a post-recession environment of structural deficits there will be very few additional resources available for new programs and there may be cuts to existing funding programs at both the provincial and federal level. In Alberta, the Alberta Sport Policy is sunsetting and there are other changes at the provincial level that are impacting on sport organizations and leaders.

In this context, sport leaders were asked about the changes that their organizations are undertaking and the possible impact of these changes for the sport sector in Alberta and, more broadly, for the province as a whole.

Some of the key ideas that emerged included: 

• Paralympics organizations are organizing games between disabled and able-bodied kids
  • By end of game there is a new respect from the able bodied kids and it gives the disabled kids confidence and the sense that they are in community
    • The contribution to Alberta is to help the disabled world develop more confidence and bring that confidence to the working world
    • Canada Special Olympics has started a program for special Olympics kids for ages 2 to 10
    • Calgary and Edmonton are top ten destinations for immigrants, which means that there is an influx of non-traditional games in these communities. One change is to integrate these games into the mainstream sport sector to create opportunities for newcomers in our communities.
    • Partnering with service organizations
      • Impact will be that athletes with disabilities will have a greater opportunity to integrate into regular sports because they will develop in parallel with their peers
    • Will create leaders and advocates
  • A number of athletes bringing the sports that they are familiar with
  • Growth in cricket and rugby
  • Growth of action sports games like X-sports and other non-traditional sports that dominate sponsorship
• Changes in sport delivery
  • Movement towards a sport for sport and/or LTAD/CS4L model of sport
    • Impact will be to increase the recognition of the need to create opportunities for young athletes across a number of sports
  • Increased professionalization of coaches
    • Impact will be to deliver a more consistent level of coaching and experience of sport across all ages and levels.
  • Systemic changes in communities to reduce barriers to recreation
  • Exploring the potential for economies of scale/reductions in duplication across organizations such as CIS/CCAA
    • Impact would be to increase opportunities to play at the appropriate level and reduce time commitments/travel costs for athletes
• Changes in Funding Models
  • The ASPRWF foundation is looking at providing funding mechanisms to address emerging trends in sport.
    • This should provide greater and more responsive ways to support sport in Alberta

In tune with Sport Alberta's identified concerns, SAS Sports & Entertainment Group's objectives for St. Albert Sports City are to tackle many of the challenges facing sport that have been clearly identified in the report by:

1.  Creating and developing sustainable sports and recreation facilities and higher quality programs.

2.  Fostering and developing a minimum of 10 sport-specific academies in various summer and winter sports programs.

3.  Creating and operating a Long-Term Athlete Development [LTAD] model across the board to ensure that the necessary time to develop as an elite athlete is provided.

4.  Incorporating sustainable ongoing funding mechanisms into SAS Sports & Entertainment Group's business model for St. Albert Sports City that will provide the necessary coaching and value-added training that is required to reach the next level.