Getting Back in the Game

By James McCourt

Games, sport and physical activity play a major role within society. From early games played with the family to meticulously organized elite sports programs, the role that games, sport and physical activity play in our everyday lives is extensive. Everyone is exposed to games, sport and physical activity to some degree. This exposure could be through family, friends, schools (physical education programs), or in many cases community programs. Many experts believe that games, sport and physical activity are connected with positive mental, social, psychological, physical and academic development, particularly in youth. There are positive correlations between games, sport, physical activity and socialization, self-identification, moral development, positive personality characteristics, achievement motivation, sense of competence, self-esteem and body image. One of the biggest struggles of our current pandemic for the youth of the Quinte region has been the closure of school gyms to community groups after school hours. While surrounding school boards were setting up policies and examining ways to allow youth programing back into schools safely, the Hasting and Prince Edward District School Board continues to keep school doors shut. While gyms sit empty, the youth in our region continue to suffer. Sports programs and clubs are left to struggle and fight for the limited resources that this area has to offer. There are so many sports and clubs that use school gyms. Baseball, football, hockey, basketball, rugby, not to mention community groups like Scouts and Girl Guides. In terms of sports, it puts our athletes at a huge disadvantage when other area programs are running at full capacity. If programs CAN find gym times, they are usually shortened because of the massive need for youth to share the facilities.

The Bay of Quinte region has a rich history of coaches, athletes, administrators and parents. People who volunteer their time and energy, who go above and beyond so that youth can have opportunities that will impact their lives and shape who they are as individuals. By keeping gym doors closed, you not only deny youth opportunities to grow, but you silence the amazing leadership examples and life-lessons that these volunteers provide to youth and the community. Perhaps one of the biggest tragedies for youth during this pandemic is the affect that it is having on female athletes. At a time when Canadian women are achieving amazing things on the world stage in hockey, soccer, basketball, rugby, rowing, etc., girls are dropping out of sport at an alarming rate. Research shows that due to the pandemic, 1 in 4 girls are not committed to resuming their pre-pandemic sport participation levels. These statistics equate to over 350 000 girls not participating in sports. The Canadian Women and Sports’ report on the pandemic Impact on Girls in Sport, explains this statistic in another way. It would be as if every girl in Alberta between the ages of six and eighteen just decided to stop participating in sport. This is a profound statistic. Before the pandemic, girls reported that the top benefits of sport participation were: physical health, fun/enjoyment, social, mental health/well-being. A huge part of participation in sport for girls is the social connections they make. Girls reported that the major areas affected by the pandemic for them include: mental and physical health, missing friends, being stuck at home and the impact of the loss of school and loss of activities at school. As an elementary school teacher and coach I see the impact that the pandemic has had on girls when it comes to physical education and sports. I was reminded of this when a parent sent me a message about her daughter who was reluctant to come out for basketball, even though she had played in previous years. After the first practice, she got in the car and said “mom I forgot how much I love basketball until my team started back up, I really like my team.” Are the youth of the Quinte region just becoming used to life without games, sport and physical activity? After her practices began back up, this particular player decided she wasn’t going to wait for school sports to start and began organizing drills she learned at practice with her friends at recess. Games, sport and physical activity play such an important role in the lives of our youth. So many life lessons are learned on the field, court or rink. While volunteers are sidelined indefinitely and our school gyms remain closed, how long will we continue to sit by and watch the youth or our area suffer?