March 2010 Issue 36

March 2010 Issue 36 A publication of 2 Sponsored by March 2010 Issue 36 Sport Nova Scotia Kids in Sport do Editor Managing Editor Chad Lucas Catherine McKellar JAMIE FERGUSON Cover Layout & Desktop CHIEF Better in School EXE C UTIVE OFFI C ER Lindsey Benson Paula Yochoff Senior Staff or the past four issues we have been sport and physical activity in schools 11 schools across the province, offering Chief Executive Officer Fusing our Sport Quarterly publication centres around physical education. This elementary and junior-high students the Jamie Ferguson to discuss and promote the benefits sport is understandable, as physical education opportunity to learn fundamental sport has on our society beyond the obvious is an excellent tool to help children and and physical activity skills and stay active Director of Finance physical health benefits. We’ve looked youth acquire fundamental skills that will throughout the week. & Administration at how sport builds “social capital” in allow them to take part in any number Enabling communities to access school Debbie Buckoski communities when businesses support of sports as they grow up, as well as facilities after hours for programs such local sport, how sporting events boost help them be more active on a regular as these is another key to helping our Director of Public Relations tourism and the economy, how sport basis. We recognize challenges exist to children participate in sport, which in Catherine McKellar helps new immigrants adapt to their new having every school child participate on turn can improve their performance Director of Marketing communities, and how sport helps keep a daily basis in physical education; yet, during school hours. Schools are home Jeff LeDrew youth out of the justice system. we believe this needs to be the ultimate to many of the best sport facilities in all In this issue, we continue to highlight goal of our provincial government as the of our communities. Yet, the ability to Director of Sport Development the extensive benefits of sport by rewards will be substantial. access them varies across the province Mark Smith discussing how sport has a positive effect on education. Education plays a vital role in the development of our province and “Essentially, it comes down to recognizing the Sport Quarterly, its communities and sport’s impact in this benefits that sport can bring to our education a publication of Sport Nova Scotia. area is equally significant. Letters to the editor must include A number of studies and reports system, and valuing that contribution.” name, address and phone illustrate the positive effect that number. participation in sport and physical However, there are other ways to even though every community would activity can have on a person’s education. take advantage of the positive effect benefit from improving access to school Sport Nova Scotia A study released in October 2006 sport has on education that also merit facilities for after-school programs. 5516 Spring Garden Road from the American College of Sports serious consideration. One example is the In addition to the ideas and initiatives 4th Floor Medicine indicated the highest academic introduction of an external credentialing above, there are other ways the education Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 1G6 achievers in the study were the ones who policy. This is a program that would system can use sport to help it meet its Tel: (902) 425-5450 participated in a sport or other vigorous allow high-school students to receive a goals. In some instances, this involves activity at least three times a week. limited number of credits for successfully more long-term planning, such as Fax: (902) 425-5606 In the 1990s, a report from Gretchen completing programs that are offered ensuring schools are built with proper E-mail: [email protected] Kerr indicated that athletic participation outside the traditional school curriculum. facilities to meet current and future needs www.sportnovascotia.ca makes primary- and secondary-level For example, a student could receive a for sport and physical activity, and that students more productive, more credit for becoming certified as a coach in curriculum development considers the motivated, better organized and more any number of sports. This type of policy important role sport and physical activity effective in learning and performing could also be broader than just sport, play in education, and allocates time tasks And at the high-school level, the and include other areas such as arts and accordingly. academic performance of athletes is culture. In each instance, programs would Essentially, it comes down to equal to or greater than non-athletes. As have to be reviewed by the Department recognizing the benefits that sport can well, a 2001 study published in The Sport of Education to ensure they met proper bring to our education system, and Journal found high-school athletes tend criteria before becoming eligible to be valuing that contribution. That means to have a higher grade point average than included. This type of policy is not new, making plans and decisions with sport non-athletes. and exists in other jurisdictions across as a consideration. We recognize the The conclusion that can be drawn from Canada. challenges our education system faces these and other studies plainly shows that Additionally, the “after-school” hours today, and we know that there will be Senior Funding Partner of sport and physical activity have an ability of 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. are a key time to help new challenges in the future. However, to enhance the education system and improve the activity levels of children we also recognize that by making sport Sport Nova Scotia improve the performance of students. and youth. In many places, programs and physical activity an integral part, So the logical question is: How can we take place at schools during these hours we are creating an opportunity for best use sport to help further advance the with excellent results. The Sport Nova improvements in the performance of our education system in Nova Scotia? Scotia After-School Program is one such students and the education system as a Much of the discussion involving example. This program currently runs at whole. That’s a smart decision. 2 3 Sponsored by Athlete’s Column Sweeping I immediately said to myself that I had to get back to that environment. to the Brier I’ve been at the men’s level for the past five years and played the last IAN FITZNER-LEBLANC two with the same rink. We reached 11 schools across the province, offering CURLING elementary and junior-high students the the provincial final last season, which opportunity to learn fundamental sport made it really easy to set a goal for this and physical activity skills and stay active At 25 years old, Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc year: you always want to improve, so throughout the week. is already building a reputation as one of the only way to go one step further was Enabling communities to access schoolNova Scotia’s top curlers. The Mayflower to win it all. facilities after hours for programs such curler captured a provincial junior title in Reaching that final was a good as these is another key to helping our children participate in sport, which in2005, where he went on to post a 9-3 record experience for us because we learned turn can improve their performanceat the Canadian junior championships. from some of our mistakes the year during school hours. Schools are homeAfter reaching the final of the Tankard before and we were ready to handle to many of the best sport facilities in allprovincial men’s championship in 2009, it. The pressure of the playoffs wasn’t of our communities. Yet, the ability toFitzner-LeBlanc and his rinkmates Stuart an overwhelming experience because access them varies across the provinceMacLean, Kent Smith and Phil Crowell we’d already been there. Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc Brier Team. From left to right: Philip Crowell, Kent Smith, Stuart MacLean and Ian went unbeaten at their home club in But to win that Tankard in just my Fitzner-LeBlanc. (Contributed) February to win the 2010 Molson Tankard. fifth year at this level is a real treat for The foursome earned the right to represent and the team spirit that keeps me Keeley and Bill MacPhee. We had some sure. A lot of people play competitively Nova Scotia at the Tim Hortons Brier drawn in. I didn’t really get serious success and won some cash events, for 20 or 30 years and never get there. national championship, being held at the about it until I was 14 and a coach came but in my last year of junior it all came To have the Brier in Halifax this year, Metro Centre from March 6-14. to me and asked me if it was something together. It was a do-or-die situation, where I’ll get to compete in front of even though every community would I wanted to do more competitively. I since we were moving up at the end my home crowd, that’s just icing on benefit from improving access to school“ come from a curling background. entered the Youth Greenspiel, which is of the season, so we really busted our the cake. facilities for after-school programs. I My grandparents enrolled me in the provincial under-15 championship, tails as a group. We’ve been practising hard since the In addition to the ideas and initiativesthe sport when I was young. I tried and I actually won it in my first year Winning provincials and making it provincial final and we’re dedicated above, there are other ways the education pretty much every sport out there, but of competitive curling.

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