Ottawa, ON, May 8, 2024 – The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) is proud to join the Body Confident Sport program with Laureus, Dove, and Nike to help girls build body confidence and make sports a place where girls feel like they belong.
Sport can be a powerful force in a girl’s life. Yet around the world, 45% of teenage girls are dropping out of sport – at twice the rate of boys – because of low body confidence. That’s why Dove, the world's biggest provider of self-esteem and body confidence education, has teamed up with Nike, the biggest champion of athletes and sport, to launch the Body Confident Sport program.
Body Confident Sport is a first-of-its-kind, evidence-based set of coaching tools to build body confidence in 11–17 year-old girls. It was co-developed by Dove and Nike in partnership with world-renowned researchers and experts, the Centre for Appearance Research and the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport, and includes input from girls and coaches from six countries: France, India, Japan, Mexico, the U.K. and the U.S.
This global initiative includes two programs: Body Confident Coaching and Body Confident Athletes. Body Confident Coaching is a web-based, self-guided program that provides coaches with the knowledge and skills to create positive body image environments for their athletes. Body Confident Athletes is an in-person, coach-led program that provides girls with the knowledge and skills to feel body confident when playing sport.
“We are so excited to support the Body Confident Sport program,” said Lorraine Lafrenière, Chief Executive Officer of the Coaching Association of Canada. “We know that when girls have a positive body image, they are more likely to appreciate and listen to their bodies. Coaches and sport leaders who promote body confidence in athletes can significantly contribute to keeping girls in sport and improving their sport experience.”
Body Confident Sport is proven to reduce self-objectification and increase body-esteem and will be delivered through a global network of organizations in schools and sports clubs. The program builds on Nike's and Dove's longstanding commitments to support girls and aims to reach more than one million young people around the world.
Visit the Body Confident Sport website to learn more and access the program.
About the Coaching Association of Canada
The Coaching Association of Canada unites stakeholders and partners in its commitment to raising the skills and stature of coaches, and ultimately expanding their reach and influence. Through its programs, the CAC empowers coaches with knowledge and skills, promotes ethics, fosters positive attitudes, builds competence, and increases the credibility and recognition of coaches. For more information, please visit www.coach.ca, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
About Dove Canada
Dove started its life in 1957 in the US, with the launch of the Beauty Bar, with its patented blend of mild cleansers and ¼ moisturizing cream. Dove's heritage is based on moisturization, and it is proof not promises that enabled Dove to grow from a Beauty Bar into one of the world's most beloved beauty brands. Women have always been our inspiration and since the beginning, we have been wholly committed to providing superior care to all women and to championing real beauty in our advertising. Dove believes that beauty is for everyone. That beauty should be a source of confidence and not anxiety. Dove's mission is to inspire women everywhere to develop a positive relationship with the way they look and realize their personal potential for beauty.
About Nike
NIKE, Inc., headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Converse, a wholly owned NIKE, Inc. subsidiary brand, designs, markets and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories.
For Media inquiries:
Selma Baaziz
Manager, Marketing & Communications
Coaching Association of Canada