(OTTAWA – JUNE 1, 2016) The Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM) was officially launched by the Canadian sport community on May 31, 2016. The multi-phase, system-wide movement, coordinated by the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), along with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, has the potential to affect all sport organizations and coaches across Canada. While the majority of coaches are dedicated to the overall wellbeing of their athletes, Phase 1 of the RCM will address the relationship between coach and athlete to ensure that athletes, especially minors, are not subject to unethical behaviour by coaches.
“The Responsible Coaching Movement is a collaborative effort open to all National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) partners and sanctioned sport organizations to ensure the impact of coaches is a positive one for athletes and for Canadian sport,” said Lorraine Lafrenière, Chief Executive Officer of the CAC. “The goal is to assure parents they’re enrolling their children in clubs and sport organizations that have the best standards of care for athletes.”
At a signing ceremony held yesterday at Partners Congress 2016, an annual CAC event for coach development partners, two national sport organizations took the pledge in support of the RCM. As a result, Skate Canada and Luge Canada will work to implement supportive policies and processes that adhere to the three key areas of focus in Phase 1 of the RCM, which include:
- The Rule of Two;
- Background screening; and
- Respect and ethics training.
“We are honoured to have these national sport partners willing to be early-adopters of the Responsible Coaching Movement and act as ambassadors to the Canadian sport community,” added Lafrenière.
Tim Farstad, Executive Director of Luge Canada, was on-hand at the signing ceremony. “Luge Canada is very proud to be a leader in supporting the Responsible Coaching Movement. We are believers in the Respect in Sport program and feel that coaches, athletes, and parents all have a role to play to increase the level of respect in the sporting environment.”
“Skate Canada places great importance on creating a fun and safe environment for our members and registrants, especially children and youth. While we realize that the full implementation of the Responsible Coaching Movement will require change and a shift in the way we operate, we believe that the work we are doing will shape the future of sport in Canada,” stated Ilan Yampolsky, Safe Sport Director at Skate Canada. “Skate Canada is proud to be at the forefront of the Responsible Coaching Movement and honoured to be one of the first organizations to sign this important pledge.”
For Sheldon Kennedy, an advocate for preventing abuse in sport and co-founder of Respect Group Inc., the Responsible Coaching Movement is an important initiative that will have a positive impact in communities across the country. “Coaches play a vital role in the Canadian sport system, serving as authority figures, mentors, teachers, and role models for athletes. Yet, a coach’s ultimate job is to make sure a child feels welcome and safe enough to keep coming back,” he said. “It’s about giving coaches the tools to create that healthy atmosphere for kids.”
For more information on the Responsible Coaching Movement, to take the pledge, or to learn more about the different tools available to adhere to ethical coaching practices, please visit www.coach.ca/ResponsibleCoaching.
About the Responsible Coaching Movement
The Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM) is a multi-phase system-wide movement, coordinated by the Coaching Association of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, that has the potential to affect all sport organizations and coaches. The RCM is the result of extensive ongoing consultation with the Canadian Sport Community. These consultations will guide the different phases of the RCM that will address the role coaches play with issues relating to the health and safety of athletes, both on and off the field of play. The RCM is open to National Sport Organizations, Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations, and club/community organizations.
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 follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.
About the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport is an independent, national, not-for profit organization with a responsibility to administer the Canadian Anti-Doping Program. We recognize that true sport can make a great difference for individuals, communities and our country. We are committed to working collaboratively to activate a values-based and principle-driven sport system; protecting the integrity of sport from the negative forces of doping and other unethical threats; and advocating for sport that is fair, safe and open to everyone. For more information, please visit www.cces.ca.
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For more information or media availability, please contact:
Michel Hachey
Manager, Communications
Coaching Association of Canada
mhachey@coach.ca