Soccer playing is soaring in hockey-mad Alberta.
This relatively new development — due in part to the influx of immigrants from soccer-playing countries — is just one change that’s happening in sports in the province.
The Alberta government believes it’s time to set a new sports strategy by bringing together stakeholders at a forum held last weekend in Red Deer. “We need some guiding principals,” said Ashley Warnock, spokesperson for Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation.
The 100 participants who gathered Saturday at the Donald School of Business were trying to develop a fresh road map for sport development, by setting key strategies and priorities on how to move forward in the Alberta Sports Plan.
The five priorities identified by more than 5,000 Albertans who took part in an on-line survey were:
l strengthening partnerships between sports groups and other sectors,
l increasing participation in wide-ranging sports, “from the playground to the podium,”
l boosting skills development, starting with having qualified community coaches who can deliver technically sound guidelines on sporting fundamentals and ethnical conduct,
l improving strategies for the identification and development of potential high-performance athletes who can complete at world-class levels,
l and increasing health and wellness through sport.
The stakeholders at the weekend forum were looking at how these priorities can be achieved, said Warnock.
While the Alberta government funds various sporting organizations, Warnock said the forum is more about determining what kind of resources are needed in general: “Is there enough coach training, are there enough coaches or sports programs or educational tools?”
She believes an increased sports participation is especially needed at a time when children are less active than in the past.
Not only does sports improve health, but Warnock believes participants learn life skills, such as team building, and mentoring. “It contributes to a positive impact in the community and . . . our overall quality of life.”
Alberta Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation, Richard Starke, believes it’s important that Alberta has a plan and “sense of direction” for allocating resources for sport.
“It has benefits at many levels,” he said — both for communities, and for the health and wellness of individuals.
A draft plan will be compiled by early 2014. It will be available for input from Albertans.
lmichelin@www.reddeeradvocate.com