Sport is a powerful thing. It can be used as a tool to ultimately improve the livelihood of others, and SNYB is doing just that with the help of some amazing people.
Sport for development has been a common concept to help people in developing nations around the world, but did you know that is happening in your own home country? SNYB has been around for ten years, and continues to grow and positively impact youth nationwide. The main objectives of SNYB are:
- Participation – To provide opportunities for youth ages 8-12 across Canada to play basketball.
- Education – NCCP FUNdamentals Coach Workshop and full basketball curriculum with supporting resources.
- Development – Develop young athletes in alignment with the Sport Canada LTAD Model and stage-appropriate drills and games.
- Progression – Entry to the Canada Basketball development pathway, encouraging athletes to pursue high performance opportunity.
- Character Building – Help athletes maximize their potential, using basketball as a vehicle to develop character and life skills.
I believe that the most important objective of SNYB is participation, because with out it, the remaining objectives will not be achieved. An incredible SNYB coordinator, Tania Cameron, has been working very hard to provide opportunities to play basketball and more for the Indigenous youth of Kenora, Ontario.
Her efforts have recently garnered the attention of the First Nations in Northern Ontario. Tania and her son presented on the SNYB program at the Community Aboriginal Recreation Activators conference at the beginning of June. They went to the extent of giving a demonstration, illustrating what to expect from the program, which peaked the interest of workers from Northwest Ontario First Nations.
SNYB is slowly making a positive impact on youth in all corners of Canada!
An informative article has recently been published and discusses the growth and positive influence basketball has had among Indigenous youth in Northwestern Ontario. Click here to view it. It talks about the increase in popularity of basketball among other sports, and the great lengths some go to play – even travelling 5 km by snowmobile because “the game is better out there”. Some have found themselves through the game, and use it as an escape from the troubled realities of drug and alcohol problems in their communities.
Tania hopes that through SNYB, introducing children to the basics of basketball at a young age will be a motivator for them to attend high school, and ultimately increase graduation rates. Thanks for all of your hard work and dedication to SNYB Tania, we look forward to continuing this partnership!
Elizabeth Corey is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Sport Management at the University of Ottawa. She is the Student Domestic Development Coordinator at Canada Basketball, and is the Director of Events for the University of Ottawa Sports Business.
Source: The SNYB Blog http://ift.tt/2sPDEZf