Athlete Stages

Across their life span individuals come into contact with the school system and physical education; sport at the community, provincial/territorial, or national level; community recreation programming; and the health system. It is in everyone’s best interest that ALL of these organizations and sectors work together and follow a common approach to developing physical literacy and athletic potential, thereby ensuring that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity. The common objective must be to increase retention in sport and physical activity and reduce dropout. Long-Term Development is a vehicle for system change because it acknowledges that physical education, school sports, competitive sports, and recreational activities are mutually interdependent. 

Important: 

• Participants are supported along their journey to find appropriate sport and physical activity in which they have the opportunity to achieve their potential. 
• There are multiple pathways for participants to achieve success including changing focus then returning later to a sport. 
• Sports ensure that Long-Term Development pathways align from the early stages through to the Podium Pathway. 
• Regardless of the pathway, or at what stage they leave the competitive stream, all participants end up in Active for Life, either by being Competitive for Life or taking part in Fit for Life or by given back as Sport and Physical Activity Leaders.