And recreation directors in the six municipalities in Pictou County want to promote these things through a new program they’re developing.
Based on the Antigonish Multisport program, it will expose children to a number of different sports with one registration fee, Stellarton recreation director Paul Corbin said.
“It’s an awesome program,” he said. “It gives young families the opportunity to explore all the sports within the community, and children are able to develop a multisport level set of skills.”
He said parents often steer their children toward sports they themselves did as children, and the program is an easy way to introduce kids to other sports.
A recent decision by the Town of Stellarton has paved the way for the new recreation program to start in Pictou County, approving the hiring of two people to run it and to have town staff collect registration fees.
Local sports organizations will run each session, with assistance from the co-ordinators, and the program won’t cost the municipalities anything, as registration fees and grants will cover the expenses.
The Antigonish program was developed in 2015 as a collaborative project involving several community sport organizations and two municipal recreation departments. Goals include providing the opportunity for children to participate in a quality multisport experience with a physical literacy focus, reducing barriers of participation in a quality sport program, educating the community on the importance of physical literacy and long-term athlete development, and collectively building healthier communities through sport, with a focus on being active for life.
Operated from the Keating Millennium Centre, that program has been recognized by Sport Nova Scotia with a Sport Makes a Difference Award.
While details are still being worked out for the Pictou County version, Corbin said it will accept up to 40 children aged five and six, taking place at the Pictou County YMCA starting in September. The program will continue until May, introducing children to 10 different sports such as basketball, soccer, swimming, martial arts, gymnastics and skating.
