HELPING HANDS

Beating rising costs to keep kids in sports

KidSport BC aims to connect youth to a life-long love of sport

by RYAN LEHAL

“They learn so much that they can apply off the field of play that’s important in their future life. That’s not just the health benefits, it’s teamwork, it’s self-esteem, its socialization skills." — Peter Quevillon

In an age where youth are frequently encouraged to lead active lives, for many young Canadians this can be unrealistic due to the rising costs of organized sport.

According to a national survey of 2,010 Canadians, commissioned by Northstar Research Partners in June 2014, in association with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) and KidSport Canada, one-third of children in Canada, defined as between the ages of three and 17, do not participate in organized sport due to high enrolment fees and equipment costs.

That is where KidSport Canada attempts to intervene.

As a nationally run not-for-profit youth sport initiative, it is committed to helping children afford the costs associated with playing organized sport. KidSport Canada maintains a presence in every province, as well as the Northwest Territories.

In British Columbia, KidSport BC was created in 1993 by governing body Sport BC as an initiative to allow Lower Mainland children to be able to step from the sidelines onto the playing field.

“They saw a need that kids were prevented from playing because of the fees,” said KidSport BC coordinator Katie McCallum. “Getting there can be an issue. There’s equipment costs, not just the registration fees, but the fees that go with getting the child in the game.”

According to Northstar Research Partners, nine in 10 Canadians feel that youth sport participation is becoming too expensive, with 82 per cent of those surveyed stating that they know a child who is unable to participate because of financial issues. On average, households with children enrolled in organized sport spend $953 per child on enrolment and equipment fees, which has increased from the $579 in 2005.

A 2005 study on youth participation in sport by Statistics Canada found that out of 2,021 respondents, Canadian children between the ages of five and 14 who actively participated in organized sport at least once a week come from higher-income families, while lower-income households boast the lowest participation rates.

KidSport BC aids by providing a maximum of $300 towards registration and equipment costs through an anonymous application process for children ages 18 and under, who are set to register for any sport organization that is a member of Sport BC. The anonymity of the registration process is held in high regard at the youth sport initiative.

“It says the kid on the field is just like any other,” said McCallum. “They’re not designated as a KidSport kid. It’s very important that they’re just like any other [child] on the field.”

Through the application process, KidSport does ask that a financial verification reference be submitted along with the application, however no official financial documentation needs to be provided.

“We just ask that the family has someone who is aware of their financial situation and is willing to sign on their behalf saying that yes, there is a financial need,” said McCallum.

In 2014, KidSport BC funded approximately 7,400 children in 40 different sports, a value of over $1.6 million.

KidSport BC director Pete Quevillon believes that by giving children the opportunity to participate in organized sport, there are a plethora of skills that youth can learn and apply towards their everyday lives. That has been the message of one of KidSport’s most successful campaigns, ‘Sport skills, are life skills.’

“They learn so much that they can apply off the field of play that’s important in their future life,” said Quevillon. “That’s not just the health benefits, it’s teamwork, it’s self-esteem, it's socialization skills.

“There’s so many things that they can take away from sport experience that becomes life skills that we felt it was really important to get that message out there.”

Quevillon has spent years coaching various youth sport teams, ranging from children’s tee-ball to teenage baseball, basketball and soccer, working with both boys and girls. From his experiences as a coach, Quevillon has been able to help promote and instill some of these life skills into his players, as well as witness first-hand the effect of sport participation on children.

“You see kids gaining confidence and developing something that they can take forward into the rest of their life,” said Quevillon. “The lifelong love of sport I think is really important for some of these kids to take forward.

“No matter how old you are, it’s important to keep a connection, keep playing and keep active.”