Manitoba Coaches Endorsing Respect in Sport Program

Extremely useful, well presented, easy to understand, excellent and thorough.

These are just some of the comments coming from Manitoba coaches who have completed Sport Manitoba’s Respect in Sport Program. Respect in Sport is Canada’s most advanced, on-line, abuse prevention training program for community and sport organizations and their coaches and is designed to complement current coaching certification requirements. The program was developed by former NHL player Sheldon Kennedy and Wayne McNeil, former Chairman of the Alberta Gymnastics Federation.

“This really is an excellent program and a real asset to inexperienced coaches who might be somewhat intimidated by the depth of the responsibilities that they have assumed on a volunteer basis,” says Tim Dumonceaux, a first year coach with 5 and 6 year old hockey players.

Murray Peterson has been coaching various sports for various ages for over 15 years and is presently coaching a competitive 18-year old junior men’s curling team. “I’m sure we know lots of coaches who for whatever reason have been put in charge of kids and have no idea how much power and influence they have on children not only as athletes but as people for their whole lives,” he says. “Any way of getting this point across is commendable and Respect in Sport is a great vehicle for the message.”

Introduced in November 2006, Sport Manitoba has made Respect in Sport a mandatory requirement for all Manitoba coaches identified with a Provincial Sport Organization. Other organizations have followed suit. The Pembina Trails School Division for one implemented the program this year.

“Prevention of abuse in sports and in the classroom is the goal and pervasive education is the key,” says Rick Wankling, a Respect in Sport advocate who presented the program to Pembina Trails. “ We believe this to be a very positive step forward for school related sports programs and we hope that all divisions will follow the leadership of Pembina Trails in this matter to follow the lead set by community sports.”

Since being introduced, 9,500 coaches in Manitoba have registered for the course.

“It is a great course and everyone should have to do it,” says Sherry Rozecki who is the safety person with a 12 and 13 year old Pee Wee hockey team.. “ We will be better coaches and a better person. The emotional well being of your kids is really important in making better adults.”

The three-hour course can be taken at the coach’s leisure, in its entirety or in separate half-hour modules. There is no cost to the individual. Coaches who have completed the course can continue to go online and use the course as a resource and download handouts anytime. The program will also provide for recertification after the third and fifth year.

Respect in Sport is available in both English and French and can be accessed through the Sport Manitoba website at www.sportmanitoba.ca/respectinsport.