CS4L RELEASES Canadian Sport for Life – Long-Term Athlete Development 2.0

Canadian Sport for Life is pleased to announce the release of Canadian Sport for Life – Long-Term Athlete Development 2.0, an update on the original 2005 Canadian Sport for Life – Long-Term Athlete Development Resource Paper. 

One of the guiding principles behind the Canadian Sport for Life movement is the key factor of continuous improvement, which is drawn from the respected Japanese industrial philosophy known as Kaizen. Never assume that Long-Term Athlete Development in its current form is ever complete or final. We operate from the position that it represents the best practices in coaching and athlete development as they are understood today. As such, 2.0 reflects the latest advances in sport-science research and best practices in coaching. 

This consultation paper describes a 7-stage Canadian framework of LTAD, a training, competition, and recovery program based on developmental age - the maturation level of an individual - rather than chronological age. Athletes who progress through Long-Term Athlete Development experience training and competition in programs that consider their biological and training ages in creating periodized plans specific to their development needs. 

“The health and wellness of the nation and the medals won at major Games are simple by-products of an effective sport system and Long-Term Athlete Development, guided by this resource, is the pathway to an effective sport-system,” explains Istvan Balyi, Canadian Sport for Life Expert Team. 

Canadian Sport for Life – Long-Term Athlete Development 2.0 is available for download at www.cs4l.ca/resources. Hard copies can be ordered by contactingmelodie@canadiansportforlife.ca . 

Canadian Sport for Life wishes to thank Sport Canada and Canadian Sport Institute Pacific for their support in the creation of this document. 

Canadian Sport for Life and Long-Term Athlete Development 
Canadian Sport for Life is a movement to improve the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada. CS4L links sport, education, recreation, and health and aligns community, provincial, and national programming. Long-Term Athlete Development is a seven-stage training, competition and recovery pathway guiding an individual’s experience in sport and physical activity from infancy through all phases of adulthood. CS4L, with LTAD, represents a paradigm shift in the way Canadians lead and deliver sport and physical activity in Canada.