“Challenging the toxic climate”

Stéphanie Grammond’s file on toxic culture in amateur sport in Canada published on August 7 in the Context notebook has generated many comments. Here is an overview of the emails received.

Motivated by anxiety

As a psychologist who works with children who have performance anxiety, I fully agree that the culture of elite sport needs to change. Many of my young clients get caught up in this quest for perfection at all costs. These children are often model students in enriched school programs and elite athletes. They seem so mature and into their business. Unfortunately, it is not maturity, but anxiety that motivates these children. What begins with the pleasure of practicing a sport becomes the fear of disappointing, of being judged, rejected or less loved if they do not live up to the expectations we have for them. Often they give up in adolescence or live with mental health problems that may persist. This culture of the “winner” is more harmful than beneficial for our children.

The D^D Anne Lacasse, psychologist

clean everything

I would very much see Jean-Luc Brassard in the role of president for an independent inquiry into sport in Canada. He’s not afraid to say out loud what many people are thinking. His status would allow him to speak out loud and clear to reform the flawed sports system in Canada. We have to clean everything up and start over now, and the federal sports minister and those of the other provinces would support this process. Now.

Germain Billette

Pay

We cannot change the culture in sport without changing the leaders and, unfortunately, without making those who benefit from it pay. A culture is deeply rooted in a person, especially if they have benefited from it. Let these people pay the price for their abuse, in order and justice, which will slowly bring back a healthier culture.

Serge Potvin, Anjou

A toxic climate

Very interesting file. My son got a taste of top-level sport. He has been part of national teams and participated in world championships. I can assure you that there is a toxic climate in all sports federations in Canada. Beyond the psychological abuse, there is an incessant power game at the head of the federations. Athletes are victims of injustice and do not dare to speak out for fear of reprisals. It’s time to put the light on all this and make things change for the better. For one athlete who breaks through and achieves his Olympic dream, there are dozens of athletes who leave the sport embittered, with disappointments and frustrations. There needs to be a big cleanup.

Suzanne D’Amours

Misplaced Pride

The medals, kossé it gives? Who knows the name with few exceptions of the medal winners? We never talk about the forfeiture of the losers. Misplaced pride of governments, which in addition hardly help these athletes. Let’s encourage participation for the health of young people.

Gilles Bisaillon

Let’s help our young people achieve

This is something that really concerns me a lot these days. This is a file that evolves every week and each of us must have an empathetic look towards our young people. First, because I am the father of two teenage girls, I work in the field of physical activity and I have a position within the Alliance of Canadian Ski Instructors (CSIA) to develop ski instructors. Among my concerns, there is, among other things, to promote the practice of the activity in all its forms. That is to say, to move simply to have fun in a game with friends, to move to enjoy the outdoors with family, to develop useful motor skills at school that will help motor development as an adult and also, to have a passion for one, two, ideally three sports activities that can help you discover yourself.

Personally, I had great athletic experiences during my career. I was lucky and I’m grateful. But as a society, we must all, each in our role, actively support our young people in order to grow up in a healthy social environment.

The message I want to share is to value the process in which our young people are involved on a daily basis. Let’s be positive leaders for them. Don’t just focus on results. It’s good to have goals, but it must remain the fun.

For example, during my youth, I explored several sports, including tennis, karate, baseball, gymnastics, sailing, BMX and skiing. In addition, all school sports. Later, I had to choose between baseball and skiing in order to continue my development. And I chose skiing, because I had more fun. A feeling that no other sport could give me. It is still true today.

Paradoxically, several people around me often ask me if my daughters are good at skiing. I tell them that they have to fun because the oldest likes to ski mainly with her friends for the simple pleasure of sliding, while my youngest prefers to go to the “snow park”. That said, they each have a great interest in dancing, even more than in skiing, simply because they like it, they have fun and that they are lucky to have a good dance school with great values.

Finally, let’s act together to change the paradigms in the world of sport. Let’s help our young people to fulfill themselves. Let’s be together sensitive to the real desires of our children instead of prioritizing the needs of clubs, sports organizations and federations.

Frédérik Lépine, kinesiologist and ski professional