Participation in sport provides students with opportunities to develop a lifelong love of physical activity and to practise some of the social and emotional skills that will help them later in life. Schools are an opportune place to provide sport programs as they act as an access point for students.

However, as it exists today, the middle school sport model is not equipped to encourage participation. Schools often lack the best facilities and trained coaches, and sports tend to cater to financially stable families who can afford to put their kids in sports in and outside of school, and those who can reliably get their kids to and from events. The students who play competitively have more opportunity to develop as athletes in quality facilities with trained coaches, therefore making them the better competitors and the ones chosen to play on the school teams. It’s a reality that leaves many students behind.

No Cuts in School Sports is a developing project that aims to make participation in school sport a viable option for all students. If school is for all, school sport is for all (Säfvenbom, Geldhof & Hauge, 2014). In the 2018/2019 school year, PhD student and middle school teacher Jonathan Mauro began working to develop a new school sport framework. Ever Active Schools and the University of Alberta are supporting the project by facilitating workshops with Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools and Edmonton Catholic Schools.

Starting in September 2019, both the Red Deer and Edmonton Catholic school districts plan to have developed a school sport framework that increases access for students who want to play on school sports teams. This new framework will encourage an increased number of coaches to allow more students to receive training; professional development for coaches to be able to provide a better program; improved facilities, whether within the school or partnering with recreation facilities; and lowered costs to reduce financial barriers.

We have seen coaches and administrators shift their mindset on what school sport is about - they are becoming eager to make meaningful change. One school division has already recommended changes to their school athletics format for the upcoming year and has begun to move forward in supporting quality coaching development.