Give and Go Sports Education Logo

ABOUT THE COURSE

This comprehensive online course explores the vital role of seasonal multisport participation in fostering holistic youth development. Designed for coaches, parents, educators, and sport volunteers, the course illuminates how engaging in a variety of sports enhances physical literacy, athletic versatility, and long-term athletic success. Participants will learn to recognize the mental health and emotional resilience benefits derived from diverse sporting experiences and understand how different team environments and coaching styles contribute to emotional intelligence and adaptability.

The course critically examines the limitations of early specialization, highlighting its risks such as burnout, overuse injuries, and social isolation. It advocates for a seasonal multisport approach as a sustainable pathway to sustained growth, enjoyment, and social engagement. Practical strategies are provided to integrate sport diversity into coaching, parenting, and volunteer activities through off-season hobbies, sport sampling, and cross-training, empowering participants to promote well-rounded development and optimize both performance and personal well-being in youth.

$ 24.95


CHAPTER TRAILERS

Chapter 1 - Development
This module introduces the foundation of seasonal multisport participation, showing how exposure to various sports enhances physical literacy, supports mental health, and strengthens social and emotional growth. It highlights the risks of early specialization—such as burnout and overuse injuries—while offering practical strategies for coaches, parents, and educators to encourage variety and balance in youth sport development.
Chapter 2 - Transferable Skills
Here, the focus is on how skills learned in one sport carry over to others. Learners will see how physical abilities, such as agility and coordination, and mental attributes, like problem-solving, as well as social skills, like teamwork, transfer across sports, creating more adaptable and confident youth, which will be prepared for long-term success.
Chapter 3 - Injuries
This module examines how multisport participation reduces the risk of overuse injuries and mental fatigue common in early specialization. By promoting balance, rest, and diverse movement, coaches learn strategies to prevent physical strain and burnout while supporting sustainable athletic progress.
Chapter 4 - Time Off
Highlighting the importance of recovery, this module shows how intentional breaks from organized sport improve physical repair, mental focus, and long-term performance. Coaches will explore how to plan rest periods, communicate their value, and shift cultural expectations away from constant training.
Chapter 5 - Mental Health
This module emphasizes the mental health benefits of seasonal multisport play, from reduced pressure and burnout to improved emotional resilience and confidence. Participants learn how diverse sporting experiences broaden identity, protect well-being, and help coaches support athletes holistically.
Chapter 6 - Quest for Pro
Focusing on the pathway to elite performance, this module challenges the myth that early specialization is necessary for professional success. It shows how seasonal multisport backgrounds provide the physical, mental, and emotional foundation for long-term achievement while minimizing risks of stagnation or burnout.
Chapter 7 - Pro Testimonials
Drawing on the voices of professional and Olympic athletes, this module highlights lived experiences that affirm the benefits of seasonal multisport participation. Their stories illustrate how diverse movement, adaptability, and delayed specialization contributed to their success, offering powerful messages for parents and coaches.
Chapter 8 - Coaches
This module explores the critical role coaches play in shaping athlete development and sport culture. By modeling seasonal multisport advocacy, fostering collaboration, and managing training loads effectively, coaches can promote resilience, enjoyment, and sustainable growth across all LTAD stages.
Chapter 9 - Parents
Focusing on the family’s influence, this module equips coaches with tools to communicate with parents about the benefits of seasonal multisport play. It addresses myths around early specialization, encourages supportive parenting practices, and emphasizes the importance of rest and variety for youth well-being.
Chapter 10 - Identity
This module explores the psychological risks associated with athletes exclusively identifying with a single sport and the importance of cultivating broader identities. Coaches will learn to help athletes build resilience, find balance, and see themselves beyond performance outcomes, protecting long-term emotional health.
Chapter 11 - Let Kids Choose
Centered on autonomy, this module emphasizes the importance of allowing youth to guide their own sport participation. Allowing athletes to choose fosters intrinsic motivation, joy, and ownership, while reducing dropout and mental health risks linked to forced specialization.
Chapter 12 -Importance of Play
Here, the role of fun and creativity in youth development takes center stage. Participants will learn how play-based learning fuels physical literacy, creativity, and social growth, while protecting against burnout and ensuring long-term engagement in sport.
Chapter 13 -Give and Go Mission
The final module ties all principles together by outlining the mission and values of Give and Go. It emphasizes collaboration across organizations, athlete-centered scheduling, and shared responsibility to create environments where seasonal multisport participation, rest, social engagement and fun are prioritized.


FEATURING TOP ATHLETES AND EXPERTS IN SPORT AND HEALTH

Damian Warner
Damian Warner
Olympic Gold Medalist
Dr Leigh Vanderloo
Dr Leigh Vanderloo
Scientific Director - ParticipACTION
Wayne McNeil
Wayne McNeil
Co-Founder - Respect in Sport
Lorraine Lafreniere
Lorraine Lafreniere
CEO - Coaching Association of Canada
Karri Dawson
Karri Dawson
Executive Director - Values Based Sport
Marco Di Buono
Marco Di Buono
President - Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities
Ron Yeung
Ron Yeung
Head Domestic & 3x3 Development at Canada Basketball
Hugo Di Feo
Hugo Di Feo
Head of National Junior Training Program Ontario - Tennis Canada
Dr Jim Weese
Dr Jim Weese
Former Dean Faculty of Health Sciences Western
Joe Siddall
Joe Siddall
MLB Catcher - Toronto Blue Jays Analyst
Eric Lindros
Eric Lindros
NHL Hockey Hall of Famer - Founder Lindros Legacy Research Centre
Dr Bob Litchfield
Dr Bob Litchfield
Medical Director Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic
Stephanie Cowle
Stephanie Cowle
Director of Knowledge Translation - Parachute
Dr Sonja Grbevski
Dr Sonja Grbevski
Former CEO - Canadian Mental Health Association, Windsor-Essex
Frank Renaud
Frank Renaud
Pro Football Player - Fitness / Transformation Coach
Danielle Campo McLeod
Danielle Campo McLeod
Paralympic Gold Medalist
Dr Tamara Siddall
Dr Tamara Siddall
Physician - Windsor Essex Community Health Centre


WHO SHOULD TAKE THE COURSE



Coaches
Gain a deeper understanding of athlete development, reduce burnout, and foster well-rounded skill sets in players.
Parents
Learn how multisport participation leads to better overall athleticism, injury prevention, and long-term enjoyment in sports.
Young Athletes
Understand the benefits of playing multiple sports for physical, mental, and social development while reducing stress and overuse injuries.
Recreation Leaders
Promote balanced participation in community sports programs and encourage lifelong physical activity habits.
Physical Education Teachers
Equip students with diverse movement skills, improve engagement in PE classes, and support holistic youth development.
Physiotherapists & Athletic Trainers
Help prevent overuse injuries and educate athletes on the long-term physical benefits of multisport participation.
Sports League Administrators
Encourage policies that prioritize multisport participation, ensuring sustainable youth engagement and reduced dropout rates.
Volunteers (e.g., Youth Sports Organizers, Officials, Team Managers)
Gain insights into how structured, balanced programming can create a more inclusive and engaging youth sports environment.
Strength & Conditioning Coaches
Understand how multisport training enhances overall athletic performance and reduces overuse injuries.
University & College Recruiters/Scouts
Recognize the value of multisport athletes in terms of adaptability, injury resilience, and well-rounded skill sets.
Policy Makers & Governing Bodies in Sports
Shape policies that emphasize multisport participation for long-term athlete development and community well-being.
Health & Wellness Professionals
Learn how early multisport participation contributes to lifelong fitness habits, mental health benefits, and injury prevention.