FEEDING THE SPIRIT, NOT THE STOMACH
By Sherry Funston, Exec. Director, Squash Ontario
SQUASH ONTARIO ATTRACTING JUNIOR PLAYERS WITH AD GRANTS
PERCEPTION: 9% of parents think their children are fat
REALITY: 26% of children are obese or overweight
Parents seem to be looking at the health of their children through rose-coloured glasses. While 92% of parents surveyed support mandatory physical activity in school, we know that government moves excruciatingly slowly in effecting change.
Squash Ontario has seized the moment in terms of the media attention now focused on childhood obesity by taking a more aggressive approach to our “Squash: Fit to Play” program. We now have significant funding available to clubs who, like us, have recognized that a concentrated effort to educate parents about their children’s health, could result not just in a more fit country but also have a very positive impact on their bottom line.
Squash Ontario will provide up to $1,000.00 to cover the cost of placing one of our professionally designed advertisements promoting junior squash to parents. Commercial/private clubs will contribute 25% of the cost and Squash Ontario will contribute 75%. Each specially designed advertisement has a space to insert the club’s specific junior squash program information.
New junior programs will receive 10 free starter kits (Head racquets and eyeguards). Clubs which may not have qualified coaches, will receive a $100.00 coaching subsidy to register for a Level 1 course or upgrade to levels 2 or 3.
Our www.playsquash.ca website provides an excellent reference tool for promoting squash to young people. It contains information on what squash is, how to play it, location of clubs with junior programs and much more. And we are now working on enhancing the site by including animated drills for junior program coaches.
Squash organizations outside of Ontario are invited to contact Squash Ontario for access to materials and advice relating to this program.
Dr. Collins-Nakai, a pediatric cardiologist, said she worries that the self delusion of parents is cushioning kids from reality and will lead to poor health outcomes. “I have a very real fear we are killing our children with kindness by setting them up for a lifetime of inactivity and poor health”, she said. As an industry, we can capitalize on this epidemic of childhood obesity by educating parents about the importance of physical activity. Everybody wins – you, as a facility, will increase your court usage, Squash Ontario will create a whole new generation of squash players; and the country benefits by having fitter and more active citizens.
SQUASH ONTARIO
www.squashontario.com
416-426-7202
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