•
•
•
•
Baseball – Baseball Manitoba
Basketball – Basketball Manitoba
Flag Football – Football Manitoba
Lacrosse – Manitoba Lacrosse Association
• Gymnastics – Manitoba Gymnastics
Association
• Soccer – Manitoba Soccer
• For many more beneficial sports
please visit Sport Manitoba
• For more fun games & activities promoting physical literacy please visit
Fit Kids Healthy Kids
“Whether it’s with our U-16 Team
Manitoba roster, the Hockey Canada
Program of Excellence, junior hockey,
and beyond into the NHL, the player
with a better athletic-base is always
going to have more potential for
acquiring skill and dynamic skating
Director of Operations for Hockey
Manitoba’s U-16 Program of
Excellence (U-16 Team Manitoba).
“However, one of the most underpromoted benefits of multi-sports
is the character development that
kids learn as part of different team
dynamics and roles”
According to Hockey Manitoba:
“Another benefit of the multisport promotion is the eventual
reduction of over-use injuries
and increased resistance for nonimpact injuries commonly seen
Joey Moffatt
with young players. The hockey
player with a well-rounded
athletic base who developed and
mastered the keys of physical literacy
on other sports or activities.”
will set themselves up for a longer
Generally, young athletes shoul try to
and more enjoyable hockey career.
completely leave the ice for 6-8 weeks,
Mentally the multi-sport
says the Hockey Canada Long-Term
transition benefits by reducing
Player Development model. “Then
burn-out, which is one of
during the summer skills camps,
the most common causes of
clinics, casual skates are excellent
players quitting hockey during
to begin the building blocks of next
teenage years, stemming
season’s skill development but not over
from years of being driven to
doing it,” it goes on. “When September
over-compete and over-train
and October comes around, as most
throughout the calendar year.
field sports complete their seasons, the
“As an optimal offrenewed hunger for the new hockey
season, Hockey Manitoba
season is invigorated with more skills
recommends that players
camps preparing for the on-set of the
finish the playoff season
tryout season and team formation.”
and
if
desired
continue
with
Brody Moffatt
For more information regarding
an age-appropriate spring
the Hockey Canada Long-Term Player
development program or
Development model and Hockey
team focused on enhancing skill.
ability,” wrote Kyle Prystupa, Manager
Manitoba development initiatives
Once the snow melts and the athletic
of Development & Communications
please visit www.hockeymanitoba.ca/
fields are dry that is a perfect indicator
with Hockey Manitoba and the
to finish your hockey season and focus
players. l
sportslife / 11