Ontario Basketball Introduces Respect in Sport

Ontario Basketball (OBA) believes that maintaining a positive culture within our sport, and doing all we can to ensure our sport remains a fun and safe environment for all participants is a key priority. Our member clubs are key partners to ensuring this priority is met.  With this in mind, we will be introducing the Respect in Sport program over the next couple of years.

Respect in Sport online training is in wide use among National and Provincial Sport Organizations across Canada. To date, over 400,000 coaches and officials and an additional 400,000 parents have completed Respect in Sport certification training.

Respect in Sport is widely regarded as the benchmark for coaches, officials and parents, to ensure that we are collectively fostering an environment free of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination, and ensuring a positive environment for our children.

Seven out of 10 adolescents leave youth sport, and for every boy who leaves, six girls leave. The reasons vary, but common reasons include that sport stops being fun, too much pressure from parents, and too much emphasis on winning. By focusing on the importance that adults play in the lives of young athletes, we can help to create and maintain a positive sport culture where kids want to stay engaged.

OBA will be taking a leadership role in the basketball community in Canada by gradually introducing this training over the next couple of years. Respect in Sport training will help keep the basketball community in our province on the same page, so we can support our kids and continue to grow our game.

Respect in Sport is a user-friendly online learning platform that can be done at your own leisure. The Respect in Sport Parent program takes one hour to complete and does not have to be completed in one sitting. The Respect in Sport Activity Leader program for coaches and officials takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete and, like the Sport Parent program, does not have to be completed in one sitting.  The Activity Leader Program counts for three PD points within the National Coaching Certification Program, and automatically uploads to The Locker at the discretion of the coach.

If an individual has previously completed either program through another sport, they do not have to repeat it for Ontario Basketball. The cost of the programs are: $12 plus HST for the Parent Program and $30 plus HST for the Activity Leader Program. Certification for both programs will be valid for a five-year period.

The programs will be set up with the end-user paying for the cost of the program, but OBA member clubs have the option of paying on behalf of their coaches/parents if they choose to do so.

As part of the introduction of Respect in Sport, Ontario Basketball encourages member clubs to be pro-active and become early-adopters of both programs. As we move forward with the implementation of a Club Excellence strategy, the Parent Program will inevitably become a requirement for one parent/guardian per athlete.

More information will follow in early 2019, along with access instructions to the Respect in Sport programs. Ontario Basketball thanks our dedicated membership for your commitment to living the values that we stand by and together creating the playing environment every young basketball player deserves.