Simon Darnell, associate professor and director of the Sport Centre for Sport Policy Studies at the University of Toronto Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE), partnered with the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) Foundation on a study that looks at ways to build youth sport back better post-pandemic.
With COVID-19 having such devastating effects on youth participation in sport, MLSE Foundation and the University of Toronto recently partnered for the Change the Game study to look at the impact and explore ways to build youth sport for the better, post-pandemic.
The study involved almost 7,000 youth aged six to 29 and their parents across Ontario and presented questions about their experiences in sport, both positive and negative.
“We aimed to receive a wide cross-section of respondents in terms of race, class, gender, geography, ability and income for a better understanding of what’s done well with sport for young people in Ontario, and what the barriers are for participation,” says Simon Darnell, associate professor of Sport for Development and Peace, and director of the Centre for Sport Policy Studies at the University of Toronto.