KIM BURTON-SCHRAM
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
Longue Sault Public School hosted a Girls at Bat event, inviting students from Laggan Public School to come learn to play baseball. Jen Carr, principal at Longue Sault P.S. said the program is designed to offer anyone identifying as a girl, and facing barriers to participation in sport, the opportunity to play. “Baseball/softball is used as the vehicle to enhance four main program objectives: connection, courage, leadership and love of sport,” said Jen Carr.
Laggan Public School and Longue Sault Public School were the only two schools participating in the program locally. Laggan Public School offered the program to most of its students, while Longue Sault ran the program for students in Grades 4 to 6. Students taking part had varying degrees of skill playing baseball, but the program is designed to teach children with experience playing or if it’s their first time at bat.
Studies show that less than 30 per cent of Canadian youth are participating in the daily recommended amount of physical activity and sport, instead spending too much time in front of computer or television screens. Children between the ages of 6 and 17 should be participating in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. While it’s easy to find things to do outside in the summer, like play baseball, winter in Canada can include outdoor sports like hockey, skating and skiing. Indoor year-round activities can include yoga, dance, gymnastics, swimming and scavenger hunts to help keep kids active.
Effects of the pandemic continue to be felt with some youth not returning to their previous activity or sport and even climate-change with rising temperatures, poor air quality & unpredictable weather has affected access to physical activity by limiting outdoor time. Additionally, children of low-income neighbourhoods are more reliant on accessing parks, sidewalks and close-to-home outdoor recreation areas for their physical activities, play and involvement in sports.
Without establishing good physical activity habits in children and youth, the risk of developing health issues increases. Obesity, poor heart health, weaker muscles with decreased flexibility and a higher chance of chronic disease in later life are all at risk without being physically active. The Jays Care Foundation, part of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team, was established in 1992 to increase youth access to sport through programs & grants as part of the efforts to circumvent the declining physical activity of children. The Jays Care Foundation provided the schools participating in the Girls at Bat program with a kit that included a manual, gloves, bats, helmets, bases, t-ball stand, t-shirts and ball caps for everyone. And while the program is called ‘Girls at Bat’, in an effort to be inclusive, boys from the schools helped by being umpires and base coaches. To date, there have been 490 Girls at Bat program sites in Canada with over 13,000 girls participating in learning to play baseball.
Girls at Bat tries to remove the barriers for girls, and those that identify as girls, from playing baseball. These barriers include the game being too competitive, girls having a perceived lack of skill, a limited access to opportunity and a low confidence level in girls. By creating spaces that empower participants to feel included, schools and communities can increase physical activity and participation. Whatever the skill level of players, positive reinforcement helps to build confidence and encourages a positive attitude towards being involved in sports. According to Jen Carr, principal at Longue Sault Public School, the program fosters collaboration, teamwork and a whole lot of fun for everyone.
