Canada maps pathways in the sport

Sail Canada has launched its new Long-Term Development in Sailing (LTDS) model. Called LTDS 3.0, the model responds to evolutions in sailing and sport since the first version was introduced in 2011.

LTDS 3.0 is an important piece to support Sail Canada’s long-term vision of the country being a leading international sailing nation, proud of its world-class athletes, lifelong participants, and inclusive culture. Sail Canada’s new LTDS is available at www.sailing.ca/ltd.

This outcome came from numerous face-to-face discussions with a wide variety of athletes, instructors, coaches, and program leaders across the country, and has been built with the sport’s established best practices as well as the practical experience of those involved in the Canadian sailing community.

“This new Long-Term Development model aims to illustrate pathways in the sport, to establish meaningful competitions, and foster more cohesive and supported programs,” said Sail Canada’s Chief Executive Officer Don Adams. “It is useful for instructors, coaches and clubs in their programming, as well as for athletes and parents to better understand the different sailing pathways.

“It is also for everyone to understand the underlying principles in our sport, the programs available and how they fit together, and how we can best meet the needs of different participants. It is also a critical piece of how we develop and improve our programs and products to become more cohesive and comprehensive.

“I would like to thank 94 Forward for their support in updating our LTDS model, without who this project wouldn’t have been possible. I would also like to thank Sport for Life for their research and support, the task force members for their dedication and hard work, and Sail Canada’s project lead, Erik van der Pol, coach at Sail Canada’s National Training Centre-West and Manager of Development.

“The LTDS 3.0 is the foundation with which we can continue to evolve and develop our programs and practice. It shows the wide variety of interconnected pathways within sailing: from entry level at any age, to circumnavigating the globe, to succeeding at the highest level of competition, and sailing for life.

“It articulates the underlying principles within the sport, how the sailing community can best adapt to support different participants, and how we can evolve our programs to be more collaborative and cohesive.

“It is a new resource for participants, instructors, coaches and program leaders and draws from a variety of themes; from positive values to stewardship of the sport, developing welcoming and inclusive spaces, coaching adolescent participants, and stages of development.

“As a result of this project, and alongside the coming updated CANSail material, Sail Canada is excited to be developing new programs to support the foiling and competitive pathways, to use this material to enhance training for new and experienced instructors/coaches, and foster sailing for life for all participants.

“We are determined to better support sailing in Canada by developing a more extensive and cohesive program structure as well as through updating curriculums and training. We are working to embed the LTDS 3.0 framework in our strategy, training, and programs. More is coming soon; stay tuned!”

Source: Sail Canada