AfL Role Model Glen Mulcahy teaches kids to have a passion for activity
Glen Mulcahy is a dad and the founder and CEO of PARADIGM Sports, speaker for Changing the Game Project, and Hockey Canada NCCP Course Facilitator for BC Hockey. His commitment to helping raise a generation of active kids is inspiring.
Get to know Glen better and welcome him to the #AfLfamily.
Q&A with Glen Mulcahy
AfL: What is your biggest fear?
Glen Mulcahy: That I will not be able to get kids their five years back. Health authorities in the US and Canada are projecting that today’s generation of kids may die five years sooner than the prior generation (first time EVER that this could happen) due to lack of activity, quitting sports as early as 13 years old, and play time being replaced by screen time. Average screen time now is 5-7 hours a day for today’s generation of kids. We need to instill the passion for them to be active so they will get a minimum 60 minutes of activity a day so this trend can be reversed. Already 30% of kids in Canada are either overweight or obese, but if current trends continue, projections show that this could increase to 70% by 2040. We won’t get back to the “good old days” when kids go outside and play for hours on end, but we must find a happy medium to get their five years back.
AfL: What is your proudest moment?
Glen Mulcahy: From a coaching perspective, when I received special thank-yous from two players I coached in Spring Hockey for many years when they were offered roster spots on Junior Teams for the 2016-17 season. From a personal perspective, when I won a gold medal in the BC Summer Games representing my community on a U18 team. From a parent perspective, when both of my kids were born and watching them have fun in all of the sports and activities they have been involved in since.
AfL: What is your favourite season?
Glen Mulcahy: I have two. First would be spring, when I love to get back outside to hit the links or play ball. This spring I will be coaching high school rugby which will make it extra special. The other is fall when I get back to the ice rinks to see the smiles on kids faces as they hit the ice for hockey and start working with coaches in clinics.
AfL: What is your favourite way to be active?
Glen Mulcahy: I literally played every sport when I was a kid (either organized or free play) and have coached many of the ones I played as an adult. Probably my two favourites are ice hockey, because it is a game that is so rich in skill and where players have to do everything athletes do in many other sports but on skates. The other favorite is golf, as it is a great opportunity to interact with friends, family and to get outside … all it takes is one great shot to bring you back for another round. One that I would have loved to play is “hurling”, Ireland’s national sport that is literally the ultimate “multi-sport”. It requires motor skills from various sports in one and if it was offered in Canada, I know it would have been my favourite. On my bucket list is to get to Ireland and watch a hurling game live.
AfL: Some other little-known fact about you that you’d like to share?
Glen Mulcahy: I have been a long-term sponsor of a children’s charity called “Dreams Take Flight”, affiliated with Air Canada and run by employees to bring special needs kids to Disneyland or Disneyworld for one day (yes one day). I believe they now have six chapters across Canada, and I sponsor the Vancouver chapter. It literally is a 24-hour marathon as we need to get up at 2 a.m. so we can arrive at the airport hangar for at 3 a.m. and return back home around 1 a.m. after literally running around the park to get on as many rides as possible. I am affectionately known by all as “Peter Pan” as I am the Peter Pan Group leader. This year was particularly memorable as one of the kids in my group sent a letter to the President of Dreams and read it aloud at the sponsor appreciation party, saying how much fun he had and will remember the day forever. I can’t think of any other role that suits me better, as I am a big kid, and love to see smiles on kids faces in sport and other activities.
AfL: Please tell us in a few words why you’re excited to be an AfL Role Model?
Glen Mulcahy: I am excited to be involved with Active for Life as it provides me an opportunity to promote the importance of physical literacy, fundamental skills, long term athletic development, and the life skills we get out of sport so that kids can develop confidence and competence in core motor skills and ultimately be active for life.
