Your child is not a miniature elite athlete

David Arsenault sees too many children being treated like miniature elite athletes. Even worse, other children are being turned off sport because of over-zealous coaches and parents who are living vicariously through their kids.

So he founded Athletic Community Centres, an organization in Dorval that works with local sport organizations to deliver quality programs to children.

He says he’s “closing the gap between the active and inactive kids by showing everyone a middle path of physical literacy for all”.

In just three years, Arsenault has grown the program from 100 participants to over 600.

Athletic Community Centres takes advantage of unused community spaces to stage programs. Arsenault suggests that everywhere in Canada there are schools and community centres with space that could be used by others who are interested in replicating what he’s done.

“Along the way,” he says, “get more kids involved by breaking down the perception that sport is just for elite athletes.”