THE STUDENT ATHLETE ACHIEVEMENT PROJECT

The Student Athlete Achievement (SAA) project is a joint initiative of Canadian Sport Centre Pacific, PacificSport and 2010 Legacies Now with a primary goal to provide increased choice and flexibility in the BC education and sport systems and allow for achievement and excellence in both disciplines.

To reach this goal, the project will attempt to identify and/or facilitate increased access to athlete development through sport pathways in education to an increased number of students. A product of the project’s implementation will be enhancing the development of Canadian athletes thereby supporting potential Olympic podium performances. A by-product of these opportunities will be healthy students who are physically active and enjoy participating in sport.

From October 2004 to 2005 the project grew from 23 Sport School programs in 20 different schools to 60 programs in 35 schools working with over 900 student athletes.
 
Since its conception in May 2002 the project has brought together leaders in the fields of education and sport with synergistic results in an attempt to make a positive and lasting contribution to the rapidly changing environment of education and sport. Many resources and materials were developed by stakeholders for stakeholders, including a set of new guidelines and regulation for BC School Sports.

Currently in its fourth phase, the Student Athlete Achievement Project will focus on the integration of Sport and Education in BC through the implementation of three major initiatives:

1)   PacificSport School Partnership Program (PaSS-PP)

• PaSS-PP Pilots – establish and monitor a minimum of two PacificSport School Pilot Programs during the 2005-06 school year in partnership with PacificSport and National Sport Federations or Provincial Sport Organizations.
• PaSS-PP Sport Specific Plans– develop 19 unique Pacific Sport School Plans with the OTP CSC recommended and targeted sports for BC and applicable Schools/School Districts by June 2006.

2)   PacificSport School Achieving Gold Program (PaSS-AG)

• PASS-AG Winning Characteristics – establish the Winning Characteristics Rubric as a tool for increasing student athlete achievement in all identified Pacific Sport Schools by 2006.
• PaSS-AG Student Athlete Access and PaSS to Podium – ensure all school age carded Bronze, Silver and Gold athletes have access to Pacific Sport Schools by 2007.

3)   PacificSport School Communication Plan (PaSS-C)

• PASS-C PacificSport School Council - create an advisory council to bring together leaders from sport and education on an ongoing basis through electronic and personal contact. PaSS-C will provide leadership and advice on issues pertaining to Pacific Sport Schools.
• PASS-C Research, Information and Communication - Resource the development and management of all electronic and print material for existing and new sport schools. Coordinate networking between centres including communication, research, data collection sharing.