Antigonish Multisport is a collaborative project for children in grades primary and 1, between 9 community sport organizations, 2 municipal recreation departments, with the support of numerous community sport stakeholders (local, provincial and national). Growing children through sport by providing opportunities to develop skills and confidence to enjoy the positive benefits of a quality, first experience.
Registration for our program happens here on SportHub. See the Programs page for available program opportunities.
If you are confirmed in the program and will be seeking funding assistance, please notify the program coordinator by emailing antigonishmultisport@gmail.com or phoning 902-318-4048. The best funding assistance option for this program is KidSport, however JumpStart is another option available.
For the 2023/24 Multisport program payment information is as follows:
Registration Fee:
$375
Fee Schedule:
First installment of at least $100 due on or before Friday, September 1st, 2023
Second installment of at least $100 due on or before Friday, October 6th, 2023
Third installment of at least $100 due on or before Friday, November 3rd, 2023
Final installment of $75 due on or before Friday, December 1st, 2023
Please note, you are welcome to pay the full amount ($375) upon registration confirmation if you would rather do so.
Payment Methods
Online: Information regarding online payments can be found through the Town of Antigonish here:
In-Person: You can also make payment in-person at Town Hall (Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM).
Please include the participant’s name along with your payment.
Refunds
If participants wish to withdraw from the program, parents/guardians must notify the Program Coordinator by phoning 902-318-4048 or emailing antigonishmultisport@gmail.com. All requests forrefunds must be made through the previously referenced points of contact. The following conditionsapply to refunds:
Refunds will be given in full up to and including September 8th, 2023.
From September 9 – 16, a refund will be given minus a $10 administrative fee.
From September 17 – December 12, a pro-rated refund will be given, minus a $10 administrative fee. There will be no refunds after December 12th unless there are special circumstances presented.
What is the Multisport Program?
Watch this video to learn more about the Multisport Program:
When does the 2023/24 registration go live?
The registration date for the 2023-24 program will be August 16th, 2023 at 12PM (noon).
We advise those interested in the program to create your account and set up your family profile in advance so you will not run up against any unanticipated delays when it comes time to register.
If you are new to using Sport Hub, find a step-by-step "how-to" guide HERE!
If you already have an account and family but need a reminder about registrations, see the quick guide HERE!
Should you require tech support during the process, email admin@mysporthub.ca and we will help you out!
What organizations deliver the programming?
The following organizations deliver Antigonish Multisport programming:
Antigonish Minor Baseball Association Antigonish Challenger Baseball Association North Nova Highlander Baseball Antigonish Minor Softball Association Xavier Taekwondo Antigonish Minor Hockey Association StFX Hockey Dr. JH Gillis Hockey StFX Track and Field Club Antigonish County Recreation Antigonish Minor Basketball StFX Human Kinetics Gymnastics Class Antigonish Celtics Soccer Town of Antigonish
We'd like to send a massive thank you to all of our volunteer organizations for making this program happen, it wouldn't be possible without your time and support!
Why Multisport?
Currently:
Canadian 3-4 year olds spend 50% of waking hours sedentary…for 5-7 year olds it’s 57% and it’s 68% for 12-17 year olds
Canadian’s rank sport as the second most positive influence in the lives of youth after family.
Children who participate in sport are more likely to reach recommended physical activity levels than those who do not.
If a girl doesn’t participate in a sport by age 10, there is only a 10% chance she’ll be physically active at age 25. (Statistics from ParticipACTION)
SO we decided to do something about it...
We designed a program for children in the Active Start stage (5 and 6 year olds), rooted in physical literacy!
What is Physical Literacy?
Physical literacy is the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life. ~ International Physical Literacy Association
‘Physical literacy is crucial to the acquisition – by every child, youth and adult – of essential life skills which are an indispensable means for active participation in the societies and economies of the twenty-first century.’ ~ Dr Dean Kriellaars; Adapted from UNESCO
Research has shown that being physically active later in life depends on an individual’s ability to feel confident in an activity setting. That confidence most often comes from havinglearned fundamental movement and sport skills, or physical literacy,as a child. Research has also shown that without the development of physical literacy, many children and youth withdraw from physical activity and sport and turn to more inactive and/or unhealthy choices during their leisure time.
The development of fundamental movement skills and motor skills is critical to establishing the foundation for participation in many sports and physical activities. A child who has not had the opportunity to develop these basic motor skills experiences difficulties or barriers when participating in sport experiences, or later school-based programs that involve more difficult skills.
~ Physical and Health Education Canada
If you can…
Sport for Life (S4L) is a movement to improve the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada. S4L links sport, education, recreation and health and aligns community, provincial and national programming.
Kids who have fun playing a sport are more likely to stay active and healthy for their entire lifetime. They also have a better chance of becoming a top athlete. So make it fun, and make it quality!
Designed properly, children’s sport are fun and they provide exciting challenges and rich skill development.
S4L is a movement to make sport and activity better and more fun for our kids. The goal of S4L is to focus on the best interest of kids, and not on the goals of coaches or parents who simply want to win at all costs.
The three main outcomes of S4L are: Physical Literacy, Excellence, and Active for Life.
Physical Literacy is the concept that children need to learn how to move when they are in preschool and elementary school. Just like reading and writing, children need to learn how to properly move.
The idea behind physical literacy is this: if we give children the opportunity to do the right physical activities at the right time in their development, more of them will enjoy getting active and stay active. They will develop more confidence in their bodies and better sport skills.
To develop physical literacy, children need to learn fundamental movement skills, and fundamental sport skills. What’s more, they need to practice these fundamental skills for hundreds of hours in the playground, at school, in recreation programs, and within sport clubs before they reach puberty.
Children should acquire physical literacy in each of the four activity environments – land, water, air and snow and ice.
With physical literacy, the door opens to a world of opportunities in sport and physical activity.
~ Additional sources from: Changing the Game Project, USA Football and East Scarborough Multisport Collaborative
For more information to help parents give their children the right start in life through the development of physical literacy, check out our friends Active for Life.
Get More From Sport, an education campaign developed by Hockey Nova Scotia and Soccer Nova Scotia, with support from Sport Nova Scotia, has been designed to promote multi-sport play. The goal of the campaign is for every parent of an athlete aged 12 or under to visit this site, as you now have. See the evidence and read the facts. Take the test. Hear from sporting greats. See the movement. From there, parents will have the information to make the best decisions for their growing athletes. Hopefully, the grown-ups will worry less about the score, or the level, or “getting ahead,” and simply foster a love of sport that keeps children active for life.
What are the goals of the program?
Provide the opportunity for children to participate in a quality multisport experience with a physical literacy focus.
Strengthen the mandate of community sport organizations in alignment with Sport for Life.
Reduce barriers to participation in a quality sport program.
Educate the community on the importance of physical literacy and long term athlete development.
Collectively build healthier communities through sport, with a focus on being Active for Life.
What is the general layout of the program?
Antigonish Multisport runs for 8 months (September to April) with a maximum of 60 children. For the 2023-24 season, the program is open to those born in 2017 and 2018. Sessions will run twice a week for 45 minutes each, with two groups of 30 children participating at a time.
Each lesson focuses on skill development through physical literacy and fun, setting the groundwork for a love of sport and an ‘I can play anything!’ attitude. Physical Literacy comes from developing a wide variety of fundamental movement skills such as running, throwing, catching and jumping. To develop these skills, our kids need to play different sport and activities from an early age – it’s a win-win!
All sessions will be facilitated by recreation program coordinators and delivered by volunteer community sport organizations.
Children will participate in and develop key fundamental movements skills in baseball, softball, taekwondo, hockey, athletics, swimming, basketball, gymnastics, and soccer.
Athletic equipment will be provided by each community sport organization to use during their sport specific sessions – this equipment will not be taken home by participants but will be available for use each session. The only exception to this is hockey gear: if participants have their own or access to borrowed gear, they are encouraged to use it or gear will be ‘loaned out’ to participants that do not have access to gear through Antigonish Minor Hockey Association. Arrangements for sizing, pick up, and return will be made and will be communicated to parents/guardians in the fall.
Who are the program partners?
Program partners include:
Antigonish Minor Baseball Association Antigonish Challenger Baseball Association North Nova Highlander Baseball Antigonish Minor Softball Association Xavier Taekwondo Antigonish Minor Hockey Association StFX Hockey Dr. JH Gillis Hockey StFX Track and Field Club Antigonish County Recreation Antigonish Minor Basketball StFX Human Kinetics Gymnastics Class Antigonish Celtics Soccer Town of Antigonish Sport Nova Scotia
Antigonish Multisport Parent/Guardian Handbook
The Antigonish Multisport Program Parent/Guardian Handbook for the 2023-24 season can be viewed by clicking here.
