Three-time Olympic gold medalist and Canadian Senator Marnie McBean joins Better Sports Parents to discuss the crisis facing youth sports in Canada and what we can do about it.

From her rowing career to raising her 10-year-old daughter Isabel, Marnie shares insights on why multi-sport participation matters more than early specialization, how we're monetizing youth sports at kids' expense, and why confidence, not medals, should be the goal.

Key topics include:

• Why Canadian boys might not finding their best sports (hint: it's the hockey pipeline)
• The difference between structured vs. unstructured play
• How parents can support without backseat-coaching
• Why we need tax incentives for coaches and multi-sport families
• The future of sport in Canada

Marnie doesn't hold back on what's broken, but more importantly, she offers actionable solutions for parents, coaches, and policymakers who want to keep kids in sport longer and healthier.

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction0

3:54 Why youth health and sport became Marnie's life mission

05:47 Sport as the fun vehicle for improving quality of life

08:31 Structured vs. unstructured play: What's missing today

09:51 The privilege problem: Who gets access to youth sports?

11:43 Multi-sport participation: Why it matters more than specialization

17:30 Marnie's childhood: No specialization, just trying things

22:40 Why Canadian boys may be missing sports outside of hockey

24:54 What kept Marnie in sport while growing up

26:24 What keeps athletes motivated beyond winning

30:00 Letting kids bring their personality (yes, even the nails and makeup)

33:29 The monetization of youth sports

36:55 What does "winning" mean for your child?

39:46 Lessons from around the world: Patience and perspective

42:25 Let kids choose their sports

44:07 Should parents stay at practice?

46:47 The biggest distraction at the Olympics: Friends & family

49:30 Building trust between coaches and parents

54:46 The recreational pathway gap for teenagers

57:23 Don't forget individual sports

01:01:11 How can Canada improve the youth sports environment?

01:03:24 Tax incentives for multi-sport and coaching stipends

Resources:

Senator Marnie McBean https://sencanada.ca/en/senators/mcbean-marnie/

Jumpstart State of Play 2024 https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0122/8124/9892/files/State-of-Play-2024-EN.pdf?v=1713368242