Physical Literacy is the Foundation of Sport
Our April Play-By-Play is here! We aim to keep you up to speed on our programs, how our organization is continually pursuing our mission, and provide education to help keep the young girls in your life active, healthy and pushing boundaries.
Physical Literacy is the Foundation of Sport
Competency in physical literacy is the cornerstone of both participation and excellence in sport and physical activity. It leads to the lifelong pursuit of leading active lifestyles.
Physical literacy is a relatively new concept which has only recently been making its way into mainstream sport and school programs. The health benefits of being active for both our physical and mental well-being are well known, but many Canadians are becoming increasingly inactive with only 18% of adults meeting the recommended physical activity guidelines.
Physical literacy is the foundation for developing the competence, confidence, knowledge, and motivation to engage in physical activity for life.
Building this foundation early in childhood is the gateway to sport and physical activity, but physical literacy goes beyond excelling in physical performance. It encompasses many other components, such as social benefits, personal growth opportunities, increased confidence, mental resilience and building intrinsic motivation to stay active.
Physical literacy is not a linear journey, and in the early childhood stages, is primarily developmental. It is imperative that the pathways to sport and physical activity are supported through quality and balanced programming. Quality sport is developmentally appropriate, well run, safe, and inclusive.
Positive experiences for girls and women in sport contributes to a sense of empowerment, social inclusion and provides opportunities for leadership and achievement. Research shows that ensuring girls are physically literate opens up more opportunities, allowing them to choose how they wish to use their physical activity throughout their lives. These optimal experiences lead to committed participants who value sport and physical activity.
Run.Jump.LEAD! follows the Long-term Athlete Development framework within the Canadian Sport for Life model, using age and developmentally appropriate activities to build Fundamental Movement and Sport Skills.
Our positive and empowering programs are specifically designed for the physical, social and physiological needs of young girls. We build the foundations of physical literacy and increase self-confidence, leading to the ability of our children to function openly and equally within our community.
We are a team of dedicated coaches and mentors with a passion to inspire and a commitment to be catalysts of change.
The Run.Jump.LEAD! Mentorship Program gives young women with experience in sport a chance to give back to the community, begin their own coaching journey and practice their leadership skills in a practical, supportive setting. We are excited to welcome three Mentors to the Spring Session! Read below to learn more about our inspiring coaches and mentors
NATALIE SWANSON, Founder and Head Coach
After spending 13 years as a professional in Calgary's Oil and Gas industry, Natalie switched gears to bring her athletic and coaching roots back into focus and founded Run.Jump.LEAD! in 2020. Natalie credits her strong desire to give back to the community and inspire young girls to her own numerous coaches, role models and mentors who influenced her athletic and professional career.
"This organization is a vision born from my experiences during my athletic and professional careers. Being able to motivate and inspire these young girls and women to pursue their own visions gives me hope of a brighter future for our female leaders and athletes."
COACH SAMANTHA , Junior Mentor
Growing up as a competitive dancer, Samantha switched gears 3 years ago and now competes with the Calgary Spartans Track & Field Club in the high jump and triple jump. She represented Alberta at the National Track & Field Champs in 2019 and hopes to continue competing when she is in University.
"I have learned so many things from sport - how to be a leader, a good teammate, a good friend, and a good athlete. I have learned how to take corrections from coaches in order to be the best athlete that I can be. Sport has also shown me the importance of being active and how much of a difference it can make in your life!"
COACH SOPHIE, Junior Mentor
As a child, Sophie played soccer and started cross-country skiing at the age of 5. She currently trains and races with the Foothills Nordic Ski Club and hopes to continue skiing competitively through high school and university. Her strong worth ethic acquired through training hard and her commitment to school will be an inspiring addition to the RJL coaching team.
"Through skiing I have made many lasting friendships with people who help me push to be the best athlete I can be. I am most excited to get to interact with younger athletes and to have this chance to be an active member of my community."
COACH KIRA, Mentor
Kira participated in multiple sports growing up including hockey, volleyball, soccer and lacrosse. At the age of 4 she joined boys hockey and fell in love with the sport. Playing competitively until the age of 21, she finished her career with the U of C Dinos Women's Team to focus on her engineering degree and career.
"Playing with the Dino’s was a huge accomplishment for me! Growing up, I had some amazing female role models involved in sport, and these women played an important role in keeping me involved. My hope is that I can teach young girls the same lessons that my mentors taught me."