SPORTS. David Lizotte has long been a strong advocate for long-term athlete development. It is with this in mind that this passionate pedagogue is launching the multi-sport summer school “For the pleasure of sport”.
Aimed at young people aged 6 to 13, this school will offer activities in five disciplines: hockey, baseball, soccer, basketball and swimming. This five-week camp in July and August will take place mainly at the Girardin sports center.
“This is a project that has been close to my heart for a long time, explained David Lizotte. The trigger for this school was the arrival of the Girardin centre. The school will be for both recreational and elite youth. Groups will be divided accordingly. The goal is to move and learn while having fun.”
To supervise the young participants, David Lizotte has recruited the best coaches available in each discipline in the region. They are Frédéric St-Denis, technical director of the Drummondville Minor Hockey Association; Michel Perier, technical director of the Dragons soccer club; Mathieu Adam and Vincent Bourgeois, from the sports-study baseball program at Marie-Rivier high school; as well as Raphaël Lessard and Carol-Ann Smith, from the sport-study basketball program at Marie-Rivier school.
Swimming coaches will be selected soon. David Lizotte also wishes to hire student-athletes and professional athletes from the region to act as assistant coaches.
Based on the philosophy of long-term athlete development (LTAD), this multi-sport school aims to develop the basic athletic skills of young people in a positive and pleasant atmosphere. In each of the sports, the focus will be on developing children’s fundamental physical and motor skills such as agility, balance, coordination and speed.
While the mornings will be devoted to training in two sports, the afternoons will allow young people to explore many activities such as deck hockey, freestyle swimming, volleyball, team discus or flag football. Games and mini-tournaments will be on the menu.
“This is a project that will be called upon to grow in the future. In an ideal world, I would see 10 or 15 sports,” said David Lizotte.
In addition, the hockey school “Advanced Hockey David Lizotte” will continue its activities in parallel with the Girardin sports center. Since 2014, this five-week summer camp has allowed hockey players in the under-15 and under-18 categories to hone their skills.
Long term development
A graduate of McGill University, David Lizotte has been a physical educator in the multisport program at Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague elementary school since 2010. Although his greatest expertise remains ice hockey, the 44-year-old ex-professional defender describes himself as a true specialist in team sports. Over the years, Drummondville residents have also played baseball, badminton, intercrosse, athletics, field hockey, tennis, beach volleyball, roller hockey and deck hockey.
For several years, David Lizotte has been defending on all platforms the importance of a multi-sport path and active life within the LTAD model.
“Quebec sports associations often talk about the importance of multisport and the harmful effects of early specialization, but we see that they have no place for that in their planning. Changing a culture is difficult, but in Drummondville, we feel that there is a desire for change. Each of the coaches who agreed to join me in this project believes in it. I think it can make the city shine.”
“At the end of a hockey season, young people are tired,” added David Lizotte. They need to rest and do something else during the summer. Studies show that specialization increases anxiety and injuries. We also know that 85% of athletes in the NCAA played more than one sport during their youth.
David Lizotte also gave the example of the career path of the coaches of his new multi-sport school, including that of his longtime accomplice, Frédéric St-Denis.
“As an athlete, Frédéric also excelled at baseball up to midget AAA. During his time in high school, he played badminton and extracurricular volleyball, which earned him appearances at regional and provincial championships. His professional career is the perfect example of the importance of multisport and studies. He is an exceptional role model for our young people.”
“Always passionate about hockey, Frédéric is an outstanding pedagogue who knows how to transmit his energy and his positivism to our young people in a respectful and reassuring atmosphere,” added David Lizotte about the former Voltigeurs defender, who played 21 games in the National Hockey League.
For this first edition, about 100 young participants are expected at the school “For the pleasure of sport”. David Lizotte launches a special invitation to girls to embark on this adventure.
To learn more about this multi-sport summer school or to register, simply visit the website pourleplaisirdusport.com.
