Well, I think things have really changed since the 1970s and 1980s. I think sport has become much more professionalized and regulated than it was when we were children. I think that is part of the problem throughout the grassroots level, all the way up to Olympic or professional-level sports.
I think sports now are pressuring children to specialize into individual sports too early. We were able to do many sports. I played ringette until I was about 15. I was going to the Canada Games shortly after that, in speed skating and cycling. I think that doesn't happen as much now, because people are trying to develop these little robots that are going to win Olympic medals. I think it's the sport organizations that are allowing this to happen.
Certainly, I tried to implement a better, long-term athlete development program before I left SSC. One of the goals was to allow children to be children on the ice, before we make them into little professional athletes. Ninety-nine per cent of the athletes won't get up there. What they get out of sport they get when they're children. They learn from sport all of the discipline, development, kinesthetic sense, muscle use, aerobic and anaerobic systems development, friendships and powerful communication styles. That is what sport is all about. Then, a few get to go on a little further and become Olympic medallists.
We need to inspire both sport and healthier living. We need the Olympic medallists, the national sport heroes and the professional athletes to inspire families and children to go into sport. We also need the children, who are the bulk of our sporting system in Canada, to enjoy their time as athletes and not be pressured to go into a direction that might not be suited for them.
I was fully suited to be an Olympic-level athlete. I loved the stress. I loved competition. I'm not sure that most kids love that. It's just not for everyone. Why are we pushing children to do that sooner than they need to?