WSWC’s Long Term Athlete Development

WSWC’s LTAD document “Waking Up Champions” presents a general framework for optimal skier/rider development. The framework provides guidelines for appropriate training, competition and recovery environments for athletes, based on developmental age – the maturation level of an individual – rather than simply chronological age.

Waking Up Champions addresses the needs of all participants, regardless of age, ability or interest.  It recognizes the need to promote a physically active lifestyle, of making informed healthy choices, and of being “Active for Life”. 

These guidelines have been developed for the sport as a whole.  The various sections within the document refer to an overall pathway of seamlessly linked and often overlapping stages through which a skier/rider progresses as s/he matures. Coaches, instructors, parents, educators, officials and participants must apply these guidelines with a degree of flexibility to ensure that the water ski/wakeboard experience is optimized for all participants.  Each skier/rider has unique physical, mental, emotional and social needs and requires individualized programming and evaluation by qualified, accredited professionals.

Long Term Athlete Development:

1. Is based on the physical, mental, emotional and cognitive development of children and adolescents. Each of the stages of LTAD reflects a different point in athlete development.


2. Ensures physical literacy upon which excellence can be built and
   
   ·builds literacy in all children, from early childhood to late adolescence by promoting quality daily physical activity in the schools and a common approach to developing physical abilities through community recreation and elite sport programs.
   
   ·recognizes the need to involve all Canadians in LTAD, including athletes with a disability.
   
   
3. Promotes a healthy, physically literate nation whose citizens participate in lifelong physical activity.


4. Ensures that optimal training, competition and recovery programs are provided throughout an athlete’s career.


5. Provides an optimal competition structure for the various stages of an athlete’s development.


6. Has an impact on the entire sport continuum, including participants, parents, coaches, schools, clubs, community recreation programs, provincial sport organizations (PSOs) national sport organizations (NSOs), sport science specialists, municipalities and several government ministries and departments (including health and education) at the provincial/territorial and federal levels.


7. Integrates elite sport, community sport and recreation, scholastic sport and physical education in schools.


8. Is ‘Made in Canada”, recognizing international best practices, research and normative data.


9. Supports the four goals of the Canadian Sport Policy – enhanced participation, enhanced excellence, enhanced capacity and enhanced interaction – and reflect a commitment to contribute to the achievement of these goals.
    

Adaptive Water Ski for Athletes with a Disability

The LTAD process is appropriate for all athletes and WSWC has made a commitment to the ongoing development and delivery of programs for athletes with a disability.All the principles of LTAD are applicable to athletes with a disability, whether the disability is acquired or congenital.  However the rate at which these athletes will progress through the stages of LTAD, and the age at which the athlete enters each stage will vary according to the individual and the nature of the disability.  LTAD is a starting point for ALL athletes.

Rip N Ride is an integral part of WSWC's LTAD.