LTAD

Canadian Sport for Life (CS4L) is a movement to improve the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada. CS4L links sport, education, recreation and health and aligns community, provincial and national programming. LTAD is a seven-stage training, competition and recovery pathway guiding an individual’s experience in sport and physical activity from infancy through all phases of adulthood. CS4L, with LTAD, represents a paradigm shift in the way Canadians lead and deliver sport and physical activity in Canada.

Rowing and CS4L

Rowing Canada Aviron’s updated Long-Term Athlete Development Model (LTAD), which was originally published in 2005, provides a consistent framework from which coaches, club administrators, provincial rowing associations and Rowing Canada Avrion can work.

This focus is on continuing to provide quality and developmentally appropriate rowing programs for our members. The model has been update to provide additional information, clearer direction, and to be more inclusive of adaptive rowers. A stage-by-stage approach for the psychological preparation of rowers has been added. You will also notice a competitive for life stage. This reflects the fact that many of our members compete but are not necessarily heading for a place on the national team.

RCA Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Model

LTAD Implementation

Over the past years, LTAD concepts have been integrated and implemented in RCA programs. There is more sculling and small boat rowing for beginners and juniors. Rowing Canada’s National Rowing Championships have moved to the fall, thereby extending the rowing season. In the NCCP coaching programs (LTR, RCA Coach), there is considerable information about the types of training for the Learn to Train and Train to Train stages to assist coaches as they work with developing athletes. A number of Skills Events have been hosted and are considered to be of great value to emphasizing the importance of good boat handling skills before racing.

This updated document has been reviewed with the input of sport scientists and coaches from across the country. It continues to emphasize a long-term approach to athlete development, ensuring that coaches, parents, volunteers and administrators at the all levels understand the priority focus within each stage. It communicates a systematic and consistent approach to the development of athletes. It also recognizes the importance of participation in our sport for recreation and health, for competition and for high performance.

LTAD Competition Review

The LTAD Model and the RCA Competition Review (2007) is to be used as a guide for coaches and administrators. This will assist them in understanding the importance of the development of rowing abilities and the types of competition that are appropriate to the rower’s stage of development. Using this approach, we believe that rowing will continue to attract more people to our sport and win medals in international competition.