Media releases

• How parents can turn the Olympics into a fun summer learning opportunity

  Wednesday, July 24, 2024 | By Brock University

  EXPERT ADVISORY: July 24, 2024 – R0086

  With the Paris 2024 Olympics right around the corner, experts from Brock University’s Faculty of Education are weighing in on how the global event can be used to create meaningful learning moments for young spectators.

  Engaging children in Olympic–themed activities and discussions promotes development in the four domains of physical literacy for youth: physical, psychological, cognitive and social, says Assistant Professor Jaime Barratt.

  “For example, young children can learn about teamwork, co-operation, fair play and respect for others — all necessary skills in Olympic sports such as relay and hockey,” she says.

  The Olympics can also drive discussions on the important role that dedication, hard work and perseverance can play in helping youth to achieve their goals, she adds. This is especially important for children when they are learning how to self-regulate emotions and develop self-awareness.

  For child-care providers and parents looking to integrate the Games into their day-to-day activities, Barratt suggests scheduling a ‘Mini Olympics Day.’

  “Recreating the format of the Olympics by inviting parents and family members to play and engage in activities alongside children gives everyone the opportunity to not only celebrate the spirit of the Olympics, but also the cultural diversity and talents of those in attendance,” she says.

  Professor David Hutchison says the Summer Games present an opportunity for athletes and spectators alike to reflect on the Olympics’ underlying values: excellence, respect and friendship.

  He says parents and caregivers can plan activities to help their children engage with the Games by:

  • Recreating the 100-metre dash in a local park by measuring the distance from the start to the end of the race (taking 100 long strides if a measuring tool isn’t available) and comparing results with Olympic and world record times.
  • Reviewing the list of Olympic sports with children and asking them which event they would be most interested in training for and competing in.
  • Picking a Canadian athlete who is competing in the Olympics and writing a one-paragraph biography about their life and accomplishments in their sport.
  • As a family, researching how France has prepared for the Olympics, including what new Olympic venues were built, how many athletes and attendees were expected throughout, and how much the Olympics cost to host.

  Professor Chunlei Lu says that learning about competing countries can be an engaging way to enjoy the diversity of the Olympics.

  Lu suggests family members and friends pick countries to follow, tracking overall rankings each day in a ‘mini competition’ while also learning more about the background of each nation.

  “Try to find events that inspire and motivate you,” Lu says. “All Olympic athletes have stories about how they began their Olympic journeys as young people.”

  Assistant Professor Jaime Barratt, Professor David Hutchison and Professor Chunlei Lu, all from Brock University’s Department of Educational Studies, are available for media interviews on this topic.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University sackles@brocku.ca or 289-241-5483

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  Categories: Media releases

• OLG’s Team Canada sponsorship is a gamble with high payoff potential, says Brock expert

  Monday, July 22, 2024 | By Brock University

  EXPERT ADVISORY: July 22, 2024 – R0085

  The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) is betting on the country’s pride in Team Canada athletes to drive the success of its recent Olympic sponsorship deal, says Brock University expert Michael Naraine.

  The Crown-owned gambling entity recently became the Official Ontario Lottery Partner of Team Canada for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The partnership with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees (COC, CPC) is the first of its kind for the OLG. The Summer Olympics in Paris are also the first Games to take place since the regulation of single-game sports betting in Ontario. 

  “We’re seeing a lot more strategies around sports betting, and one of them is sponsorship,” says Naraine, Associate Professor of Sport Management at Brock. “There is almost a century-and-a-half now of equity in the Olympic rings — it is elusive and exclusive — and aligning yourselves with Canada’s team, whether it’s Olympic or Paralympic, has a lot of power to it.”

  The OLG’s Olympic campaign features Team Canada athletes Andre De Grasse, Penny Oleksiak, Maggie Mac Neil and Jillian Weir, among others who have received funding from Ontario’s Quest for Gold program. The campaign’s messaging focuses on the OLG’s proceeds — including those from its new $2 Instant Quest for Gold lottery game — going directly back into initiatives that help fund athletes in their journey to reach the podium. 

  The partnership may raise a few eyebrows, however, says Naraine. Aligning oneself with what he calls the “sin” categories — like gambling, tobacco or cannabis, for instance — could be perceived as a risky move for an organization that places ethics and integrity as keystones of its brand identity. 

  “It’s an interesting dynamic because this is not something that we’ve seen before in the Olympic movement here in Canada,” he says. “Sports integrity is a very hot topic issue as sports gambling is becoming more prominent here in North America, as well, so that is a bit of the worry.”  

  What the OLG is banking on, however, is finding what’s known as congruence: an alignment between the values of the sport property and the sponsoring brand, Naraine says.

  Fundamentally, if they share the same values, the sponsorship should work, he adds.

  “If you look at the press release that the COC put out, they literally used the word gambling zero times,” Naraine says. “What the OLG does talk about, though, is the shared values of supporting Canadian athletes, and so that’s the congruent foundation. That’s the glue that holds it together.”

  Naraine says these types of partnerships may become more common as the sports industry prepares for a potential shift in funding priorities that could take place if there is a change in government. 

  “There is this expectation that the amount of funding that will be going towards sport organizations is going to dramatically decrease,” he says. 

  With that in mind, he says some organizations are preparing to move to a scaled-down model used by Team USA, where all the money raised by its Olympic and Paralympic teams is sponsorship-driven. 

  “The sports system is in a very, very peculiar place right now and the next election is going to have knock-on effects for the way Canadian sport looks, operates and feels,” Naraine says. “Even though some of these companies’ products or services might be contradictory to the message that you’re sending, it really comes back to the financial implications of sport: money is tight everywhere.”

   

  Brock University Associate Professor of Sport Management Michael Naraine is available for media interviews on this topic.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  * Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University, sackles@brocku.ca or 289-241-5483 

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  Categories: Media releases