The Purpose of Sport Initiative is a place for coaches, parents and athletes to share ideas and best practices that support athletes’ character development.
WHY WE PLAY
Youth sport is designed for kids to have fun, challenge themselves, build confidence, make friends, get some exercise and experience a healthy team culture. Sport today, has drifted from these ideals. The drive to “make it” is creating too much structure for kids. “What is supposed to be fun has become serious business” (Bobby Orr). We believe it’s time for adults to give sport back to the kids.
BEYOND THE DRILLS
Teaching technical skills and strategy are key to winning and helping kids play the game more effectively. It’s an important role of the coach. But sport also has the potential to teach so much more. Win or lose, we believe what’s most important is to support kids to understand life lessons and develop character. These are the wins that last a lifetime and supporting these moments is the joy of coaching.
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Sport should offer kids more than the pursuit of money and fame. Less than 1% will make a career out of playing sports but what about the 99% who don’t “make it”? What’s the ROI for the kids and parents who also put in all that time, money, and effort? We believe the role of sport is to graduate confident leaders and we’ve developed tools to help coaches and parents who want to support this very simple principle.
“The fundamental task of leaders is to create a good feeling in those they lead by creating a positive atmosphere that frees the best in people. At its root then, the main job of leadership is emotional.”
Richard Boyatzis
Who we are
Meni Mantzavrakos
Meni has over 20 years experience coaching competitive athletes and working within small and large sports organizations. He served as a fitness coach at various levels of competitive sport from high school, university, elite amateur and Canada Games. Today he provides leadership and facilitation training to coaches, athletes and organizations who want to create a more positive, productive culture. He resides in London Ontario Canada where he operates his coaching and leadership business. Meni has a Masters in Facilitation from the Process Work Institute.
Harry Muir
During his four years as a pitcher in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, Harry was one of three players chosen to take part in the award winning CBC documentary, “Chasing the Dream” about the day to day life of a minor league baseball player. Harry won a Canadian national championship and was starting pitcher for Team Canada at the World Junior Championships. He has over 18 years of coaching experience at various levels of sport. Today, Harry operates his home renovation company, volunteers for Habitat for Humanity and coaches little league baseball.