LTAD

LTAD Resources

Science, research and decades of experience all point to the same thing: kids and adults will get active, stay active, and even reach the greatest heights of sport achievement if they do the right things at the right times. This is the logic behind the Long-Term Athlete Development model (LTAD).

What is LTAD? (.pdf)

There are seven stages within the basic LTAD model:

• Stage 1: Active Start (0-6 years)
• Stage 2: FUNdamentals (girls 6-8, boys 6-9)
• Stage 3: Learn to Train (girls 8-11, boys 9-12)
• Stage 4: Train to Train (girls 11-15, boys 12-16)
• Stage 5: Train to Compete (girls 15-21, boys 16-23)
• Stage 6: Train to Win (girls 18+, boys 19+)
• Stage 7: Active for Life (any age participant)

 
1. It is based on the physical, mental, emotional, and cognitive development of children
   and adolescents. Each stage reflects a different point in athlete development.
2. It ensures physical literacy upon which excellence can be built and
   builds physical 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. It ensures that optimal training, competition, and recovery programs are provided
   throughout an athlete’s career. provides an optimal competition structure for the
   various stages of an athlete’s development.
4. It provides an optimal competition structure for the various stages of an athlete’s development.
5. It 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 (particularly but
   not exclusively in the portfolios of health and education) at the provincial/territorial
   and federal levels.
6. It integrates elite sport, community sport and recreation, scholastic sport, and physical education in schools.
7. It is ‘Made in Canada’, recognizing international best practices, research, and normative data.
8. It supports the four goals of the Canadian Sport Policy — Enhanced Participation, Enhanced Excellence, Enhanced Capacity, and Enhanced Interaction — and reflects a commitment to contribute to the achievement of these goals.
9. It promotes a healthy, physically literate nation whose citizens participate in lifelong
   physical activity.

Resources

• Results of Initial Survey (.pdf)
• Taekwondo Canada LTAD Matrix (.pdf)
• Canadian Sport For Life Website
• Active For Life Website