Long-term athlete development Canada: attempting system change and multi-agency cooperation.

This text provides a synopsis, as well as some greater detail, concerning the "Canadian Sport for Life" project Long-Term Athlete Development Canada (LTAD) initiated in 2004. The genesis of the project may be found in the Canadian Sport Policy released in 2002 by Sport Canada, the sport participation and performance agency within the Canadian Heritage Ministry of the Canadian Government. The project has grown from relatively humble beginnings to become a system-wide movement and catalyst for change that encompasses not only sport participation and excellence, but also aspects to do with education, health, and general recreation. Additionally, it involves all age groups (cradle to grave). Although the project was initiated on behalf of performance sport, it is a clear example of how sport can influence and interact with many facets of a society. In Canada, LTAD clearly is tied to a philosophy that spans a broad narrative from healthy active lives to elite sport performance.