Members of the community are examining how they can improve equality and inclusiveness in sports.
Athletes, coaches, and athletic coordinators from throughout Windsor-Essex gathered at the Ciociaro Club on N Talbot Rd. in Oldcastle to brainstorm ideas on how to improve the mental health of athletes.
Sexism, hazing, harassment and ethnic diversity were some of the topics discussed Wenesday.
.@UWindsor professor Margery Holman says more can be done to provide a safe place in sports emotionally. #cklw pic.twitter.com/6GpgSyGvZv
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) May 3, 2017
Promising Practices in Sport paired people together to explore ideas to be used in five more informational sessions in 2017.
Meghan Roney volunteers for several sports associations in the area.
She told AM800 News being proactive in light of the recent events with Windsor Minor Hockey Association is a good sign people want to see a change in what goes on in and out of the locker-room.
"The number of people here that are involved in hockey associations, because it is known to be a very misogynistic environment, with comments in and out of the locker room, in addition to publicly," says Roney. "We hope that what's being explained and learned here will translate into those environments."
The diversity of the crowd is a big plus, according to Roney.
Members of the community providing input to enact change in sports equality and inclusion for Promising Practices in Sport. #cklw pic.twitter.com/XJoHCyGwnN
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) May 3, 2017
"Very refreshing to see that it's almost 50/50 males and females who are present here today. That's not always been the case when I've attended events in the past," She says. "I see people here from track and field, cross country, athletic directors from the university. There's people here from all areas and that's a really good thing."
She hopes learning about equality and inclusivness will reach outside of the information session and help people realize there's support out there for coaches and administrators.
"I hope they continue and and I hope that people take really valuable steps and information from this," says Roney "There are lots of resources in the community that people just need to reach out to."
Organizers say the input gathered from the information sessions will be presented as an actionable plan in May of 2018.