A pre-existing partnership between Gymnastics Canada (Gym Can) and You Can Play – a 2SLGBTQ+ sport advocacy group – helped foster an opportunity for Gymnastics Saskatchewan (Gym Sask) to promote education among their clubs and further create an inclusive environment for participants. 

It all started when Ben Davidge was hired as Gym Sask’s Coordinator of Movement, Inclusion and Outreach, a position funded through Sask Sport’s Spark IDEAs grant. 

“We wanted to work with You Can Play from the outset basically of when my position started,” said Davidge. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able financially to make it work this year, but because of that existing relationship with Gym Can, we were able to fold them into some of the programming opportunities we are offered at Gymnaestrada [held at the start of July], as well as running workshops.” 

You Can Play works with partners across Canada, including National Sport Organizations and professional sport leagues, in an effort to make deep and lasting changes in sport. Those endeavours come in a variety of different forms, which You Can Play develops in consultation with each of their partners to meet their specific needs and opportunities.  

For Gym Sask, that included the creation of a Lunch & Learn workshop. The first edition was offered to Gym Sask’s board of directors and employees as a learning opportunity and a way for both organizations to fine tune how the workshop could be delivered to gymnastics clubs and programs in the province.  

The initial workshop received positive feedback from all involved as it touched on multiple areas, including gender violence, hate and bigotry in sport, as well as how leaders and participants within the organization can be proactive. The group even role-played case studies for practice, which Davidge noted helped make the work of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) feel more hands on. 

“I think that is a really great avenue that You Can Play can take and they provide where they’ll work directly with a sports team and they’ll go through these very tangible, very real-world examples. Like, this is what problematic behaviour looks like or these are some of the challenges that you’re facing and here’s how you can directly combat them or address them,” he said. “So, a nice sort of change of pace from it just being emails and back-and-forth to having someone actually in your face and in person.” 

It’s not just those in-your-face moments from the training that Davidge believes will help empower clubs and organizers to create an inclusive atmosphere for participants, it’s sometimes the most minute details that can make the biggest difference. 

“Even something as small as a having a pride flag in an office can be a very life-affirming thing for someone,” said Davidge. “It’s just a way to let people know that they are safe and they are welcomed and they’re accepted, which is increasingly more important to make sure they know.” 

And for Gym Sask, that’s the end goal of the work they are doing with You Can Play: creating an environment where individuals feel open to being their authentic selves so that they can reach their highest potential as an athlete. 

“We want people to be the best versions of themselves; to provide opportunities and programming so they can be the absolute best versions of themselves on or off or inside or outside of the gym. I think that starts with self acceptance and being able to be who you are. So, if we can make good people first, and let them grow, I think the athlete thing is just gravy after that. That’s the easy part.”