The Ottawa Lions Track & Field Club has been offering specific programs for youth over the past twenty years. During this time, we have continued to develop and improve our programs. Our current programs provide children with opportunities to develop and improve their athletic abilities while having fun.

Our philosophy is that young athletes should develop a wide variety of sport skills. This will result in children with diverse athletic proficiencies and a higher likelihood of them finding a life-long sport. We encourage parents to expose their children to as many sports as possible.

Ideal for young athletes participating in any sport, our program targets the basic skills of running, jumping, and throwing that are an intrinsic part of almost every sport. Improving these abilities will transfer to increased performance in almost any sport.

We also address the physical challenges of our growing youth by applying progressive motor skill development, combined with physical strength training, to enhance performance potentials for all sports.

Our Youth programs have two distinct flavours. In the 6-8 age range, we concentrate on building the fundamental movements that are the basis of success in any sport, while not forgetting our Track & Field roots. We stress locomotion, stability, and manipulative skills that are common to most sports. The emphasis on constant activity makes for a fun experience for the child, while insuring gains in fitness.

Children aged 8-11 participate in a program based on Athletics Canada’s popular “Run Jump Throw” program. We concentrate on developing the ability to run, jump and throw correctly in these young athletes. At the same time, we expose the athletes to most of the Olympic Track & Field events, and encourage them to develop their ability to perform and enjoy these events. This emphasis allows children to gain knowledge of Track & Field and also develop the skills of running, jumping and throwing that are common to so many sports.