Respect Sport launches education and compliance platform to build the sport cultures athletes actually need

As Canada's own federal commission confirms the country can't track who plays or why youth drop out, Respect Sport gives organizations the tools to go beyond compliance

CALGARY, AB, Sept. 10, 2026 /CNW/ -- Last spring, a federal commission confirmed what many in sport have quietly known for years: Canada cannot track who plays sport, who quits, or why.

According to a 2019 Aspen Institute study, the average child quits organized sport by age 11. The most common reason: it stopped being fun. A coach who made them feel small. A parent who turned every game into a performance review. A system that forgot what sport is supposed to feel like.

The Future of Sport in Canada Commission, which released its final report in March 2026 after nearly two years of investigation, found that no organization in the country is systematically collecting sport participation data. The data environment is fragmented and inconsistently reported. We can't say who's dropping out. We can't say what's making them leave. What we can say is that more policies and checking boxes hasn't been enough to change it.

That's the system Respect Sport is launching to fix.

After more than 20 years of safe sport work, Respect Sport is evolving its mission - moving beyond minimum compliance and toward cultures where every coach, parent, and athlete understands what safe sport looks like, and lives it. Today, the organization relaunches as Respect Sport and announces a new direction for the company, alongside Respect HQ, a platform that brings training and compliance together in one place.

"Sport has changed, and the expectations around safe sport have changed with it," said Kelly Schmitt, CEO of Respect Sport. "Organizations are no longer being asked simply to check a box. They're being asked to create cultures where every athlete feels safe, included, and inspired to participate. Respect Sport brings together expert-built education, modern compliance technology, and a clearer standard for what good looks like."

Allison Forsyth, Chief Sport Officer, brings a perspective that's rare in this industry. A two-time Canadian Olympian, a survivor of abuse in sport, and an International Olympic Committee Safeguarding Officer, Forsyth has lived the gap between compliance and actual safety.

"I know firsthand what happens when a system fails an athlete," said Forsyth. "Every organization has a chance to be different. We put the athlete at the centre of that decision, every time."

That shift starts with insight. When organizations can't see whether their people are trained, they can't see whether their culture is safe. And when a national commission tells us the entire sport system lacks the data to understand who's leaving and why, the cost of that blind spot becomes impossible to ignore.

With 2.4 million people trained and more than 1,400 organizations served, Respect Sport is now asking Canadian sport to go further. The company's new message - Be The Standard - is a challenge to move beyond minimum requirements and become the benchmark others strive to meet.

Sport should be the safest place a kid can be. Respect Sport is asking families, coaches, and organizations across the country to stop settling for the minimum and start building what sport actually deserves.

About Respect Sport

Respect Sport is a safe sport partner helping organizations create environments where everyone feels safe, included, and inspired to play. With more than 20 years of safe sport expertise, 2.4 million people trained, and 1,400 organizations served, Respect Sport combines expert-built education with Respect HQ - technology that helps organizations train every role, track requirements, and manage compliance with confidence.

SOURCE Respect Sport

Media Contact: Amber Craig, [email protected]