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Sport and Leisure Management

The Sport and Leisure Management program is built on addressing the sport, recreation, and leisure needs of a changing society. Phenomenal growth has occurred and is predicted to continue well into the future for the career opportunities targeted by this program. These diverse and expanding sectors are bolstered by the globalization of the tourism industry.

The program is designed for individuals who are interested in a career in the following sectors: outdoor leadership, community recreation, sport administration, health promotion, fitness consulting, tourism and leisure entrepreneurship and spa management.

There are three areas of concentration in the Sport and Leisure Management program:

1. Recreation and Sport Administration
2. Fitness and Health Promotions
3. Outdoor Leadership

A number of recognized certification programs are completed within the two year time frame in canoeing, kayaking, fitness training, coaching, wilderness ethics and wilderness first aid. Students are able to focus on their particular area of interest through various specialization options. Management skills and knowledge are an important part of a successful leisure operation, therefore, training in this area includes various business competencies such as strategic planning, human resources, accounting, partnering and communications.

The structure of the training includes developing theoretical knowledge in the three areas of concentration and in the various management competencies. Students will also benefit from the practical experiences needed to develop confidence in the delivery of various leisure services.

Students have full access to the facility's fitness training center, and Student Union fees currently provide access to two local fitness centers. The Sport and Leisure Management program also has a growing inventory of kayaks, canoes, and related outdoor adventure equipment.

Graduates of Sport and Leisure Management may take advantage of the College's University Academic Transfer Program. For more information on these university articulation programs, please click here.

Core Courses

• Information Technology
• Business Communication
• Financial Accounting
• Human Resource Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Business Law
• Marketing

Areas of Competency

Adventure Tourism
Students participating in a variety of outdoor activities such as canoeing, kayaking, a ROPES course, outtripping, and biking. Outdoor activities form a significant component of both traditional recreation programs and tourism based programs. The course will also challenge students to investigate and develop skills to best deliver these types of services.

Community Development
Community building relates to developing partnerships in creating better communities. It consists of an approach and the refinement of inter and intra personal abilities and skills for relating to people and groups, being aware and utilizing the resources and assets around you, and knowing the importance and process for strategic planning.

Ecotourism
Provides a look into the specific nature of ecotourism which includes concepts for travel and tourism product development that respects and teaches people about the physical environment and cultural heritage of a region. Sustainable development, travel ethics, and tour guiding for ecotourism principles will be covered.

Facility Management
Focuses on the organizational structure, staffing, daily operations, and customer service of facility management. Students will also investigate administrative tasks associated with special events, contracting services, finances, budgeting, and risk management issues involved with managing a sport and recreation facility.

Fitness Programming
This area of programming includes topics such as anatomy and physiology, exercise physiology, exercise safety, counseling, and exercise adherence. Students become proficient in fitness assessment and exercise programming and may achieve nationally recognized certifications in personal training and fitness appraisal.

Industry Certifications
As part of their two years of study, students complete the requirements for a variety of national certifications. Examples of the available organizations and certifications include:

• Canadian Recreation Canoeing Association – Flatwater Canoe and Sea Kayak
• Red Cross – Wilderness and Remote First Aid, Water Safety Instructor
• Leave No Trace – Outdoor Ethics
• National Fitness Leadership Alliance – Basic Fitness Theory; Resistance Training Leaders
• Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology – Certified Fitness Consultant (CFC), CFC Certified Personal Trainer
• Duke of Edinburgh Awards – Bronze or Silver Award
• Special Olympics – Level I Coaching

Marketing
These units will provide students with an understanding of terminology, concepts, and techniques, thereby allowing students to effectively engage in the marketing planning process. Through research, creation of tools, budgeting, and implementation strategies students will apply their theoretical knowledge in developing a marketing plan.

Nutrition
This course is designed to provide recreation and fitness professionals with basic nutritional knowledge. It is imperative that students learning about healthy lifestyles are introduced to the concepts associated with sound nutritional practices. This course will introduce healthy nutritional practices to the students and expand on some concepts such as weight management, outdoor meal preparation, and heart healthy eating.

Recreation Leadership
Provides an understanding of the dynamic role of the recreation leader in modern society. The course will look at the historical, societal and present day context of recreation, as well as integrate theories and practices of leadership in this field such as group management, teaching, facilitation, planning and leading for different populations and types of activity. Students will also be required to develop and improve their own personal competencies for effective leadership.

Recreation Programming
Develops the skills and practices for the design and delivery of recreational and leisure services. These courses provide the fundamentals of coordinating activities and facilitating recreation for a variety of leisure sectors using target and leadership driven programming.

Sport Administration
Includes courses that discuss the Canadian sport system, specific operational concerns for provincial sport organizations, psychological dynamics of sport participation in modern society as well as introducing tournament management and event hosting.

Tournament Management
Provides students with the basic knowledge and skills to successfully deliver a sporting event. The course material includes: volunteer organization, soliciting sponsorship, tournament formatting and scheduling. An added bonus associated with this course is the actual delivery of real events.

Personal and Community Wellness
Explores the holistic nature of wellness by looking at the psychological, social and physical aspects of health. Theories of change, strategies for exercise adherence, stress management, wellness programming, active living promotion, and health spas comprise important topics in this area.

Educational Study Tour

Second year students participate in one or more educational study tour experiences. The goal is to experience a variety of leisure and recreation activities in another region. Students will be required to obtain a passport for the international study tour.

Internship

All students are required to complete a mandatory term of paid internship in a work environment related to their field of study. The placement is a minimum of 500 hours occurring between the end of the first year and the beginning of second year. Internship placement officer and program instructor’s work to ensure students are prepared for potential summer employment; however it is the ultimate responsibility of the student to obtain their placement.   For some OJT and volunteer sites the student may be required to have a police records and vulnerable persons checks.

Practicum and Job Shadowing

All students are required to volunteer with a sport and leisure organization approximately three hours per week for the duration of the school year. These are tremendous opportunities for students to begin to reach into the community as volunteers, make contacts, and network within the industry.

Graduate Opportunities

• Sport Administration
• Facility Management
• Recreation Management
• Self Employment
• Health and Fitness Coordination
• Adventure Tourism
• Event Coordination
• Outdoor Adventure
• Guiding and Interpretation
• Fitness
• Resorts
• Parks and Marine Tourism
• Special Events
• Commercial Recreation
• Spas and Wellness Centers
• Facilities Operations
• Community Non-Profit Agencies
• Municipal and Provincial Governments

Admission Requirements

• Grade 12 or equivalent with credits at or above the general level
• Ability to perform physically challenging tasks
• Resume including work and volunteer experience with applicable dates, membership in groups, associations or athletics, awards and distinctions, and any other information about yourself relevant to the program to which you are applying

If you have any question concerning the Sport and Leisure Management program, contact Wyatt Inman at: winman@hollandc.pe.ca