Ontario Coaching Report
The most comprehensive study on the impact of coaching across all sports and competition levels.
1 in 7
Ontarians are currently coaching
spending
hours coaching annually
NEW: The 2025 Ontario Report – A 360-Degree View of Ontario Sport Culture
Building on last year’s study of coaching values vs behaviours, the 2025 report expands the lens to include athlete and parent perspectives about their coaches, revealing a truly 360-degree view of Ontario’s sport leadership culture in practice.
It also provides actionable steps that coaches, parents, and sport administrators can take to create sport that is safe, inclusive and fun for all.
Download the full report
Coaches & Culture Matter
- Boys, Girls, and Co-ed Leagues
- Grassroots, School, and Development sport contexts
- All ages (6-24)
- All equity groups
1 in 2
athletes say their coach is the adult they trust most in their life (outside of their parents/guardians).
4 in 5
athletes say their coach is successful in building the sport culture they want.
Coach & Athlete Relationships
- Coaches who say they talk to athletes about mental health and share tools for helping them to feel their best 53%
- Athletes who say their coach asks about their mental health 19%
%
Say sport culture is important to them
%
Say their coach has asked what names and pronouns they prefer
%
Say their coach has asked or learned about their background/culture
Hazing & School Sports
Percentage of athletes who experience extreme hazing – by context
5%
Grassroots Sports
5%
Club Sports
19%
School Sports
2 in 5 coaches say they intervene to stop hazing when they know about it
55%
of parents do not know if their club/organization has a hazing policy.
Early Sport Specialization
3 in 10 parents believe their child has the potential to become a high-performance, scholarship, or “pro” athlete.
1 in 2 parents and coaches believe that sport specialization should happen before age 9.
1 in 4 parents, coaches and athletes believe that sport specialization should happen before age 12.
1 in 5
parents and athletes are familiar with Long Term Participant Development.
Download the 2024 report