News Releases

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - July 20, 2011) - BMO Financial Group and renowned youth sport expert at Queen's University, Dr. Jean Côté, today released a report titled More Than a Game: The Power of Soccer for Youth Development.

Dr. Côté defines four positive outcomes – the "4 C's" – that adults can influence to create a positive environment in youth sport: Competence, Confidence, Connection, and Character/Caring. The paper also provides specific guidelines for soccer coaches and parents to help children achieve these positive outcomes. Dr. Côté describes "four corners" for effective coaching and "four corners" for effective parental support.

"As the Bank of Soccer in Canada, BMO continuously seeks to encourage and grow the sport, especially at the grassroots level. This collaboration is an opportunity for us to work with one of the preeminent authorities on youth sports and coaching, Dr. Jean Côté. This report takes an in-depth look at youth involvement in The Beautiful Game and provides insight into the important role of those on the side of the soccer pitch,'" said Sandy Bourne, Vice President, Sponsorships, BMO Financial Group.

Dr. Côté is renowned for his model of development in youth sport, one that has been adopted partially or comprehensively as a framework for sport organizations in countries such as Canada, France, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Fostering the "4 C's"

In his paper for BMO, Dr. Côté suggests that the influence of adults, both parents and coaches, is the most important factor for enhancing youth experience in sport and can set the bar for not only athletic performance, but peer and leadership skills and social success later in life.

"In order to nurture abilities and a lifelong love of the sport, youth soccer programs need to develop athletes who are not only competent, but also confident in their skills, well-adjusted, socially proficient, and respectful of their sport, themselves, and others," said Dr. Côté. "The process by which youth acquire the 4 C's in soccer results from age-appropriate training activities which are underpinned by positive and supportive relationships with coaches and parents."

The study makes the important observation that soccer played in childhood can have a positive impact beyond the field for years to come. "For coaches and parents, taking up the challenge to make soccer a positive experience for all involved is an individual commitment that can influence young people's lives forever," Dr. Côté concludes.

To view the full report, please click the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/The%20Power%20of%20Soccer%20FINAL%20ENG.pdf.

About Jean Côté, Queen's University

Dr. Jean Côté is professor and Director in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen's University in Kingston (Canada). His research interests are in the areas of children in sport, coaching, positive youth development, and sport expertise. He has published more than 120 refereed papers on a variety of youth sport topics and given over 300 scientific presentations.

Dr. Côté's program of research has consistently been founded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) since 1999.

About BMO and Soccer

BMO supports soccer across Canada, from youth players in local neighbourhoods and communities, to the professional level. Our deep commitment to "The Beautiful Game" is evident with our grassroots sponsorship of more than 950 youth teams nationally. The relationship continues with support of Canada's men's and women's national teams, professional teams (Toronto FC, Montreal Impact and Vancouver Whitecaps FC) and our soccer venue title sponsorship (BMO Field).