What is Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation?
Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation recognizes that tobacco industry products have no place in or alongside the healthy, safe activities that sports and recreation programs provide. Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation programs create safe and healthy environments for our youth by:
- Preventing youth from starting to use tobacco industry products
- Giving everyone a chance to perform at their best
- Protecting people from second-hand smoke
- Helping people trying to quit
Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation means that everyone taking part in an organized sport or recreational activity refrains from using all forms of tobacco industry products including cigarettes, chew, and other smokeless tobacco. It is a global movement endorsed by leading organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Football Association (FIFA).
Why Sports and Recreation?
Sport and recreation organizations play a vital role in the health and wellness of our community. Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation programs create an environment where adults and young athletes become tobacco-free role models who send a powerful message to youth that tobacco is not part of healthy living.
How to be Tobacco-Free
The best way to ensure that people will not use tobacco industry products at sport and recreation events is to develop and promote a tobacco-free policy. By adopting a tobacco-free policy, sport and recreation organizations will send a clear message to all members and the wider community that tobacco industry products have no place in sports and recreation activities.
A Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation (TFSR) Guide is available as part of a Smoke-Free Ontario initiative to assist sports and recreation associations with developing and promoting Tobacco-Free Sports and Recreation policies. To download a copy of the TFSR Guide, visit www.playlivebetobaccofree.ca.
Dr. Gene Sutton Club Excellence Award - Nominate a sports or recreation organization by September 7, 2012
The Dr. Gene Sutton Club Excellence Award was established by the City of Hamilton in 2010 to recognize a model sports or recreation organization in Hamilton that provides quality youth programming, promotes healthy living, exemplifies respect for sport and fair play, and is a role model for youth in the Hamilton community. Dr. Sutton was dedicated to quality amateur sport in the city of Hamilton and committed to making an athlete’s experience a positive one. Dr. Sutton was an advocate for providing a safe, healthy, and fun environment for youth in sport and encouraged sportsmanship and fair play.
For information about the award criteria and to nominate a sports or recreation organization in Hamilton, please download and complete the application form:
Application 2012 (MS Word)
Application 2012 (PDF)
The DEADLINE for submitting the application is Friday, September 7, 2012 by 4:00 PM.
A selection committee comprised of City of Hamilton representatives will review and identify the 2012 award recipient. The winner of the award will be recognized at the City of Hamilton Annual Sports Volunteer Dinner on October 2, 2012.
Play, Live, Be…Tobacco-Free!
Last updated: August 10, 2012