Canada Fitness Award Program
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The Canada Fitness Award Program was a national fitness test and evaluation program operated by the
Government of Canada The Government of Canada (), formally His Majesty's Government (), is the body responsible for the federation, federal administration of Canada. The term ''Government of Canada'' refers specifically to the executive, which includes Minister of t ...
department
Health and Welfare Canada The Department of National Health and Welfare (NHW), commonly known as Health and Welfare Canada, was a Canadian federal department established in 1944. Its advisory body on welfare was the National Council of Welfare. In June 1993, Prime Ministe ...
from 1970 to 1992. It was a successor to the Centennial Athletic Awards Program, and was replaced by the Active Living Challenge program. Millions of primary and secondary school children participated in the program. It was discontinued in part because it discouraged those it was intended to motivate.


Establishment

The program was developed by Sport and Recreation Canada, a division of Health and Welfare Canada. It was established as a national fitness program by the Government of Canada, and began operating in September 1970. An official program launch ceremony was held in
Lansdowne Park Lansdowne Park is a urban park, historic sports, exhibition and entertainment facility in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, owned by the City of Ottawa. It is located on Bank Street adjacent to the Rideau Canal in The Glebe neighbourhood of central Ott ...
in
Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
on 21 October 1970. The program had several objectives: *to promote health and fitness in Canadian youth *to encourage youth to achieve higher levels of fitness *to provide an "opportunity to participate in a continuing award plan" *to recognize physical fitness achievements *to increase public awareness of sports and recreation It was intended to "create better attitudes towards personal fitness" and to build skills and aptitudes useful "beyond the formative years". The directorate also operated the Canada Fitness Award Home Training Program, an "everyday physical fitness program", that was established in 1973.


Fitness test

The fitness test consisted of six short duration events for 7- to 18-year-old individuals: the 50
yard The yard (symbol: yd) is an English units, English unit of length in both the British imperial units, imperial and US United States customary units, customary systems of measurement equalling 3 foot (unit), feet or 36 inches. Sinc ...
run, the 300 yard run, flexed arm hangs, the shuttle run, speed situps, and the
standing long jump The standing long jump, also known as the standing broad jump, is an athletics event. It was an Olympic event until 1912. It is one of three standing variants of track and field jumping events, which also include the standing high jump an ...
. It was based on the fitness performance tests developed by the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (CAHPER; now Physical and Health Education Canada) from a fitness study conducted in 1965. The test components were designed to measure specific physical capabilities. The 50 yard run was a proxy for speed, the 300 yard run for cardiovascular efficiency, the flexed arm hang for arm and
shoulder girdle The shoulder girdle or pectoral girdle is the set of bones in the appendicular skeleton which connects to the arm on each side. In humans, it consists of the clavicle and scapula; in those species with three bones in the shoulder, it consists o ...
strength, the shuttle run for speed and
agility Agility or nimbleness is an ability to change the body's position quickly and requires the integration of isolated movement skills using a combination of balance, coordination, speed, reflexes, strength, and endurance. More specifically, it ...
, the situps for strength and endurance of the
abdominal muscles Abdominal muscles cover the anterior and lateral abdominal region and meet at the anterior midline. These muscles of the anterolateral abdominal wall can be divided into four groups: the external obliques, the internal obliques, the transversus abd ...
, and the
standing long jump The standing long jump, also known as the standing broad jump, is an athletics event. It was an Olympic event until 1912. It is one of three standing variants of track and field jumping events, which also include the standing high jump an ...
for the "explosive muscle power of leg extensions". The test was updated in 1973 to promote an individual's improvement against earlier performance in addition to the program awards, and the 300-yard run was eliminated. In 1979, a review was conducted by CAHPER to update its Fitness Performance Test, financed by a $
CAD Computer-aided design (CAD) is the use of computers (or ) to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. This software is used to increase the productivity of the designer, improve the quality of design, improve c ...
100,000 grant from Loto Canada. Its primary purpose was to "establish normative data on the fitness performance of Canadian youths", which was used as the basis for the norms of the revision to the Canada Fitness Award Program. The Fitness Performance Test also incorporated height and weight data, which was lacking in the earlier version. The revision introduced an endurance run to measure
aerobic capacity V̇O2 max (also maximal oxygen consumption, maximal oxygen uptake or maximal aerobic capacity) is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption attainable during physical exertion. The name is derived from three abbreviations: "V̇" for volume (the d ...
, and converted the tests to use the
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for consistency with
metrication in Canada Metrication in Canada began in 1970 and ceased in 1985. While Canada has converted to the metric system for many purposes, there is still significant use of non-metric units and standards in many sectors of the Canadian economy and everyday life. ...
, which had begun with the 1971 establishment of the
Metric Commission The Metric Commission (), formally the Preparatory Commission for the Conversion to the Metric System, was a Canadian government agency established by the federal government in 1971 to facilitate Canada's conversion to the metric system from the ...
. The 50 yard run was replaced by the 50
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dash, and the endurance run was set to 800 metres for 6- to 9-year-olds, 1,600 metres for 10- to 12-year-olds, and 2,400 metres for 13- to 17-year-olds. The situps were replaced by partial curlups, and the flexed-arm hang was replaced by
push-up The push-up (press-up in British English) is a common calisthenics Physical exercise, exercise beginning from the prone position. By raising and lowering the body using the arms, push-ups exercise the pectoralis major muscle, pectoral muscl ...
s. The new tests were included to measure stamina and
flexibility Stiffness is the extent to which an object resists deformation in response to an applied force. The complementary concept is flexibility or pliability: the more flexible an object is, the less stiff it is. Calculations The stiffness, k, of a ...
. The revisions were tested at 150 randomly selected schools throughout Canada by about 12,000 students, and the revised program was distributed to all schools in March 1980. Most youth completed the test at school. Some were tested during touring summer exhibitions, such as at the Saskachimo Pioneer Days, which also had sport demonstration areas for parents. One of the two touring exhibitions appeared at the
Canadian National Exhibition The Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), also known as The Exhibition or The Ex, is an annual fair that takes place at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on the third Friday of August leading up to and including Labour Day (Canada), ...
.


Standards

The program defined national standards for four performance levels (Excellence, Gold, Silver, and Bronze) by age, sex, and activity, for participants from 6 to 17 years old. The standards were updated in the 1980 program revision. For example, the standards for the endurance run established in the 1979 revision for the program were:


Awards

All students received a participation pin, business-sized participation card (issued during the 1980s to those who did not score sufficiently well for Bronze status) or a certificate for participating in the test. Fitness test results were recorded and submitted to Fitness and Sport Canada, which would review them and send awards and certificates to schools to distribute to participating students. The award received was based on the student's performance in the fitness test compared to the national standard. A bronze crest was awarded for an achievement averaging between 55% and 79% on four of the six events, a silver crest for an achievement between 80% and 94%, and a gold crest for an achievement between 95% and 100%. A student who achieved above 95% on all six tests received the Award of Excellence. From inception to the end of the spring 1980 fitness tests, almost 8 million badges were awarded to the more than 14 million participants.
Perdita Felicien Perdita Felicien (born August 29, 1980) is a Canadian retired hurdler. Felicien is the 2003 World champion in the 100 metres hurdles and 2004 World indoor champion in the 60 metres hurdles. She also won silver medals at the 2007 World Champio ...
, a
hurdler Hurdling is the act of jumping over an obstacle at a high speed or in a sprint. In the early 19th century, hurdlers ran at and jumped over each hurdle (sometimes known as 'burgles'), landing on both feet and checking their forward motion. Today ...
who established the Canadian women's record for the
100 metres hurdles The 100 metres hurdles, or 100-meter hurdles, is a track and field event run mainly by women (the male counterpart is the 110 metres hurdles). For the race, ten hurdles of a height of are placed along a straight course of . The first hurdle is ...
in 2004, stated in an interview with ''Active for Life'' that she was inspired to join her school's
track and field Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...
team because she had received an Award of Excellence in grade 3. She described it as "the first time I felt special in terms of my athletic ability".


Results

The program's participation rate was 9% in its first year, and it rose to 28% by 1979. A review by CAHPER in 1980 found that the physical condition of boys and girls improved between 1965 and 1980, and that girls in 1980 performed better than boys of the same age in 1965. The times for the dash were notable, as the times recorded in the 1966 study were for the 50-yard dash, and the times for the 1980 study for the dash. The study results showed that by 1980 participants were receiving more awards because the fitness test was not as challenging to increasingly fit participants. Fitness improvements were partly attributed to "increases in compulsory physical education programs in primary schools", and partly to familiarity with the fitness test which resulted in "practice effects". Results of the fitness test showed that participants performed poorly in exercises involving cardiovascular endurance. This was exacerbated by increasing inactivity starting in
grade 9 Ninth grade (also 9th grade or grade 9) is the ninth or tenth year of formal or compulsory education in some countries. It is generally part of middle school or secondary school depending on country. Students in ninth grade are usually 14–15 yea ...
. The first version of the fitness test was criticised as being a "poor indicator of overall fitness" because it only measured strength. The program was deemed to be "discouraging to those who needed the most encouragement" because of its focus on performance and awards. Intended to motivate young Canadians to lose weight and increase physical fitness, programs such as the Canada Fitness Award Program and
ParticipACTION ParticipACTION is a Canadian non-profit charitable organization and an enduring part of Canada’s physical activity history, encouraging people to get healthy by getting active since 1971. Through its award-winning public education campaig ...
were found, in a study by Carla Rice in 2007, to facilitate "self-debasement and destructive eating and exercise practices" in girls deemed to be overweight.


Adaptations

The test was used by the
Royal Canadian Air Cadets The Royal Canadian Air Cadets () is a Canadian national youth program for young individuals aged 12 to 18. Under the authority of the National Defence Act, ''National Defence Act'', the program is administered by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) ...
as the basis for the Air Cadet Fitness Programme, and awards received in the Canada Fitness Award Program were eligible for credit in the Air Cadet Fitness Programme. Some of the norms defined for the program were used as the basis for the Physical Fitness Test of
The President's Challenge The President's Challenge (also called Presidential Champions) was an American program promulgated by the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition that aimed to encourage all Americans to "make being active part of their everyday liv ...
in the
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, sponsored by the
President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition The President's Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition (PCSFN) is a federal advisory committee that aims to promote "programs and initiatives that motivate people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to lead active, healthy lives." It i ...
, and that for partial curlups is still used. The norms and data were also used to establish fitness standards for children with an
intellectual disability Intellectual disability (ID), also known as general learning disability (in the United Kingdom), and formerly mental retardation (in the United States), Rosa's Law, Pub. L. 111-256124 Stat. 2643(2010).Archive is a generalized neurodevelopmental ...
.


Mascot and symbols

The mascot for the Canada Fitness Award Program was a raccoon, named Vicky the Racoon because of its "appeal to the young people". It was described as a "caricature of a playful raccoon". The Fitness and Amateur Sport Directorate of Health and Welfare Canada conducted a national "Name the Mascot" contest starting in May 1970 open to students between the ages of 7 and 17. Each school in Canada was sent entry forms, which contained a space for the mascot's name, the student's name, and an explanation of the program's importance to youth or the reason for the chosen name. There were 131,745 entries submitted by the 20 June deadline, which surprised the contest administrators as there had been a rotating strike of postal workers at
Canada Post Canada Post Corporation (, trading as Canada Post (), is a Canadian Crown corporation that functions as the primary postal operator in Canada. Originally known as Royal Mail Canada (the operating name of the Post Office Department of the Can ...
. The winning suggestion "Maxi" was submitted by 14-year-old Monique Ringuette of
Saint-Jacques Saint-Jacques (the French name for Saint James (disambiguation), Saint James) may refer to: Canada * Saint-Jacques, New Brunswick, a former village, now part of Edmundston * Saint-Jacques Parish, New Brunswick Quebec * Saint-Jacques Cathedral ...
,
New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...
, who received an all-expenses paid trip to the 1971 Canada Winter Games in
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
for herself and a chaperone. The national runner-up received $200 of
sports equipment Sports equipment, also called sporting goods, are the tools, materials, apparel, and gear, which varies in shapes, size, and usage in a particular sport. It includes balls, nets, rackets, protective gears like helmets, goggles, etc. Since th ...
, provincial runners-up received $100 of sports equipment, and consolation winners received Fitness and Amateur Sports Directorate branded
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s. The mascot was prominent in the national introduction of the Canada Fitness Award Program in September 1970. The crests awarded to youth featured a symbol based on the
triskelion A triskelion or triskeles is an ancient motif consisting either of a triple spiral exhibiting rotational symmetry or of other patterns in triplicate that emanate from a common center. The spiral design can be based on interlocking Archimedean s ...
.


Popular culture

The fitness test administered via the program is mentioned in the song "
Fireworks Fireworks are Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large numbe ...
" by
The Tragically Hip The Tragically Hip, often referred to simply as the Hip, was a Canadian rock band formed in Kingston, Ontario in 1984, consisting of vocalist Gord Downie, guitarist Paul Langlois, guitarist Rob Baker (known as Bobby Baker until 1994), bassis ...
. The shuttle run features in the ''
Corner Gas ''Corner Gas'' is a Canadian television sitcom created by Brent Butt. The series ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009. Reruns still air on CTV, CTV2, CTV Comedy Channel, Much, E! and are streaming on Crave and Amazon Prime. The series ...
'' episode " Physical Credit", in which Oscar coaches Davis to improve his physical fitness, claiming the Canada Fitness Award Program to be "the last great thing the country ever achieved."


Notes


References

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* * * * * * * *{{cite book, title=Education Manitoba, volume=8—10, publisher=Manitoba Department of Education, year=1981


External links


Are You Fitter Than A Fifth-Grader?
at Catalyst Fitness Fitness tests Government of Canada