True Sport

Sophie Carmichael, 17, is a competitive basketball player with 11 years of basketball experience under her belt. Hailing from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, she was recently named as one of 12 Nova Scotia True Sport Athlete Ambassadors. Developed by Sport Nova Scotia and the Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic, the ambassador program is designed to foster a positive sport culture within the province that guards against threats to sport, such as maltreatment, and maximizes the potential of sport through the promotion of True Sport. 

As a True Sport Ambassador, Sophie will use her voice to share her experiences and passion for True Sport through her social media platform and beyond.

“My goal is to reach as many people as I can to show them what True Sport is all about. I believe that anyone involved in sport should know the seven principles and keep them in mind when they are participating,” said Sophie. “It’s important to me because I have had negative sport experiences and I know other athletes have as well. By sharing the True Sport Principles with our teammates and coaches, we can all help create a solid foundation to keep sport positive and safe for everyone.”

She explained that True Sport resonates with her as an athlete because it represents everything she stands for, both on and off the court.

“I always do my best to embody all seven principles: Go For It, Play Fair, Respect Others,  Keep it Fun, Stay Healthy, Include Everyone and Give Back because they all contribute to keeping sport good and safe for everyone,” said Sophie, noting that the Respect Others principle resonates with her the most.

“No matter the situation, sport and competition are always more enjoyable when there is mutual respect between athletes, coaches, officials, and anyone else involved in your sporting experience,” explained Sophie. She reflected on how respect positively impacted her first playoff game in her second year of U16.

“We were playing our rival team so of course it was a close game and very intense, but despite that, both my team as well as our opponents stayed true to the game of basketball and neither of us got caught up in the drama from the stands,” said Sophie. “It wasn’t significant to me just because we won, it was the feeling we had knowing that we put in all the effort while respecting the rules, officials and our opponents.”

“I’m super excited to be named a True Sport Ambassador. I’m honoured to share my thoughts and experiences about True Sport with others,” said Sophie. She encourages others to join True Sport so we can all work together to make sport safe for everyone.

“The promotion of True Sport will contribute to safer sport environments. Having more athletes, coaches, officials and people involved in sport who are committed to upholding the principles will contribute to keeping sport safer and more enjoyable for everyone,” explained Sophie. “Safe sport is good sport, where everyone truly wins!”

Follow Sophie on Instagram to hear more about how she lives True Sport!