Canada Soccer, FIFA and Canadian Sport for Life bring soccer injury prevention programs to Canada
July 23, 2015 - Ottawa, ON - Public Health Agency of Canada
The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health with Victor Montagliani, President, Canada Soccer, Dr. Jiri Dvorak, Chief Medical Officer, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), and Richard Way, CEO, Canadian Sport for Life today announced a total investment of $2 million aimed at reducing injuries in Canadian youth soccer players.
This investment supports two soccer injury prevention programs: FIFA 11+ and Movement Preparation. FIFA 11+, developed by FIFA’s Medical Assessment and Research Centre, and specifically targeting youth age 14 years and older, is a series of exercises aimed at strengthening the core and leg muscles, and improving neuromuscular control, coordination, balance, agility and jump technique. Movement Preparation, developed by Canadian Sport for Life, is a physical literacy program that uses similar exercises, but is geared towards soccer players aged 7-13 years. The goal of FIFA 11+ and Movement Preparation is to reduce injury rates among youth playing soccer, while keeping them active, healthy and injury-free, on the field and off.
Both FIFA 11+ and Movement Preparation will be implemented in community soccer clubs across the country as early as this fall.
Michael Bolkenius
Office of the Honourable Rona Ambrose
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200
Media Relations
Public Health Agency of Canada
(613) 957-2983
