Scott Godfrey is the founder of Lacrossing Barriers, which provides adaptable and inclusive sporting programs to individuals of all ages, ethnicities, genders and abilities in an effort to create community through active living.
In 2018, Godfrey designed and ran a 6-week trial lacrosse program l for the The Autism and Aspergers Friendship Society of Calgary. From there, Godfrey has been able to progressively grow Lacrossing Barriers to run for 32 weeks a year, sometimes more, for those in marginalized communities.
I spoke with Scott Godfrey about the importance of having inclusive and accessible ways of experiencing active living through sport for marginalized communities.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED BY SCOTT GODFREY
Mia Bare: How did you get started in your work?
Scott Godfrey: I’ve been doing this for quite a few decades. I grew up with a parent that had some pretty significant medical and mobility challenges. So, I was always aware of people’s struggles. And then I started working summer camps as a university student and worked my first adapted sport camp in 1983. Being a lacrosse player when I was involved in this field, eventually in the early 2000s, it made sense to try and provide sport for people who don’t always get to choose.
Why do you feel like your work is important?
I think it gives people choice. In Alberta alone, there are over 40,000 people who use a wheeled mobility aid every day. And there’s 45,000 people that use one daily for recreation. And the fact is, they cannot choose Canada’s national summer sport. It’s not that they don’t want to, they don’t have the choice. And it would be similar to saying, “I’m sorry, you can’t be a journalist, you’re a woman,” because that was once said a couple centuries ago.
And to say, “I can’t because,” if you choose it and you’re willing to apply yourself and use the supports needed, and you don’t want to do something after that then that’s fine.
But choice. Just giving people choice. And I love the sport and other ones we’re doing.
Tell me a little bit about your program.
Lacrossing Barriers is a not for profit organization, dedicated to providing the opportunity to play sport, move and learn skills for those in marginalized communities who have not always been given a choice.
We believe in the motto, “all abilities and all possibilities.” We provide authentic and respectful and kind sport programming that looks at what you need to achieve and not what you can’t do. So we don’t focus on someone that doesn’t have legs. We don’t focus on someone that’s blind. We work toward what they want to achieve, which is throwing a ball, catching a ball, and being authentically active in a game.
What areas does your organization serve? I know in your email, you mentioned going to High River today to organize a program.
We are in Edmonton and Sherwood Park. We are in Calgary. We do programming for middle schools and on the Siksika and Tsuut’ina First Nations. We are in Calgary and High River. We are also in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and the Maritimes.
How long have you been operating this program for?
We were incorporated as a not for profit society in 2023. But we have been doing this since about 2018.
What was your main intention in designing this organization for these marginalized groups?
To give them choice. My oldest daughter lived her life in a wheelchair, and she once said, “I can’t because,” and I actually got angry with her. It doesn’t matter about your wheelchair. It doesn’t matter about your gender. Those are very, very valid parts in it, parts of who you are. But to say “I can’t because,” isn’t accurate. And I think it’s being defeatist.
Providing people an opportunity to do something because they choose it. You don’t want to go swimming after you’ve tried? Don’t go swimming. You don’t want to play lacrosse? Don’t.
But to say you can’t because you’re on the autism spectrum is not accurate. I’d rather have people say, “I just don’t want to because I’ve tried it and it’s not for me.” It’s providing people with an authentic choice.
How would you like to further develop or improve these programs to support these communities?
I think getting people involved that want to have fun and help. I think we need corporate support because we can’t rely on grants. And I think just having more people aware will create more success and more inclusion and more opportunity.
What has been your biggest success from operating these programs?
We have people that used to be afraid to leave their house or would be very anxious at the thought of failure who are now getting their coaching certifications because they choose to. We have people facilitating that wouldn’t navigate a situation or social situation or environment because they should—they have choice. We have people having fun and laughing when they used to not be very happy with who they were.
What is the biggest challenge in your work?
The biggest challenge is listening. Listening to what people are telling you, providing a conduit between where they are and where they want to be and staying humble. It would be really easy for me to say, “I’ve done this” or “myself and my leadership team have done this.”
It’s about what we are doing to allow those participating to do what they choose.
In what ways does Lacrossing Barriers manage to sustain the community it has created?
We want all our programs recurring. We started with a six week program in 2018 that went to a 12 week program. And now we run in Calgary from September to December and January to June. So, if people want it, we run it. And that’s where we need funding, because for some families, their finances are taken up in medical needs and teaching and social supports. The more people that know, the more people have a choice to help support, participate and volunteer.
What types of programs and facilities would you like to see more of that would create more communities for marginalized groups through active learning?
I think we have all the facilities that we require in Calgary, but I think access to gyms, access to turf fields, and access to multi-purpose rooms. Many of our participants need to do it in the evening and it’s too difficult for them to start at 8:30 p.m. So that early evening and weekend morning is just finding access.
Inclusive programs like Lacrossing Barriers can be difficult to find. What advice do you have for people who are seeking out programs like this?
This may sound silly, but use Google. The other one is to go to the Calgary Adapted Hub. They have access to that. Support Calgary has access to things. They’re partners and they’re wonderful. The Calgary Adapted Hub and Support Calgary can steer you in many, many directions.
What are the benefits you have seen from marginalized individuals joining inclusive and active group programs?
Courage. They already have courage, but they found their courage and they understand that they can do something. One of our hashtags is “yes, we can.”
And that isn’t necessarily that it takes a week or two. It might take a year or two, but if you support and you listen, those people understand that they’re not going to get let down. They’re not going to get forgotten. And they achieve what they achieve the way they need. They learn and grow the way they need.
Are there ever any disadvantages to these kinds of programs?
No, never. I don’t think there’s a disadvantage. There may be challenges and there may be work-throughs, but not disadvantages. Oh my goodness, no. I think there’s realities that you have to face. I remember hearing once from somebody, “there’s nothing cool about easy.” So, they are tiring, but so is work. It takes time and you have to invest that.
So it’s just not a pat on the head and a handshake. It’s showing up every week for 10, 12, and 15 weeks for one year, two years. It’s making sure you’re honest and listening to people for four different programs. Week, after week, after week, six days a week.
You have to realize that this is what you chose. I realized this is what we chose. And that choice is incredibly rewarding, but there’s no disadvantages.There’s none. It’s difficult—yes. I had a daughter who had 30 surgeries before she was 28, lived in a wheelchair and had been in ICU at least 15 times. So going to a gym and playing a game and reminding people that it’s fun, that’s not difficult.
That’s really impactful. Thank you for sharing that with me. What is one thing that we did not cover today that you really want people to keep in mind?
Anyone can help and everyone is welcome. How that looks is we have people that help us grant writing, we have people that help us with organizing, we have people that want to coach, and we have people that want to volunteer that end up playing. We want to be inclusive on all levels. So, somebody comes in a wheelchair and they ask, “can my brother or my cousin or my neighbor come?” We’ll say, “yes.” And we want to bring back the playground. We want it where people come to play. And it’s not about gender diversity. It’s not about your wheelchair.
It’s not about your vision. It’s not about how many chromosomes you have. It’s about you wanting to play and having a place, an environment where we’ll say “yes, you can play,” and we figure it out and we learn how to teach you.
Editor’s note: This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.