Team development extends beyond practices and games. Play Wise Consulting offers interactive workshops that help teenage and young adult athletes build stronger connections while navigating challenges they may face in sport and everyday life.
Basketball Manitoba’s provincial team athletes took part in Play Wise workshops this past summer. The sessions invited players to reflect on self-awareness, communication and how they work together. They also gave coaches insight into athletes’ personalities, motivations and communication styles during a short provincial team season.
“I think it was a valuable opportunity for them to grow,” said Basketball Manitoba Technical Director Dan Becker following the workshops.
Play Wise Consulting supports athletes and teams with topics including team dynamics, resilience, digital ethics, consent and leadership. Its goal is to help young people develop the confidence and judgment they can carry into college, university, work and other parts of their lives.
Founder and lead consultant Shawn McCarthy brings nearly 20 years of experience with Manitoba’s Department of Justice, where he currently facilitates intervention programs. A University of Manitoba Applied Counselling graduate, he has also coached and managed youth sport teams. His work combines experience in group education and counselling with an understanding of the pressures young athletes face.
“I work from the belief that ignorance, not ill intent, drives many of the harmful decisions we see from young people today. Prevention is more than possible,” McCarthy said.
Basketball Manitoba encourages member clubs and other sport organizations interested in supporting their athletes and strengthening team culture to connect with Play Wise Consulting.
Learn more: playwiseconsulting.ca
Contact Shawn McCarthy: playwiseconsulting@gmail.com