A Guelph, Ont., basketball league and Ontario Basketball will drop the term 鈥渕idget鈥� from their age classifications next year, in an effort to help make the sport more inclusive.
鈥淢idget鈥� is a term that鈥檚 long been used in minor hockey, baseball, basketball, lacrosse and many other sports. But it鈥檚 also considered an offensive word when used to describe people with dwarfism.
For Chris and Regina Scott, the term took on a new importance when their two-year-old son Jeremy was born with dwarfism.
鈥淚t鈥檚 tough to educate kids and tell them about the meaning of the word 鈥� about how it鈥檚 hurtful, about how it鈥檚 a derogatory term 鈥� when it鈥檚 so commonly used in their sports,鈥� Regina Scott told CTV Kitchener.
Chris Scott, a longtime player and now a basketball coach, and Regina shared their concerns with the Guelph Youth Basketball Association鈥檚 president Kurt Vosper, who took action immediately.
As of the 2019 season, the term midget will no longer be used for any age classification by Guelph Basketball.
Instead, Grade 9 and Grade 10 players will be referred to as 鈥渕inor鈥� and 鈥渕ajor-minor.鈥�
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 something that we had to fight and protest about,鈥� Regina Scott said. 鈥淭hey really agreed that just because it鈥檚 always been done like that doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 the right thing.鈥�
It鈥檚 a seemingly small decision, but they hope it will have a huge impact for people.
鈥淲e want to be forward thinking and we want to be inclusive to everyone,鈥� Vosper said. 鈥淎nd we want every kid to have a chance to play basketball.鈥�
That sentiment has been echoed by the Ontario Basketball Association.
After Vosper reached out to the organization, it also committed to end its use of the term starting next season.
Chris Scott said the sport community鈥檚 willingness to listen to the couple鈥檚 concerns brought tears to his eyes.
鈥淟ittle by little, this change 鈥� these changes, will help,鈥� he said.
And they鈥檙e hopeful that the changes won鈥檛 stop there.
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping this鈥檒l carry over into other sports as well,鈥� Vosper said. 鈥淭hat other sports will realize it鈥檚 not an appropriate term anymore and they鈥檒l wanna make the change on their own.鈥�
It鈥檚 a change the Scotts hope will keep kids like Jeremy from ever feeling reluctant about taking part in sports.
With a report from CTV Kitchener鈥檚 Randy Steinman
