Beyond The Pitch is an educational and community engagement initiative centered around The Pitch, a powerful Canadian documentary that follows Olympic soccer champion Diana Matheson and Project 8 Sports as they work to establish the Northern Super League (NSL), Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league.
The documentary highlights the challenges, barriers, and breakthroughs involved in creating greater opportunities for women and girls in sport, while exploring themes of leadership, advocacy, inclusion, and gender equity. It sheds light on longstanding issues such as unequal pay, limited media coverage, and the lack of professional pathways for female athletes in Canada.
The documentary explores:
- Gender equity in sport
- Leadership and advocacy
- Representation and inclusion
- Allyship and culture change
- Confidence, belonging, and staying involved in sport
- The broader social impact of creating equitable opportunities for women and girls.
The Pitch - TVO Original
Beyond the Pitch Toolkit
Accompanying the documentary is the Beyond the Pitch Toolkit, a comprehensive resource designed for teachers, coaches, and community leaders working with youth.
The toolkit provides curriculum-connected lesson plans, discussion guides, screening resources, facilitation tips, and interactive activities that help participants explore topics such as gender equity, representation, allyship, confidence, belonging, and leadership in sport.
Through meaningful conversations and practical learning experiences, the toolkit empowers young people to think critically about fairness and inclusion, while encouraging them to become advocates for positive change in their communities.
Together, the documentary and toolkit serve as a catalyst for learning, reflection, and action, inspiring audiences to help create more equitable and inclusive sport environments where all young people can thrive and reach their full potential.
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