Get out and play! (4 photos)

Children don't usually need to be encouraged to go out and play, but others need to be reminded to do so for their own physical and mental well being.

Chris Bird is an athlete ambassador for Right to Play International, an organization with a Toronto head office which works with volunteers to use sport and play to help improve child development in areas of concern around the world.

Bird, now 30, plays for the Canadian National Men's Sitting Volleyball team.

At 15, Bird was in a car accident.

He was not wearing his seatbelt and was thrown from his vehicle.

Doctors had to amputate his right leg in order to save his life.

"I basically tell of the impact sport has had on my life," said Bird, currently on a speaking tour for Right to Play, speaking to SooToday at East View Public School Friday.

"I had some depressive issues after the loss of my leg, but once I got back into sports I felt a lot better about my life, so I like to share that with the kids," said Bird.

"Also, there's the message of 'wear your seatbelt,' because my accident, my injury could have been prevented had I worn my seatbelt, so I like to pass that message along too."

How did sports help him?

"I found myself isolating a lot (after the accident and amputation) and it spun into a self-pity, so once I started getting out there and getting active, being introduced to an adaptive sport (sitting volleyball) made me feel not so alone, knowing there were guys I could connect to with similar issues as me."

Of course, any child, with or without a disability, can feel isolated and alone.

Bird says no child has to feel that way.

"Absolutely, talk about your feelings, and also take care of the guy next to you if he looks a little down, maybe you want to delve a little deeper into his feelings and get him to open up."

Bird, of Nanaimo, B.C., was accompanied by Calgary-based Jessica Charles, a motivational speaker with Right to Play.

"It's awesome," said Charles of working with Bird.

"I think every athlete ambassador has their own story and I think Chris's story relates well if you have a disability or lost something in your life, I think everyone can relate to feeling alone sometimes, you can connect to people just by talking to others, by getting involved, becoming a leader in your school, there are so many opportunities for these kids."

Any advice for non-sporty types who need to break out of lonesome, isolated behaviour?

"Find some common interest you have with your peers, maybe music or computers, anything you can get together over, versus the isolation that you may be in at home," Bird said.

Charles said she and Bird have visited 10 schools in the Sault and area this week, having spoken to approximately 2,000 schoolchildren about the importance of sport and play for health and well-being.

Davey Taylor, the Algoma District School Board (ADSB) well-being special assignment teacher, told SooToday "ADSB supports Right to Play because it ties in so well with our focus on character education, healthy active living and well being."

(PHOTO: Chris Bird, athlete ambassador for Right to Play, chats with schoolchildren at East View Public School, October 9, 2015. Darren Taylor/SooToday)