Factors affecting the relative age effect in NHL athletes
Behind the Spectacle: Participatory Action Research, and the Impacts of a World-Class Arena and Entertainment District on the Urban Poor in Downtown Edmonton
Beyond the Ice: Experience of a former pro hockey player and learnings to improve concussion care for children and youth
Athlete Voice: Jon Cornish
Canadian soccer
In June, the Canadian men’s national soccer team defeated Haiti to reach the final stage of World Cup qualifying for the first time since 1997. Over the next year, Canada will play qualifying matches against seven other countries, including the U.S. and Mexico. The top three teams will play in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
How sport builds community
Professional sports teams play an important role in bringing local communities together. For example, by participating in vaccination initiatives and building relationships with local youth soccer clubs, the Halifax Wanderers Football Club became an integral part of the Halifax community during the pandemic. Read the SIRCuit to find out more about how professional sport organizations…
Referees’ mental health
Referees and sports officials, in both professional and amateur sports, experience high levels of abuse. Researchers in Europe have found that a culture of abuse towards referees is a principal reason for referee discontinuation and that this harms all levels of sport, highlighting the importance of mental health support for officials.
Women’s soccer
In a first of its kind report on the status of elite women’s soccer, FIFA has found that the success of a national team is correlated with the proportion of domestic clubs that offer youth programs for girls. For leagues in which 80% of clubs have girls’ programs, the average national team ranking is 13th—compared…
Sport team preferences
A new study shows fans prefer sport teams that built success over time more than teams that bought wins with purchased superstars. Potential fans valued the effort and hard work behind a gradually built team, and felt that gradually built teams would show more teamwork.
Predictiveness of NFL Combine
Can standardized drills designed to measure strength, speed and explosiveness predict success in complex sports such as football? Analysis from sport scientists at the University of Rhode Island found the NFL Scouting Combine can predict only 20-25 percent of a player’s future success, and fails to capture intangible traits such as leadership, drive and “mental…