SIRC articles provide evidence-based and actionable insights from sport researchers, athletes, coaches, sport organizations and thought leaders to advance sport in Canada.
Unlocking potential: Building inclusive, equitable and accessible talent pathways across youth sport
Highlights: Talent identification and talent development systems “It is unacceptable that a player like Moise Bombito is not discovered until he’s 23 years old. I’ve coached some of the best centre-backs in the world and his talent level is in that category…We must find the next Moise Bombito at 15. We must know exactly who…
Sports are often celebrated for their physical benefits, but they also play a crucial role in mental health. Participation in sports can improve mood, stress relief, and foster a sense of belonging (Bruner et al., 2018; Panza et al., 2020)....
Introduction The Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) was introduced to the Canadian sport system at the national level in 2022. It may be time to think about its role across the entire sport...
Sports fans are all intimately familiar with the rules of their favourite sports: what’s allowed, and what will get you penalized. Many are less familiar with the behind-the-scenes rules that protect athletes and the integrity of sport itself. Why protect...
Weight cutting in sport sounds harsh because it is. As a U19 national champion wrestler with international experience and a mixed martial artist, I have first-hand experience losing weight in a short amount of time to compete in my desired...
Introduction and Context Safe Sport continues to be a top concern in Canada, with continued efforts to address maltreatment at all levels of sport. While sexual violence is discussed most frequently in research and practice, with the rhetoric being that...
Centralizing the voice of the athlete is a critical step in ensuring Safe Sport is realized. This was the primary theme of our talks on the panel “The future of safe sport: Hooked on hope not fishing for problems” at the...
Project Summary This study examines the prevalence, causes, and responses to parental violence, aggression, and abuse in minor hockey in Canada. It draws on 122 semi-structured, qualitative interviews with minor hockey stakeholders across Canada, and the textual analysis of media...
Highlights The calls for culture change across sports in Canada are persistent and louder than ever. Through our program of systematic research, we have listened to and shared high performance athletes’ perspectives about what appear to be accepted (or at...
Safe sport and safeguarding in sport have become top priorities for the Canadian sport sector. Prevalence studies have revealed that athletes across different levels of sport frequently experience maltreatment (Alexander et coll., 2011; Vertommen et coll., 2016; US Center for...
Highlights There are several evidence-informed approaches to sport delivery that researchers and sport organizations encourage, and that you can engage with, to promote positive experiences and combat harmful cultures in sport and society Quality sport, values-based sport and safe sport...
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