SIRC articles provide evidence-based and actionable insights from sport researchers, athletes, coaches, sport organizations and thought leaders to advance sport in Canada.
Bridging generations: How physical activity is connecting kids and seniors
It all started with a simple idea: a banner with the words, “You are loved.” Nestled in the heart of Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador, a subtle transformation is taking place. Danielle LeDrew, a teacher fueled by boundless enthusiasm at Woodland Primary, has stitched together the young and the young-at-heart through an intergenerational program that’s…
This week, the Invictus Games returned to Canada, with an incredible 8 days of adaptive sports that bring together service members and veterans from across the globe. This isn’t just another sporting event. The Invictus Games are an international sport...
For Masters athletes, the finish line isn’t a signal to stop, it’s an invitation to continue, proving that age isn’t the end of the race but just another part in the journey of sport. Staying active throughout life is essential...
Introduction There’s no point in writing on this blog that sport and physical activity are beneficial on a social, physical, cognitive and even societal level, because you and I, who work in the field, are convinced of this. What may...
Masters athletes, typically aged 35 and above (although different sports have different entry ages into masters sport), often surpass the peak performance years of their sport. Despite this, Masters athletes participate in rule-governed, organized sport activities that require formal registration...
It all started with a simple idea: a banner with the words, “You are loved.” Nestled in the heart of Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland and Labrador, a subtle transformation is taking place. Danielle LeDrew, a teacher fueled by boundless enthusiasm at...
Highlights The engagement and retention of adult sport participants is often overlooked within sport systems and organizations that focus predominantly on youth Despite coaches playing a key role in Masters sport, there are no clearly identified pathways into Masters coaching...
After 2020 surprised us all with a global pandemic, many of us looked to 2021 with hope for a gradual return to our pre-pandemic “normal.” And with the widespread rollout and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines across the country, the activities...
Bradley Young, Scott Rathwell, and Bettina Callary
Paradoxically, Masters sport is equally celebrated and ignored. Masters athletes are celebrated because they are motivated, goal-oriented, and determined to thrive at ages when sport participation has traditionally waned – they defeat stereotypes and allow us to rethink possibilities. Yet...
Carol LaFayette-Boyd is one of Canada’s rising athletics stars. Notably, LaFayette-Boyd is “rising” to exceptional athletic status at the age of 77 years. Setting a new world age-group record in the W75 200-meter race at the 2019 Canadian Masters Indoor...
Masters sport is a great way for adults to have fun and stay active. Dionigi (2015) identified three categories of masters athletes, based on their pathway into masters sport. “Late bloomers” are those who don’t start participating in sport until...
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