SIRC articles provide evidence-based and actionable insights from sport researchers, athletes, coaches, sport organizations and thought leaders to advance sport in Canada.
Superstars or a super-team? Building capacity to play like a championship team
What makes a winning team? Is it raw talent, star power, or an overflowing budget? Think again. The most successful teams—on the field or in the office—don’t just rely on superstars. They thrive on balance, leadership, and a collective drive that turns a group of individuals into an unstoppable force. Take the 1972 Miami Dolphins,…
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)....
A coach’s influence In recent years, the mental health of athletes has garnered significant attention, both on and off the global stage. With young athletes and parents talking more openly about mental health, coaches are now finding themselves at the...
Veronica Allan, Jodi Hawley, Marie-Pier Charest, and Tyler Laing
Many different factors need to be considered to provide optimal development experiences for athletes. The supports and skills needed to promote lifelong sport engagement and the potential to achieve high performance go beyond the physical and sport-specific. In fact, the...
A leading sport administrator, with over 3 decades of experience working with some of the biggest sport bodies in the country, says the kind of abuse faced by referees at all levels of sport in Canada has reached a “crisis”...
Imagine you’re on the field, adrenaline pumping, and ready to give your all. Suddenly, a collision occurs, and everything changes in an instant. This is the reality of a sport-related concussion, which many athletes know all too well. A sport-related...
Gabrielle Cadotte, Sophie Brassard, and Veronica Allan
In the competitive world of sports, athletes continually push their limits in pursuit of excellence. High performance athletes who are training for events like the Olympic and Paralympic Games face unique stressors throughout the 4-year cycle, from the pressures of...
Mental health challenges among Canadian youth are a growing concern. It is estimated that up to 20% of children and youth in Canada, which is more than 1.2 million young individuals, are affected by a mental health disorder. Addressing the...
Reflecting on my life’s journey, I’m profoundly struck by the transformative impact that sport has had on every facet of my life. The journey from a young sport enthusiast to an elite performer was marked by various challenges and triumphs,...
For men and boys, caring about sport typically conjures images of passionate competition and fighting for the win. This understanding of care leaves little room for self-care, health and safety, and emotional vulnerability — topics that are fraught with risks for boys...
Too often we hear older generations, especially in sports, use put downs like “snowflake,” “entitled,” “soft,” sometimes accompanied by swear words and homophobic slurs. All forms of bullying. What many coaches and parents do not realize is that from a...
