SIRC articles provide evidence-based and actionable insights from sport researchers, athletes, coaches, sport organizations and thought leaders to advance sport in Canada.
Introduction Adolescence is a pivotal stage marked by increased vulnerability to the development of body image concerns, disordered eating, and eating disorders. For adolescents involved in sport, where they may face pressure to conform to a certain body type to progress and achieve success, the risk may be even more pronounced. Consider some of the…
“First, know thyself.” -Socrates Self-awareness is the ability to recognize, understand and manage one’s feelings, thoughts and behaviours. To better manage the complexities of the current sport and social landscape, self-awareness is a foundational skill that is being increasingly recognized...
Endurance athletes need to persevere through pain in training and competition. According to Kent University’s Samuele Marcora “our mind is what dictates our physical limits”. Exhaustion is not caused by muscle failure, but by the conscious decision to disengage from...
SIRC Highlights from the Study Study background: For athletes at high levels, the ability to control one’s mind in the moments leading up to performance is a key element of pre-performance preparation. Music has been used by many athletes as...
Being an athlete is rewarding in countless ways, but there are also times it can be stressful. From experienced world-class athletes to young children in sport, athletes can be under immense external and internal pressure. To promote peak performance, as...
Most athletes, competitive through recreational, experience injury in their sport at some time. There are many practitioners out there who can help heal the physical symptoms of the injury from the family doctor to the physical therapist. But dealing with the...
In the arena of sport psychology, research around attention and its relationship to athletic performance has been around for a number of years. Much of this research has focused on athlete training, and deliberate practice in particular, when it comes...
Mental fitness plays a large part in training and performance. There will be times when an athlete makes a mistake (or consecutive mistakes), is competing against an opponent that has outperformed them in the past, or the conditions of play...
Today’s athletes experience a variety of pressures and stress when it comes to sport performance. Many athletes, teams and coaches are taking advantage of sport psychology professionals to aid them in achieving their performance goals. As such sport psychologists are...
Jason Dunkerley, 5-time Paralympian, Paralympic and World medalist
Sport teaches us innumerable lessons. When I reflect on my own sporting journey, I cringe at some of the mis-steps I took as a younger athlete. This is not to say that today I’m past the point of making mistakes....
The 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, which takes place from December 26, 2014 to January 6, 2015, will be showcasing some of the best young hockey plays under-20 years of age in the world. The tournament will have 10 national...
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