SIRC articles provide evidence-based and actionable insights from sport researchers, athletes, coaches, sport organizations and thought leaders to advance sport in Canada.
Team Unbreakable: The transformative power of running for youth mental health
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 mental health needs of these children and youth lays a crucial foundation for their lifelong…
Burnout in sport is defined as “physical/emotional exhaustion, sport devaluation, and reduced over-training and by competing too often. This is an important issue in youth sports because it often leads to dropping out of sport completely. Participation in sport offers...
We’ve all heard fitness experts claim that core training is important for overall fitness and health. Health clubs offer core training exercise groups and physio therapists recommend it for those recovering from injury. Your core is the collection of muscles...
Most experts agree that Canadian children need to increase their physical activity. We also know that organized sport can help achieve that. However, concentrating on one sport or putting too much focus on winning may lead to kids dropping out...
Walking is one of the least expensive and most accessible forms of physical exercise. It can be adopted by people of all ages and abilities, requires no training and is a great benefit to your health. Walking isn’t an exercise...
SIRC Newsletter now available online: Sport for Life Participation in sport and physical activity is extremely important for the development and the health of your child. We all know this, yet obesity rates are climbing and children spend more time...
Obstacle racing which has exploded in popularity since 2009, requires participants to navigate various obstacles, such as fences, mud pits, and climbing nets, that have to be overcome in order to complete the race. When Tough Mudder launched in 2010...
Some of you may have started running, cycling, or joined a class within the last year and have found that your exercise has become a “must do” rather than something you look forward to. Whatever you do, sometimes it can...
The training loads for an elite athlete can be taxing, to say the least. Work too little and you won’t get the results you want, work too hard and there is chance something will break. It’s difficult to understand how...
It is well known that if we don’t get enough sleep we have difficulty thinking and focusing clearly, we are irritable and may have trouble finishing tasks. It can be easy to think that a few hours of sleep loss...
Having confidence is the key to achieving many great things – whether it’s on the field or off of it. Highly confident athletes have the ability to focus on the task at hand and execute it, all while under intense...
