SIRC articles provide evidence-based and actionable insights from sport researchers, athletes, coaches, sport organizations and thought leaders to advance sport in Canada.
Cirque du Soleil: Bridging the gap between athletes and artists
Cirque du Soleil is renowned for its breathtaking performances, combining artistry, athleticism, and storytelling to create unparalleled spectacles. But how does this world-class organization find and transform its talent? André Lachance, Senior Director Casting and Artist Contract Management at Cirque du Soleil, shared insights into the fascinating process of talent acquisition and development, where elite…
There has recently been an increasing number of athletes bravely coming forward to share their stories about the psychological distress and associated mental health challenges they experienced during their athletic careers (e.g., Michael Phelps, Gracie Gold, and Demar Derozan). Athletes...
When Canada works in harmony towards the same goal, much can happen in a short time. In March 2018, SIRC launched the “We Are Headstrong” campaign. Since that time we’ve seen signs of progress in the attitudes of Canadians toward...
Jenn Bruce and Jenny Davey, Canadian Paralympic Committee
Data driven. Evidence informed. Research to practice. No matter how you say it, a lot of us in the sport system are trying to figure out how to ensure the decisions we make are consistently based on the best possible...
As we ease ourselves into the year ahead, here is a round-up of the most popular SIRCuit articles and SIRC blogs from 2019! Top 5 SIRCuit Articles Gender Equity is Good Governance – Lessons from the Sport Sector Cannabis and...
It’s a potent mix: dangerous flips and twists performed by young, boundary-pushing athletes who revel in the sport’s free-spirited culture. More than most sports, concussions are a day-to-day, moment-to-moment risk for the freestyle skiing community. The five demanding disciplines –...
Sport concussions have been a hot topic over the past few years, with the launch of the Canadian Guideline on Concussion in Sport in 2017 and SIRC’s associated We are Headstrong campaign, and the passing of Rowan’s Law (Concussion Safety) on March...
Once considered a fringe activity, weight training has grown in popularity in the last 20 years due to its benefits for improving health, physical fitness, and performance. Weight training is often included in high school physical education classes and promoted...
High-level athletes compete to win. Sometimes, however, they make rash decisions in the heat of the moment that can have serious, long-term consequences. Take figure skating, for example. There have been instances in the past where athletes and coaches were...
This is the first blog in a series leading up to the 2020 Arctic Winter Games that will be hosted by Whitehorse, YT March 15-21, 2020. Subsequent blogs will focus on the logistical challenges of hosting in a smaller centre,...
This blog was adapted from a SIRCuit article written by Dr. Vicki Harber. For the full article, click here. Within Canada, there is some concern that an ethos of “winning at all costs” has infiltrated youth sport, degrading the quality...