Athletes

Five Things You Should Know About the Canadian Anti-Doping Program

January 15, 2021

Anti-doping is often thought to be exclusive to high-performance sport. Athletes are whisked away from the public eye after winning events to have urine and blood collected. It’s true that testing athletes at competitions is an important element of a...

• Doping
• High Performance
• Leadership and Governance

Mask wearing

As gyms and sport facilities resume their operations, Canadians are wondering about the impact of masks on their performance. Researchers from the University of Saskatchewan found that wearing a mask does not affect performance and has minimal effect on blood...

• COVID-19
• Health and Wellness
• Training Methods

Silver linings of the Tokyo Games postponement

For many national athletes, the postponement of Tokyo 2020 has let them build their physical and mental performance. Athletes have addressed longstanding physical issues like chronic injuries, biomechanical and technique corrections, and strength deficits. Mentally, Seyi Smith, Chair of the...

• COVID-19
• High Performance
• Major Games

Self-Compassion in Sport 101

January 11, 2021

If you have been involved in the coaching or administrative side of competitive sport, chances are you have seen athletes experience emotionally difficult setbacks. These setbacks can range from devastating performance failures (e.g., “choking” during an important competition), to facing...

• Athlete Development
• Coaching
• Health and Wellness
• Injury
• Mental Health
• Mental Skills

Supporting Podium Dreams – Paralympian Search and RBC Training Ground

January 11, 2021

To support the identification and development of future Olympians and Paralympians, two Canadian programs have been developed to fuel the Canadian pipeline of future hopefuls. RBC Training Ground and the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Paralympian Search are athlete identification programs designed...

• Athlete Development
• High Performance
• Para Sport
• Talent Identification

Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport: What Coaches Need to Know

January 11, 2021

Mary Cain, a former record-breaking phenom, made a different type of headline when she spoke up about the pressure she faced to lose weight that caused her to disappear from the running scene (Cain, 2019). Cain’s willingness to speak up...

• Coaching
• Health and Wellness
• High Performance
• Mental Health
• Nutrition and Hydration

Winter 2021 SIRCuit

The Winter 2021 SIRCuit is now available!  For many, the new year presents an opportunity to set new goals, refine behaviours, or let go of something that is holding them back. This edition of the SIRCuit provides takes a deep dive into...

• Athlete Development
• High Performance
• Leadership and Governance
• Masters Sport
• Nutrition and Hydration
• Talent Identification

Facilitating leadership learning

January is National Mentoring Month. Sport leaders, coaches, and other mentors can facilitate leadership learning through a variety of intentional practices. In the SIRCuit, Cari Din, a leadership learning facilitator and University of Calgary faculty member, shares her top four...

• Leadership and Governance
• Mentorship

Happy New Year

Welcome to 2021! The SIRC team is looking forward to an exciting year of keeping you informed with the latest news, research, and jobs from the sport community across Canada. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook....

• Athlete Development
• Coaching
• Concussion
• Gender Equity
• High Performance
• Leadership and Governance
• Major Games

Looking Back – 2020 SIRC Content Highlights

December 21, 2020

Although 2020 was a challenging year, it was rich with learnings and silver linings for the Canadian sport and physical activity sector. Featured below are highlights of SIRC's top content from the last 12 months. Whether you’re looking for insightful...

• Athlete Development
• Concussion
• COVID-19
• Diversity and Inclusion
• High Performance
• Leadership and Governance
• Professional Development