Knowledge Nuggets

In June, the Canadian men’s national soccer team defeated Haiti to reach the final stage of World Cup qualifying for the first time since 1997. Over the next year, Canada will play qualifying matches against seven other countries, including the U.S. and Mexico. The top three teams will play in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Psychological safety is believing that you won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up about ideas, questions concerns or mistakes. Psychologically safe sport environments pave the way for greater teamwork, improved resilience, enhanced athlete satisfaction and an ability to reduce athletes’ burnout.

This week is Canada’s inaugural Concussion Awareness Week, an opportunity to increase concussion awareness by providing information and encouraging action across Canada. To honour Concussion Awareness Week, the Fall 2021 edition of the SIRCuit dives into topics and issues at the forefront of concussion research and education in sport—from concussion risk and management for girls...

In sport, organizational culture has a significant influence on an athlete’s ability to prepare for and perform at major international games. Elements of organizational stress, such as personal, team or leadership issues, are a source of strain for athletes. That strain can ultimately affect talent development and how an organization functions as whole.

After participating at an international competition or major games event such as the Paralympics, athletes may experience the “post-Games blues.” Research shows that support structures that include educational programs and resources are important to help Paralympic athletes transition to life post-Games.

“It is possible. That was a big learning lesson for us. If you follow the right steps, consult with the experts and you do it properly, it can work out well.” In the SIRCuit, Katie Sweeting, High Performance Manager for Sail Canada shares insights on hosting a national invitational event with 10 days of racing...

Becoming a Paralympian requires skill, dedication, resiliency, and a lot of practice. A recent study found that Paralympic athletes averaged over 6,400 hours of training during their careers.

An individualized approach to training and development is important for creating effective training programs for Para athletes. Research shows that Para athletes’ developmental pathways and training preferences will vary based on their previous sport experiences, personal preferences, and impairment type.

“We’ve never been so focused on mental health and wellness at the Games.” In the SIRCuit, Stephanie Dixon, the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Tokyo 2020 Chef de Mission, shares insight on the mental health strategies designed to support Canada’s Olympic teams in Tokyo and Beijing, including the debut of a designated Mental Health Lead.

The Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Paralympian Search Program provides an important platform for research on quality Para sport experiences, patterns in Para athlete development trajectories, and the engagement of underserved populations, such as girls and women, in the Para sport system. Learn more.