Knowledge Nuggets

Verbal feedback is arguably the most abundantly used coaching “tool” in sport, but can be more or less effective depending on the type of feedback and timing. Research recommends the use of positive comparisons (e.g. in relation to previous performance), and the provision of feedback after strong trials more often than weak trials.

It’s National Coaches Week! From practice design, to coach retention, to mentorship, peruse the SIRC blogs and SIRCuit articles for the latest coaching-related research. The SIRC team says #ThanksCoach to the influential coaches we’ve had in our lives.

National Coaches Week (September 19-27, 2020) celebrates the positive impact coaches have on athletes and communities across Canada. It’s an opportunity to recognize coaches for the integral role they play by simply saying #ThanksCoach. From the Coaching Association of Canada, here are a few simple ways to take part, including free or discounted NCCP education.

A steady stream of remote meetings or online classes can become exhausting as the pandemic wears on, according to experts at the University of Alberta. Avoid digital overload by taking breaks away from screens, avoiding multitasking during meetings, and setting up informal online group drop-ins.

For many sport organizations, older adults represent an untapped cohort of potential members. Research on Masters athletes points to the importance of both a social environment and competitive opportunities in facilitating participation.

Boards of directors in the Canadian sport system governing in an increasingly complex sport system and facing big issues – safe sport, inclusion and diversity, and the organizational and programmatic implication of COVID-19. Whether you’re on a board or work with a board, the newest SIRC blog series discusses six keys to “gold medal” governance.

The development and implementation of return to play plans requires community sport organizations to confront a number of complex challenges. A new commentary in Managing Sport and Leisure reviews the literature to help community sport organizations tap into the evidence on issues relating to assessing and building capacity, embracing innovation, and adapting top-down policy directives...

With mass gatherings prohibited, sport leagues are getting creative to engage their fans. The Canadian Premier League unveiled Canada’s first virtual stadium for a professional sporting competition at the 2020 CPL Island Games in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, which kicked off mid-August. The technology uses augmented reality to create a mix of virtual and real...

For parents/guardians and children, levels of anxiety and stress surrounding back to school plans may be high. Researchers from the University of Calgary recommend honest and open discussions and the use of the “name-it-to-tame-it” strategy to support a positive back to school transition.

Updated Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines redefine obesity as “a chronic disease characterized by excessive or abnormal body fat that impairs health”. The new guidelines were developed, in part, to address weight bias and stigmas which are often fueled by misconceptions about obesity, its causes, measurement, and impacts on health.