Knowledge Nuggets

Today, in recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day, SIRC kicks off a new blog series about the Arctic Winter Games which will be hosted in Whitehorse, Yukon March 15-21, 2020. Today’s post focuses on the initial development of the Games, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2020. Subsequent posts will explore various aspects of...

As humans age, they lose muscle. More specifically, the number of motor units that make up each muscle are gradually reduced. However, new research suggests that long-term endurance and strength training expands the size of the remaining motor units to compensate for the decline in motor units in older age – more evidence to support...

CAAWS’ 2019 Women in Sport Leadership Snapshot revealed that 4 in 10 national sport and multisport service organizations have less than 30% women on their boards of directors. According to Catalyst, the 30% threshold represents a critical mass at which the perspectives of women are more likely to be heard around the board table. Curling...

Trying to get a sense of the current landscape regarding cannabis legalization and sport? Learn more about the issues in these SIRC articles and blog: The implications of cannabis legalization for athletes The legalization of cannabis: Implications for sport organizations Cannabis and sport: Perspectives from a seat in the Canadian Senate

Fathers have a unique and powerful influence on their children’s physical, social, emotional and mental health. The DADEE program developed by researchers at the University of Newcastle in Australia targeted the father-daughter relationship to improve girls’ self-esteem and physical activity. After the program, daughters were more active, had better sport skills, and improved their resilience...

The Toronto Raptors made history last night after winning Canada’s first NBA Championship. Game 5 viewership on Monday reached 13.4 million Canadians and averaged 6.4 million viewers – it was the biggest audience for an NBA game in the country, and the most watched program ever for Rogers Media. No doubt last night’s Game 6 audience was...

For Rugby Canada, Rowan Stringer’s death in 2013 was a call to action to address the prevention and management of concussions. Paul Hunter, Director of National Development, talks about athlete safety and the importance of consistent concussion protocols across all sports in the SIRC blog.

For newcomers, informal sport can be an initial (and long-term) source of friendships and social networks that help with settlement, integration and belonging. However, in Sydney, Australia, the commercialization of public outdoor space, whether for rentals or redevelopment, is threatening this type of participation. Learn more in this article from The Conversation.

The sport sector has been abuzz about the potential risks of early specialization, including physical injury, athlete burnout, and dropout from sport. However, the link between early specialization and burnout is not well supported by the evidence. Research from the University of Alberta discovered coaches can help avoid burnout and dropout by supporting athletes’ sense...

Today, members of the Canadian sport sector are rolling up their sleeves to examine innovative ways to prevent concussions in sport at the Concussion Prevention Workshop hosted by SIRC, with support from Sport Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Discussion will focus on rules and policies, training practices, and behaviours and sport culture...