Knowledge Nuggets

Research Researchers from the University of Alberta asked representatives from 60 Canadian Provincial Sport Organizations about their priorities for future research. The top 5 areas were athlete development systems, participation and retention, parenting, understanding more about the benefits of sport, and coaching. Research that addresses these priorities will be highly relevant to sport organizations, which...

Did you know? Students who exercise before a test show stronger brain function compared to those who don’t. ParticipACTION suggests that the next time students feel the pressure to cram, encourage them to take an active break from studying: some heart-pumping physical activity may actually be the smarter study technique.

Did you know? What is the home team advantage? Study results suggest there is a sizeable advantage in front of a home crowd, even when accounting for travel fatigue and environment familiarity. Encouragement from a large crowd is linked with improved performance…and can bias referees’ decisions.

Participation Encouraging youth participation in sport is a puzzle many are trying to solve. Research from the University of Wollongong found that youth with high incremental beliefs (belief that their skills could be improved through effort), were relatively more likely to enjoy sport than youth with high entity beliefs (belief that skill is a fixed...

Blog The “relative age effect” (RAE) is a phenomenon which often advantages the oldest individuals in a cohort and disadvantages their relatively younger peers. Unfortunately, coaches and teachers sometimes confuse “talent” with “age.” Learn more in this week’s blog.  

Leadership Good governance in sport often refers to structure, process and policy. New research, however, is exploring board member interactions and authentic leadership as critical factors for nonprofit sport organization success. Nonprofit sport boards in Australia found that a strong relationship between the CEO and Board chair resulted in higher levels of trust and harmony,...

Nutrition Resource  Are you a school or community coach looking for more information about healthy nutrition and hydration practices for your athletes? A new resource from Alberta Health Services is designed to help build healthier eating environments for athletes at home, at school, on the road, and in recreation centres.

Canadian Sport History In 1980, Terry Fox set out on his Marathon of Hope to raise money for cancer research. Over 143 days, he ran 3,339 kilometers from St. John’s to 18km shy of Thunder Bay, where he was forced to stop by his deteriorating health. Each year in September, Terry Fox Runs around the...

Parents Parents play an important role in supporting children and youth in sport – providing emotional support as children learn to win and lose, being active role models for the value of sport and physical activity, role modeling appropriate behaviour on and off the field, and helping young athletes interpret their experiences. Learn more in...

Blog Self-awareness is the ability to recognize, understand and manage one’s feelings, thoughts and behaviours. In today’s complex sport landscape, self-awareness is a core skill for sport leaders, supporting enhanced emotional intelligence, greater compassion for self and others, and increased confidence. Learn more about this foundational leadership skill in Part 1 of a SIRC blog...