Knowledge Nuggets

Did You Know? The social impact of sports should not be underestimated. An analysis of crime reports in Chicago revealed decreased crime during the game times of the city’s professional sport teams.

Did you know? This week the Cerebral Palsy World Games are being hosted in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain. The Games are an important part of the para athlete development pathway, providing developing athletes with a multisport games experience that will help prepare them for larger competitions such as the Parapan or Paralympic Games. “Para sport” is a term...

Blog Ethics and respect training is a critical component of the Responsible Coaching Movement, supporting the development of a healthy and safe sport environment, both on and off the field of play. This week’s blog, the final in a three-part series, provides an overview of available training options to help coaches effectively handle ethical situations...

Leadership  “Leaders are formed in the fire of experience” epitomizes an experience-driven approach to leadership development. Research from three Australian professional teams revealed the importance of leadership development practices through involvement and exposure to experiences, and associated networking. An experience-driven approach to leadership development requires identifying people with potential, giving them challenging assignments, and holding...

Mental Health Many university and college athletes struggle to balance academic and athletic demands, often sacrificing rest and sleep. Shorter sleep duration and poor sleep quality contribute to disordered sleep in many student athletes, including sleep paralysis and hallucinations while falling asleep or waking up. Preliminary research findings revealed the degree to which athletes reported...

NUTRITION Gel, drink or bar? The age-old debate about the best “on the go” fuel has new findings…kind of. A peer reviewed study found minimal differences in performance peak power between carbohydrate sources, but some participants did find that bars led to gut discomfort and nausea.

Blog Sport experiences can provide a foundation for career choices. This week’s SIRC blog provides a first-hand account of the transition from athlete to future first responder

Did You Know? Individuals with intellectual disabilities and their loved ones are faced with challenges, both big and small, every single day of their lives. For 50 years, Special Olympics Canada has been giving its athletes the strength, determination and confidence to accept those challenges in sport – and in life. From July 31 –...

Athlete Development Losing is hard work! Research with soccer professionals found losing a match was associated with higher ratings of perceived exertion, poor sleep quality, stress, and fatigue. In contrast, winning a match was associated with decreased strain and higher ratings of pleasure and wellness.

Tri-level mentoring is a model in which coaches mentor youth leaders who then mentor their peers or younger youth. In this way, the benefits of effective mentorship cascade to influence positive developmental outcomes for all youth involved in programming. Learn more about tri-level mentoring and effective strategies to support youth leadership development in the SIRCuit.