Knowledge Nuggets

Gender Equity is key to achieving a world class sport system – research shows that organizations with the most gender diversity outperform those with the least. Research conducted by the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS) shows that the overall number of women on boards is trending up,...

A values-based approach to sport supports the development of “communities of character” where athletes, coaches, officials, parents and other stakeholders work together to create a welcoming, safe, athlete-centred environment. Learn more about values-based sport and creating communities of character in the SIRCuit.

Does your organization have an idea to improve sport participation in Canada? Sport Canada’s Innovation Initiative provides funding to deliver and test innovative program approaches to engage women and girls, LGBTQ2+ communities, persons with disabilities, and newcomers to Canada. Click here for more information.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, CAAWS released its new Women in Sport Leadership Snapshot. The evidence is clear – organizations with gender diverse boards are more effective. Within sport, 47% of national sport organizations (NSOs) and multisport service organizations (MSOs) have a documented commitment to a gender equitable board, yet 93% indicated intentions to...

Thinking about making some changes to your diet now that Health Canada has released an updated Food Guide? Plant-based and vegetarian diets offer many health benefits including the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. This article from the Dietitians of Canada offers tips and meal options for well-planned vegetarian eating.

What started as a practice drill between two brothers, grew into the rule that transformed the sport of curling. Learn more about the Free Guard Zone rule in today’s SIRC Blog.

A review of the evidence shows unstructured play improves physical health and gross motor skills, fun and creativity, social health and team work, resilience and risk management skills, mental and emotional health, and learning and attention at school. Learn more in this infographic.

Research from the University of Manitoba revealed locker rooms, unfamiliar environments, and unknown sports officials can create unsafe spaces for trans athletes. The creation and enforcement of comprehensive trans inclusion policies, education about the participation of trans athletes, and efforts to eliminate transphobia, are all necessary to create a safe and inclusive sport system for...

Strategies to help athletes develop sport-specific physical skills can also be used to explicitly teach life skills through sport. A deliberate approach includes focusing on one life skill at a time, drawing connections, and using teachable moments. Learn more in the SIRC blog.

Most university and college athletic departments have policies that directly prohibit hazing practices. However, research revealed that hazing-related policy was often buried in broader codes of conduct or addressed in harassment and abuse policies, or that policies were poorly implemented and enforced. Creating hazing-specific policy can help organizations address and prevent hazing. Learn more in...