Knowledge Nuggets

In modern times many of us lead busy lives and it can be difficult to encourage youth to find time to participate in sport. Recent research shows that family sport culture has a consistent influence on young people’s sport participation.

Weight cutting or rapid weight loss is a widespread practice in sports that have weight requirements, such as combat sports and rowing. A recent study done on Judokas finds that significant muscle damage was induced by rapid weight loss.  

In Canada, youth sport is often coupled with incidences of poor parent or guardian behaviour. News reports of parent or guardian arrests and verbal as well as physical altercations around their children’s youth sporting events are, unfortunately, common (Bell, 2020; Crosier, 2022; Kaufmann et coll., 2019). Further, for many young athletes, dealing with pressuring, loud,...

Athlete leaders who strive towards building a shared sense of “we” and “us” appear to improve not only the whole team’s performance but also individual athletes’ well-being. Researchers have demonstrated that empowering athlete leaders is a great way to reveal a team’s full potential.

Wildfire smoke contributes to poor air quality, which can negatively impact the health of outdoor sports participants. In the event of a wildfire, it is important to limit outdoor physical activity. Some best practices include rescheduling activities to a later date or, where possible, moving activities indoors.

Group cohesion in simple terms is ‘the glue that helps teammates to stick together’. Cohesion is important for not only group sports but individual sports as well. To help teams become more cohesive, coaches, sport psychologists, and athletes can use team building activities. Team building activities may include games played with teammates, puzzles the team...

Body image concerns are one of the reasons that many girls decide to drop out of sport. Research shows that improving self-compassion, or self-kindness, can improve girls’ body image. Encouraging girls to engage in activities to build their self-compassion, for example, through writing exercises or self-compassion podcasts, may help more girls stay in sport. 

Coaches face unpredictability and stress that can impact their well-being. A sport culture that emphasizes masculinity often leads coaches to keep their thoughts to themselves, causing isolation. A study used soccer documentaries to uncover how top European league coaches experience well-being, revealing that identity struggles and intense work involvement can affect both coaches and their...

Did you know that cheering for runners is more than just words? Research reveals that providing instructional and motivational support is appreciated by runners, but its effectiveness depends on factors like the runner’s condition and course feedback accuracy. While support is usually uplifting, it can also create pressure. Experts suggest using the “IMPACT” approach (Instructional,...

While coaches often play a critical role in supporting athletes’ development, it is also important to consider how athletes can support their own development. This blog provides 3 strategies to help athletes take ownership of their own life skills development through sport participation.