Knowledge Nuggets

Officials have to make split second decisions that can affect the ultimate outcome of games. Strategies used by Canadian FIFA offical Marie-Soleil Beaudoin to prepare for games include a commitment to training, familiarizing herself with the teams., using keyword reminders to keep herself grounded, and disassociating the teams with the history and expectations they bring...

Game Plan’s Managing Uncertainty During COVID-19 workbook is a practical tool to support positive mental health through self-awareness, acceptance, adaptability and values-based behaviour. The workbook was developed for Canada’s high performance athletes but is great for anyone wanting to hone their skills and build resilience.

Carol LaFayette-Boyd is one of Canada’s rising track and field stars – at the age of 77. The multiple world record holder is one of a growing number of Masters athletes forcing us to consider new frontiers in human performance. Learn about the physical, social and psychological benefits of Masters sport in the SIRCuit.

Even the most solitary of sports — distance running — is not immune to the COVID-19 lockdown. Using a combination of live-streaming and the honor code, 2,400 participants from 56 countries took part in the Quarantine Backyard Ultra. For 63 consecutive hours, runners completed 4.167 miles every hour at any pace, targeting 262 miles. While...

The use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in basketball has advanced in-game analysis, enabling coaches to more accurately predict player and team performances by identifying trends. Read how these techniques are revealing new insights about individual players, their teams and their opponents, promising future changes in how the pros play basketball and how the...

Check out the Spring SIRCuit! This collection of articles, provides timely and relevant research and insights relating to leadership, athlete development, and high performance sport: The Role of Nutrition in Sub-Concussion Injury Protection Engaging Youth in Evaluation Processes An Official’s Journey to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Supporting the Psychological Wellbeing of Athletes: What can Coaches...

Data analytics gave the Oakland A’s a competitive advantage…until the Moneyball book and film were released. The use of data analytics has since spread throughout the sport world, negatively impacting the A’s advantage. Researchers from the University of Toronto advise, “If you have a built-in advantage, don’t ever talk about it.”

“Within Swimming Canada’s Paralympic Program, we take a two-pronged approach to research, tackling the challenges that can help our swimmers and coaches in Tokyo while at the same time looking for answers to enhance and strengthen our system for the long term.” – Wayne Lomas, Swimming Canada. Learn how the Canadian Paralympic Committee is working...

The Gatineau Loppet is the biggest international cross-country ski event in Canada, and one of the 20 biggest cross-country ski races around the world! The event engages close to 2,500 recreational and elite athletes through 8 cross-country ski races, 3 snowshoe races, and 3 fat bike races. The 42nd edition of the Loppet will take...

A study of 117,000 professional tennis matches and 5 million observations in online amateur chess found that even when competitors are evenly matched, players perform worse against an opponent they know has been climbing in rank. Dubbed “status momentum,” a positive trend in an opponent’s ranking can be threatening for athletes, even for seasoned pros...