Knowledge Nuggets

Parents of athletes with disabilities face challenges like limited local sport options and funding, but they also experience benefits like social inclusion and support. Scholars suggest that sport programs should tackle these cultural and environmental barriers and actively involve parents in creating support systems. Additionally, there is a need to enhance talent identification pathways for...

Groupthink is when members of a group allow their desire for cohesion to override their motivation to critically consider alternative courses of action. Sports teams and organizations are vulnerable to conformity because of a strong desire to belong and fit in. To avoid groupthink, encourage diversity on your team, create an enviroment where athletes feel...

Built environments include the layout and design of communities in which people live and work. Research demonstrates that built environments that create physical activity opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, and that also support various types of transportation, are essential in supporting physical activity. A well-designed built environment may include elements such as...

Are you experiencing anxiety leading up to the winter this year? Consider taking up a winter sport! A recently published study followed nearly 400,000 Swedish cross-country skiers and non-skiers from the general population over a 21-year period. The researchers found that individuals who skied regularly were almost 60% less likely to experience anxiety than non-skiers.

Interval training consists of repeated high-intensity exercise, lasting from seconds to minutes, followed by a recovery period. Common forms of interval training include high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training (SIT). Read more about how HIIT and SIT can produce greater improvements in a person’s physiology than longer duration, low or moderate intensity exercises...

Physical activity improves physical health in youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) while also developing social and communication skills. Research shows that adolescents with ASD are 60% less likely to participate in physical activity and 74% less likely to participate in organized sport compared to age-related peers. Creating policies and practices specific to the needs...

Today, we as Canadians take time to observe Remembrance Day. We remember the individuals who have served, continue to serve Canada and the sacrifices they’ve each made for our country. Physical activity (PA) programs have helped veterans with disabilities find a sense of community, as well as promote their health and well-being. Additionally, program providers...

Community organizations across the country are experiencing a shortage of sport officials. Research shows that nearly 80% of sport officials across Canada are either previously or currently active as an athlete in the sport they officiate. Individuals already involved within a sport are likely candidates to recruit as officials due to their passion for the...

Sport can provide refugees opportunities to make social connections. To successfully integrate refugees into sport, sport organizations need an active approach needs by managers, coaches and volunteers. A positive and welcoming environment, an inclusive narrative, and making the club feel safe and fun are other factors that can contribute to success.

As sport leaders and organizations, we’re often concerned with participant retention. We rarely consider how dropout may play an important role in sport development pathways, or potential pathways for sport re-engagement later in life. The inclusion of sport dropout as a potential pathway in long-term sport participation models could push for a dialogue on how...