Knowledge Nuggets

Playing pick-up sports, ranging from hockey to basketball to soccer, can have a positive impact on players’ wellbeing. In a case study of a weekly pick-up basketball game, researchers found that regular players developed a sense of belonging, community and kinship through their weekly games.

Research shows that the accuracy of draft selections in professional sports is poor, and yet many youth sport teams are making selections at increasingly younger ages – with athletes who have yet to fully develop. This begs the question: How early is too early to be making selections in sport?

Athletes competing in sports that are aesthetically judged, body-weight dependent, and weight classed, are considered at high risk of developing relative energy deficiency (RED-S). However, research shows RED-S is still a concern for athletes in any sport, and can occur at any competitive level.

Psychological safety is believing that you won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up about ideas, questions concerns or mistakes. Psychologically safe sport environments pave the way for greater teamwork, improved resilience, enhanced athlete satisfaction and an ability to reduce athletes’ burnout.

This week is Canada’s inaugural Concussion Awareness Week, an opportunity to increase concussion awareness by providing information and encouraging action across Canada. To honour Concussion Awareness Week, the Fall 2021 edition of the SIRCuit dives into topics and issues at the forefront of concussion research and education in sport—from concussion risk and management for girls...

Becoming a Paralympian requires skill, dedication, resiliency, and a lot of practice. A recent study found that Paralympic athletes averaged over 6,400 hours of training during their careers.

An individualized approach to training and development is important for creating effective training programs for Para athletes. Research shows that Para athletes’ developmental pathways and training preferences will vary based on their previous sport experiences, personal preferences, and impairment type.

The Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Paralympian Search Program provides an important platform for research on quality Para sport experiences, patterns in Para athlete development trajectories, and the engagement of underserved populations, such as girls and women, in the Para sport system. Learn more.  

The Summer 2021 SIRCuit is now available!  The SIRCuit is designed to highlight important research and insights to advance the Canadian sport system. With the summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo on the horizon and the winter Games in Beijing just around the corner, this edition of the SIRCuit dives into issues and trends that will...

A holistic approach to athlete development considers the interconnections between different spheres of an athlete’s life, and recognizes their impact on performance. Whether athletes are struggling with the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, relocation, injury, or the end of a relationship, coaches and IST members can support them in evaluating the impact across the spheres...