Knowledge Nuggets

Welcome to 2021! The SIRC team is looking forward to an exciting year of keeping you informed with the latest news, research, and jobs from the sport community across Canada. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. In case you missed it, be sure to check out our Looking Back – 2020...

Worried about the subgroup dynamics within your team? Subgroups represent those “good” groupings that show prosocial behaviours, and can be leveraged to positively influence the team culture. Cliques are debilitating, excluding or ostracizing teammates, lowering self-esteem, and promoting antisocial and unethical behaviours. Coaches should be proactive in addressing the negative impact of cliques.

In a skeleton race, improvements of fractions of a second at the start can make all the difference at the finish line. Researchers from the University of Bath recently developed the first non-invasive motion capture technology to accurately track the push-start phase of a skeleton race. The new technology could help athletes and coaches track...

Athletes often tie their self worth to their accomplishments, improvements, and outcomes in sport. Transitioning out of sport, due to retirement or injury, can compromise their sense of self worth. Feelings of having nothing to offer, being inadequate, and feeling unsure of their value in life can negatively affect the individual’s mental health.

Research finds elite NHL and collegiate hockey players often begin playing sports around 4 years of age, but only specialize in hockey at, on average, age 14. Experts suggest that because hockey requires players to master a wide variety of physical movements, there is a benefit to training in multiple sports at a young age...

Thinking about investing to the latest virtual reality (VR) applications for your basketball or baseball team? While promising, the majority of VR applications have focused on endurance sports, where less factors need to be considered to create an immersive environment. To support skill development, the latest tech should be evaluated for its action fidelity and...

Effective teams communicate knowledge in a variety of ways, including the creation of transactive memory systems and shared mental models. Game and performance reviews, team training, and group planning sessions are three strategies that can enhance team communication skills and ultimately contribute to performance.

Verbal feedback is arguably the most abundantly used coaching “tool” in sport, but can be more or less effective depending on the type of feedback and timing. Research recommends the use of positive comparisons (e.g. in relation to previous performance), and the provision of feedback after strong trials more often than weak trials.

Want to improve team performance? Invest in leadership! According to the research, strong leadership can improve athlete satisfaction and resilience, and build team confidence and cohesion—all outcomes that will contribute to better performance.

Returning to sport after months of isolation can take a mental toll on athletes. Athletes can expect to move through three phases of emotional challenges: managing the emotions associated with losing their bearings; making sense of the situation and giving meaning to the necessary change; and mobilizing energy and efforts to adapt to the new...