Knowledge Nuggets

All marathon runners know the feeling of “hitting the wall,” when their pace slows dramatically due to fatigue and depleted energy stores. In fact, new research finds that most runners hit the wall in the 33rd kilometer of a marathon, and that it is as much a psychological phenomenon as it is physiological. Being cheered...

Data-driven decision-making doesn’t need to involve complicated data collection and analysis. It can, but it doesn’t have to. Instead, make working with data easier by knowing what data you already have and how to access it, figuring out what you want to learn from the data and letting the data tell the story.

Women are motivated to take part in golf for many reasons, but the traditional structure, rules, and social etiquette of the game can create barriers to their participation. In the SIRC blog, Lindsay Knowlton, founder of Iron Lady Golf, shares strategies and tips to help golf clubs and organizations create inclusive, welcoming environments for women.

When it comes to sedentary behaviour (waking time spent at rest in a sitting or reclined position), Canadian adults received a grade of F in the 2021 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults. Not surprisingly, more than 60% of Canadians reported spending more time using the internet and watching TV during the pandemic....

Many transgender youth report feeling unsafe in sport environments. To create safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces for transgender youth in sport, best practices include using inclusive language and ensuring that coaches, volunteers and staff have opportunities to learn about trans issues. Learn more in the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport’s Creating Inclusive Environments for Trans Participants...

Competing objectives, such as increasing grassroots participation and selecting the top athletes for high performance programs, can complicate the work of national and provincial/territorial sport organizations. Data-driven decision-making allows sport organizations to solve complex issues in more innovative ways instead of relying on “how it’s always been done.”

Parents and guardians are frequently left on the “sidelines” watching their children participate in sport. Sport organizations can help families overcome barriers to physical activity through co-participation programs. These programs offer organized, intentional opportunities for family health and well-being.

For children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, quality participation is built from six building blocks: autonomy, belongingness, challenge, engagement, mastery, and meaning. Sport and recreation programs that actively support these building blocks create satisfying, enjoyable and meaningful experiences for their participants, which, in turn, supports lasting participation.

Does age of entry into sport influence girls’ future sport participation? A new study suggests that girls who begin participating in sports from the ages of 6 to 9 have higher retention rates than those who begin participating later in life. These findings emphasize the importance of targeted retention strategies and supportive sport environments for adolescent girls...

Parents and families play an important role in Indigenous youths’ sport and physical activity participation. Involving parents and families in the development and implementation of sport and physical activity programs may be particularly important for increasing the participation of Indigenous youth.