Knowledge Nuggets

At the Olympic Winter Games, there are 93 medals to be won across 31 events in Biathlon, Nordic Combined, Nordic Skiing, and Ski Jumping. Since 1924, Canadian athletes have won only six medals in these events—and none since 2006. Read about how the four Canadian Nordic sports are teaming up to improve their international performance...

In a first of its kind report on the status of elite women’s soccer, FIFA has found that the success of a national team is correlated with the proportion of domestic clubs that offer youth programs for girls. For leagues in which 80% of clubs have girls’ programs, the average national team ranking is 13th—compared...

A country’s bid to host a major sporting event is often justified by its potential impact on sports participation for all citizens. While evidence to support the “trickle-down effect” is limited, new research from the United Kingdom shows an increase in memberships among adults in 33 sports after hosting major sport events, including the London...

Can the Olympic and Paralympic Games influence the sport participation of youth in the host communities? Research suggests that participation impacts may be most likely among youth populations, active and inspired spectators, and within communities that are home to event venues and medalists.

Reflecting on how to create a “fun” atmosphere for girls and young women, a participant in an evaluation of the Keeping Girls in Sport online training commented, “Coaches take this as ‘we have to play games all the time and never push the girls outside of their comfort zone.’ Once girls love a sport, being...

Research from UBC finds teens, especially girls, report better mental health when they spend more time in extracurricular activities, like sports and art, and less time in front of screens. Less than two hours per day of recreational screen time (e.g. browsing the internet, playing video games, and using social media) was associated with higher...

June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day. Strategies to reduce barriers to physical activity and build capacity in the Canadian sport system are just one part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action. Common barriers to physical activity in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities include limited access to recreational facilities, wildlife and...

Exercise can help children excel in the classroom. Preschoolers (4-6 years old) with higher levels of cardiorespiratory health showed improved performance on cognitive tests and other measures of brain function.

Parents’ physical activity is directly associated with the physical activity of their children. Research has shown that for every 20-minute increase in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) performed by a parent, their child’s MVPA increased by five to ten minutes.

Anyone who spends time in the world of sports knows the value of teamwork—but we don’t often think about how different sports might work together towards a common goal. The Nordic Strategy is a joint initiative designed to explore how working together can help all four Canadian Nordic sports—Biathlon, Nordic Skiing, Nordic Combined, and Ski...