Knowledge Nuggets

New research reported in the Journal of Sport Science examined the impact of a subtle grammatical difference in self-talk. When using second-person self-talk (e.g. you can tolerate the pain, you can keep going), participants completed a 10km cycling time trial significantly quicker, worked harder, yet did not perceive a difference in effort, compared to when...

Coaches can support positive youth development by intentionally supporting #lifeskills transfer amongst youth athletes. Key strategies include the integration of structured opportunities for athletes to reflect on the transfer process; creating opportunities for athletes to apply life skills in other contexts (e.g. volunteering in the community); and engaging others in supporting the transfer process, such...

The “BodyCap” is an ingestible computer used to monitor athletes’ core temperatures. After tracking the athlete’s temperature during warm-up, pre-race cooling and competition, data can be downloaded via BlueTooth for analysis. The technology is being used to help athletes prepare for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, where extreme heat conditions are expected. Check out...

Cheering on athletes at the Pan American Games are support providers that have helped the athlete achieve at the highest levels of sport. These VIPs provide emotional, esteem, information and tangible support to reduce stressors and enable the athlete to focus on training and competition. Whether they are a coach, member of the athlete’s integrated...

Life skills transfer in sport involves the application of skills learned on the playing field, such as teamwork, communication or honesty, to situations at home, school or work. This process is essential to helping youth athletes thrive within and beyond sport. Learn more in the newest SIRC blog.

Trying a new sport often means learning a new language of technical and tactical terms. Running is no different. If you’re new to running and wondering about “interval workouts,” “tempo runs” and “fartlek runs,” this article from Runners World will ensure you’re in the know.

While accessible sport activities, venues, and services are necessary for people of all abilities to participate in sport, accessibility does not guarantee positive sport experiences. A positive experience is about more than access: it’s about meaningful activities that provide participants with feelings of belonging, choice, challenge and success. For this reason, researchers from the Canadian...

Perfectionism is related to numerous motivational, performance, and mental health-related outcomes in sport – both positive and negative. New research examined the influence of parents and coaches on the development of perfectionism among athletes aged 16-19 and discovered that while both coach pressure and parental pressure were positively correlated with perfectionism, only coach pressure predicted...

Overuse injuries are common in volleyball. Research reported in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy discovered that women collegiate volleyball athletes performed twice as many overhead swings, serves, and hits during practice, compared to volumes during games (with both games and practices lasting approximately 2 hours). This has important implications for managing training, especially...

Research reported in the International Journal of Sport Coaching explored athletes’ perceptions of what coaches can do to build athlete confidence. Through surveys with collegiate student-athletes, five key categories were identified: creating a positive environment; responding to athletes productively; developing effective practices for training; developing interpersonal relationships with athletes; and coach possession of effective intrapersonal...