Knowledge Nuggets

Research from a sample of elite youth tennis players in the Netherlands showed that girls with low to moderate self-regulation skills (i.e. planning, self-monitoring, evaluation and reflection) were 10.8 times more likely to miss training or competition due to overuse injuries. Although this is a new area of inquiry, evidence to date suggests that improving...

Under the age of 12, Soccer Canada’s Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) model is built around small-sided games. A large body of research has demonstrated the benefits of this approach for players’ skills and confidence. However, little was known about the affects for goalies – until now. A new study has shown that goalies have more...

Research exploring elite athletes’ experiences of clinical depression sheds light on symptoms that may be unique to high performance sport, including demotivation, drops in performance, and risk-taking behaviours. Stigma surrounding mental illness may delay the time it takes for athletes to seek help, but an understanding of these symptoms could help reduce the time to...

Research from the University of Alberta discovered athlete burnout may have more to do with the social environment than early specialization. Athlete burnout depends on many factors, including opportunities to participate in other sport and non-sport activities, confidence and engagement in skill building, the nature of relationships with coaches and teammates, and having a choice...

Parents and caregivers can have a deep and meaningful impact on the development of a child’s physical literacy. To celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend, this Active for Life blog shares insights from elite Canadian athletes about their mother’s influence on their athletic journey.

A focus on winning at all costs has created sport programs in which building psychological, cognitive, social and emotional skills are largely ignored, yet these are essential ingredients for successful high performance athletes. Today’s blog provides an overview of the development of executive functions and social and emotional learning through sport.

Excessive pitching is one of the main risk factors for shoulder and elbow injuries among adolescent baseball pitchers. While some organizations have policies in place that limit the number of innings or pitches, these policies may not consider the additional pitches in the bullpen or during warm-up.

The Spring 2019 SIRCuit is now available! Check out our newest collection of articles, providing timely and relevant research and insights relating to leadership, athlete development, and high performance sport: Cannabis and Sport: Perspectives from a Seat in the Canadian Senate A Positive Environment for Volunteer Coaches: The Role of Psychological Contract Gender Equity is...

For ringette, putting a values lens on the issue of concussions made decision-making simpler – preventing concussions as much as possible and ensuring athletes recover properly are priorities. When pressure to return to play comes from athletes not wanting to miss out, or parents pushing to have their child back on the ice, clear protocols...

Shin splints, runners’ knee, iliotibial (IT) band pain, and Achilles tendinopathy are common injuries experienced by runners. Research suggests that many of these injuries are the result of simple technique errors. Using 3D infrared cameras, researchers identified common biomechanical patterns, such as side to side pelvis drop and greater forward lean, were more likely to...