Knowledge Nuggets

The aftermath of COVID has left many of us feeling lonely or isolated. Research indicates that attending live sporting events could help with these feelings. A recent study shows that there are positive associations of subjective well-being and decreased loneliness as a result of attending sporting events. 

In modern times many of us lead busy lives and it can be difficult to encourage youth to find time to participate in sport. Recent research shows that family sport culture has a consistent influence on young people’s sport participation.

Weight cutting or rapid weight loss is a widespread practice in sports that have weight requirements, such as combat sports and rowing. A recent study done on Judokas finds that significant muscle damage was induced by rapid weight loss.  

In Canada, youth sport is often coupled with incidences of poor parent or guardian behaviour. News reports of parent or guardian arrests and verbal as well as physical altercations around their children’s youth sporting events are, unfortunately, common (Bell, 2020; Crosier, 2022; Kaufmann et coll., 2019). Further, for many young athletes, dealing with pressuring, loud,...

The increasing cost of youth sport participation has long been a concern for parents and policymakers alike. How issues of affordability show up varies depending upon intersectional realities of income, geography, ability, accessibility of appropriate spaces and more. This blog draws on recent insights from the Change the Game open data portal. We reflect on...

Athlete leaders who strive towards building a shared sense of “we” and “us” appear to improve not only the whole team’s performance but also individual athletes’ well-being. Researchers have demonstrated that empowering athlete leaders is a great way to reveal a team’s full potential.

Wildfire smoke contributes to poor air quality, which can negatively impact the health of outdoor sports participants. In the event of a wildfire, it is important to limit outdoor physical activity. Some best practices include rescheduling activities to a later date or, where possible, moving activities indoors.

Biking is a convenient and healthy way to travel, however, it can pose a risk of injury. Proper safety strategies can prevent bike-related accidents. Some bike safety strategies include wearing a helmet that fits properly, regularly checking your bike’s breaks and following the rules of the road.

Research shows that demographic groups including athletes with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+ athletes are disproportionately affected by maltreatment in sport. This is why researchers are advocating for more organizations to become educated on topics like racism, ableism and sexism in their sport, and incorporate them into Safe Sport initiatives.

University or college can be a stressful time. Trying to balance academics, a social life, physical and mental health can be challenging. Students often find themselves having to sacrifice one thing for another, which can negatively impact their health. This blog will illustrate why physical activity is important for the mental health of post-secondary students,...