Knowledge Nuggets

Positive experiences in sport provide a foundation for participation, regardless of whether athletes are participating in community sport programs or competing at the Parapan American Games. The Quality Parasport Participation Framework identifies six “building blocks” of positive sport participation: autonomy, belonging, challenge, engagement, mastery and meaning. Learn more in the SIRC blog.

“Don’t Retire Kid” is a new campaign from ESPN, in partnership with the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, to address youth dropout from sport. The campaign draws attention to the causes of youth dropout – including early specialization, pressure from parents and coaches, and lack of fun. Practical resources are available from the Aspen Institute and...

New facilities are an important part of hosting national and international events. But how can host committees leverage the events to drive post-event community engagement? Research conducted at the Mattamy National Cycling Centre in conjunction with the track cycling competitions at the 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games used a voucher system to encourage spectators to...

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...

Unstructured play contributes to the mental health of children and youth by promoting positive feelings through experiences of joy, thrill and competence; building children’s resilience through challenging or risky play; and improving healthy relationship by building problem-solving and emotional intelligence. Download an infographic summarizing five key findings relating to unstructured play and mental health.

The first Arctic Winter Games was hosted in 1970 engaging 500 athletes from Alaska, Northwest Territories, and Yukon. In March of 2020, an estimated 2,000 athletes from across the Circumpolar North will be in Whitehorse, Yukon as the Games mark their 50th anniversary. Learn more about the Games and its role in athlete development in...

Listening to your friends boasting about their carbon fibre bikes, and wondering what all the fuss is about? Carbon fibre has revolutionized bike frame design, enabling the manufacturing of frames that are lighter, stronger and in more complex shapes. This video from the Global Cycling Network (GCN) explains the science behind the material and takes...

As humans age, they lose muscle. More specifically, the number of motor units that make up each muscle are gradually reduced. However, new research suggests that long-term endurance and strength training expands the size of the remaining motor units to compensate for the decline in motor units in older age – more evidence to support...