Knowledge Nuggets

Accessibility is a human right. And it’s essential for 1 in 5 Canadians aged 15 or older, who live with at least 1 disability. This blog post explores why accessibility is important and suggests strategies for coaches and sport organizations to prioritize and improve accessibility, specifically involving technology and communications.

Because natural environments have natural rules with real and immediate consequences, they offer youth maximal opportunities for mastery of new skills. Evidence demonstrates that outdoor recreation not only improves youth wellbeing but may also enhance the likelihood of participation in outdoor activities.

Low energy availability (LEA) refers to when an athlete has an insufficient energy intake compared to their energy expenditure. Yet, coaches remain relatively unaware of symptoms and causes of LEA. This review synthesizes findings on LEA from 1986-2021 so that coaches can be better prepared to support athletes.

Knowledge mobilization is the process of sharing evidence-based findings with an audience who can use those findings in practice. Knowledge mobilization helps close the gap between what is known and what is done. Closing this knowledge-to-action gap can advance the sport sector by providing sport stakeholders with information that enables them to enhance practice, policies...

Research suggests that sport supplement users are more likely to use prohibited substances to improve performance than non-users. But, a recent study showed that an athlete’s personal morality plays an important role in an athlete’s decision to dope, even if they are a supplement user.

Robbi Weldon, Christina Picton and Cindy Ouellet have a collective 10 Paralympic appearances between them. All 3 women are multi-sport athletes from childhood and all 3 have represented Canada in Para nordic skiing. On the surface, their experiences with the Canadian Para sport system may seem similar. But what their stories show is that there...

New research on Canadian strength and conditioning coaches has shed light on demographics. The study found that the mean age of coaches was 34 years. 77.% of participants were male and 90.7% did not identify as a visible minority. This demographic data can inform future targeted recruitment and mentoring within the field.

SPORTDiscus, the bibliographic database developed by SIRC, includes more than 2.4 million records, in nearly 60 languages, with coverage dating back to 1892. Unlimited access to SPORTDiscus is available to SIRC subscribers.

The Rainbow Resource Centre has compiled a resource kit for sport organizations seeking to create inclusive and welcoming environments for 2SLGBTQ+ participants. Some of the recommendations include collaborating with 2SLGBTQ+ organizations, considering how language is used in your sporting space, and ensuring that employees are offered inclusivity training.

Coaches report many barriers associated with certification in Canada including the time-consuming process, inaccessibility of locations and expense of courses. Many coaches do not perceive certification to be career advancing. SIRC interviewed Joseph Gurgis, Assistant Professor at Nipissing University, about what promotes versus what deters coaching certification in Canada.