Knowledge Nuggets

Decisions made at the national sport level influence participation at the community level. Problems occur when there is misalignment between what is needed for each level and what is decided at the top. Decision-makers should consider how they can generate alignment between all levels in a sports pathway to improve long-term player development.

SIRC is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. We will be sharing interesting and unique pieces of our history throughout the year. We hope you continue to join us on this journey. In the 1970s, SIRC managed 1 of only 3 automated systems for sport documentation in the world. The SIRC data bank was the...

Parents play an important role in creating positive sports experiences for their children. Through interviews with athletes, researchers have learnt what behaviours children look for from their parents at competitions. Preferred behaviours included having parents show respect to others in sport, focus on their child’s effort rather than outcomes, and provide positive yet realistic post-competition feedback.

Referring an athlete to a medical professional is a critical first step in concussion recovery. Research shows that athletes who get medical care in the first few days following a concussion recover sooner than those who wait more than ten days to seek care. If you think an athlete has sustained a concussion, encourage them...

The pelvic floor is an essential group of muscles that help to maintain control of the bladder and bowels, support internal organs, and coordinate with the deep core, back and diaphragm. These muscles frequently require rehabilitation after the strain of pregnancy and birth. Pelvic floor physiotherapists are an important part of a postnatal care team...

The Canadian women’s professional sport market is estimated to be worth $150-200 million currently, and is significantly underdeveloped. Meanwhile, fan interest in women’s pro sports has never been higher. New research from Canadian Women & Sport presents an exciting roadmap for investing in women’s professional sport in Canada.

Researchers have found that athletes who were identified as “flourishing” or maintaining wellbeing in university sport did so through managing commitments, communicating with coaches, looking for positives, reflection, and taking a break from sport. These results are strategies that may help promote and protect mental health among student-athletes.

Concussion education can help improve athletes’ concussion knowledge and attitude towards reporting a suspected concussion to a coach or other adult. Research shows that concussion education may be particularly effective when delivered in more than one way, for example, through a video and a team presentation. When planning concussion education for your team or organization,...

Energy crises are further impacting the affordability and accessibility of sport. A coalition of nearly 200 sport bodies, health organizations and athletes in the UK has pressed for additional support to pools, gyms and other sporting facilities. These facilities face a reduction of services or even closure due to rising energy costs.

Practitioners interested in offering inclusive sport environments could consider reverse integration, a new approach that integrates mainstream participants into Para sport. When implemented in a wheelchair basketball league, researchers found health and social benefits for all participants including a deeper understanding and awareness of (dis)ability and roles within the team.