Knowledge Nuggets

Built environments include the layout and design of communities in which people live and work. Research demonstrates that built environments that create physical activity opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, and that also support various types of transportation, are essential in supporting physical activity. A well-designed built environment may include elements such as...

A team’s success depends on how well each athlete understands and performs their role. To create a sustainable winning culture, coaches must give each team member, from starters to bench players, a set of behaviours that can become personally meaningful. Learn more about how to establish and communicate role expectations in the SIRC blog.

Effective and innovative leadership takes advantage of best practices and emerging opportunities, including gender-equitable boards of directors. A gender diverse and balanced board can help ensure that multiple perspectives are considered, addressing issues of fairness and creating opportunities for optimized performance.

A review of team dynamics literature showed that teamwork activities are most successful when individuals are given tasks where their contribution feels essential, while also fostering connection with others. This promotes the most effort among team members, even in the least meaningful tasks.

For women coaches of colour, increasing self-confidence is a priority throughout professional development. Relationship-building with the team they mentor, continuous professional skill development, and speaking up about their shared experiences with like-minded individuals are integral to this process. Providing opportunities for women coaches of colour to learn from others through mentorship can build confidence and...

Boards in sport organizations can improve their effectiveness by functioning as a team of equals. The importance of teamwork is easily appreciated in sport. For effective teamwork, individual board members need to recognize that their authority exists only as a group, with the board chair serving as the steward-leader to the board.

Are you experiencing anxiety leading up to the winter this year? Consider taking up a winter sport! A recently published study followed nearly 400,000 Swedish cross-country skiers and non-skiers from the general population over a 21-year period. The researchers found that individuals who skied regularly were almost 60% less likely to experience anxiety than non-skiers.

Today is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Gender-based violence is violence that is committed against someone based on their gender identity or expression. Canadian Women & Sport offers 6 ways in which gender equity in sport can help reduce gender-based violence, including clear policies, education, men’s allyship, and mentorship and sponsorship...

The experiences of women coaches in mentorship programs show that mentees want a learning environment that promotes agency and self-direction. When mentees can express their learning interests and preferences, they feel they can lead their training and find more value in the mentorship program.

Interval training consists of repeated high-intensity exercise, lasting from seconds to minutes, followed by a recovery period. Common forms of interval training include high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training (SIT). Read more about how HIIT and SIT can produce greater improvements in a person’s physiology than longer duration, low or moderate intensity exercises...