Knowledge Nuggets

The role of the coach is important, regardless of athletes’ age! Coached masters athletes (aged 35 and older) report greater feelings of belongingness than masters athletes without a coach. Coaches who make efforts to be relatable, establish friendships and facilitate social connections help to support masters athletes’ sport motivation.

It’s National Coaches Week! National Coaches Week (September 18 to 26) celebrates the positive impact coaches have on athletes and communities across Canada. It’s an opportunity to recognize coaches for the integral role they play by simply saying #ThanksCoach. From the Coaching Association of Canada, here are a few simple ways to take part, including...

If you walk with your spouse or partner for exercise, you might want to speed up. Or tell them to. A new study that examined the walking times and gait speeds of 72 couples showed that couples often decreased their speed when walking together. To maximize health benefits, experts encourage couples to walk together at...

Walking or biking to school is an easy way for kids to get active, but active transportation to school has been declining as car use becomes more prevalent. A recent Canadian study found that strategies to get more kids walking or biking to school, such as the presence of crossing guards or cycling infrastructure, are...

Over the past few years, national sport organizations have implemented several strategies to advance Safe Sport and optimize the sport experience for all. To create safe, welcoming and inclusive sport environments, top strategies include building and strengthening policy to align with documents such as the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in...

For new moms, physical activity and social support have the potential to positively impact mental and physical health. In fact, new research shows that group exercise programs for postpartum moms may offer unique opportunities to (re)engage with exercise while navigating new childrearing responsibilities and changes to the body. If you gave birth less than 12...

Referees and sports officials, in both professional and amateur sports, experience high levels of abuse. Researchers in Europe have found that a culture of abuse towards referees is a principal reason for referee discontinuation and that this harms all levels of sport, highlighting the importance of mental health support for officials.

“Senior decision-makers in community sport organizations need to create opportunities for program leaders to share their experiences and knowledge. Staff know the barriers and challenges experienced by participants, but those barriers and challenges can persist if insights aren’t filtered up the organizational hierarchy.” – Amina Haggar, a University of Ottawa graduate student, shares insights from...

Students in their final years of high school often experience stress, academic pressure, and decreased levels of physical activity. Research shows that brief high-intensity exercise during the school-day, for as little as eight minutes, improves memory, fitness, and stress levels for teens.

In sport, organizational culture has a significant influence on an athlete’s ability to prepare for and perform at major international games. Elements of organizational stress, such as personal, team or leadership issues, are a source of strain for athletes. That strain can ultimately affect talent development and how an organization functions as whole.