Projects will advance the Canadian sport sector through collaborative research

OTTAWA, February 4, 2020. The Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC) announces today the recipients of its 2020-2021 Researcher/Practitioner Match Grants. Ten grants of $2,500, totaling $25,000 were awarded to support collaborations between sport organizations and researchers to help build capacity and encourage evidence-informed program development and decision-making.

A key feature of the program is its emphasis on partnerships that aim to enhance the relevance and usefulness of research in the Canadian sport community.  The Match Grant program—now in its second year—is funded by the Government of Canada. A primary focus of the program is to support projects that contribute to the goal of achieving gender equity in sport by 2035.

“We are so pleased we are able once again to support and encourage the collaboration between sport organizations and researchers,” said Debra Gassewitz, SIRC President and CEO.

A diverse range of projects were selected that reflect individual, organizational and systemic aspects of gender equity—from cultural considerations, to athlete development and participation, to program design and evaluation, to role models and mentoring.

SIRC is excited to support the following projects through the Match Grant program:

• The Race, Gender, and Leadership Equity in Sport Project – Black Canadian Coaches Association, University of Toronto, University of Windsor
• Girls on Ice!  Motivation and Role models in women’s hockey – Hockey Canada, Hockey Quebec, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
• Beyond the Medals: A cross-sectional study investigating retired high performance female athletes’ health – Rowing Canada, Rugby Canada, Western University
• Changes in physical activity after immigrating to Canada: Iranian women’s views towards active lifestyles – Canadian Women & Sport, University of Ottawa
• Create an Evidence-Based Impact Assessment Tool – Fast and Female, University of Toronto
• A Mentee Training Resource for the CAC’s Mentorship Programs – Coaching Association of Canada, Cape Breton University
• “That’s a Blue for You”: Referee Experiences Managing Concussion Injury Risk in Canadian Amateur Rugby – Rugby Canada, Rugby Ontario, University of Toronto
• Who is Climbing? Understanding Participants Within Climbing Escalade Canada – Climbing Escalade Canada, University of Waterloo
• Understanding female participation in golf across Ontario – Golf Ontario, University of Windsor
• Using the kinetic profile of vertical jumping tasks to identify if differences exist between age cohorts within Field Hockey Canada’s female high-performance development pathway athletes – Field Hockey Canada, Field Hockey Ontario, University of Toronto

Outcomes and key learnings will be disseminated by project partners and SIRC, and shared at SIRC’s 2021 Sport Canada Research Initiative Conference in October 2021.

For information about the impact of the 2019/20 grants, click here for a video.

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About SIRC

The Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC), is Canada’s leader and most trusted partner in advancing sport through knowledge and evidence. SIRC is committed to engaging with organizations and individuals involved in the development of sport, recreation and physical activity in Canada and around the world, to enhance the capacity of our shared community to foster growth and the pursuit of excellence. SIRC is a not-for-profit organization, incorporated in 1973 and funded in part by the Government of Canada.

Media contact:

Peter Morrow

Knowledge & Communications Specialist

Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC)

pmorrow@sirc.ca

613-231-7472 (SIRC)