Key considerations to promote the inclusion of women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ athletes
What we can all learn from Canadian Girls Baseball: A leader in girls-only sport
In the realm of youth sports, Canadian Girls Baseball (CGB) stands out as a game-changer. This organization is breaking new ground by creating a welcoming space where girls can thrive in a sport traditionally dominated by boys. Through their innovative approach and supportive community, CGB is showing that when girls are given the opportunity, they…
Attention on the body impacts athletes’ minds and movements: Implications for sport performance and participation
Introduction and Context More than 600,000 Canadian adolescents drop out of sport each year – and miss out on the many benefits that sport offers. Compared to boys, girls are up to six times more likely to drop out of sport, and body image factors are often identified as reasons for drop out. Also, adolescent…
Let’s talk inclusion: Key considerations for the inclusion of 2SLGBTQI+ athletes
June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate the 2SLGBTQI+ communities as well as reflect on how to enhance and ensure inclusion in sport. This year, SIRC has partnered with Canadian Women & Sport to build a new resource for sport leaders and organizations: Key Considerations to Promote the Inclusion of Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQI+…
Ski like a girl: Researchers reveal hidden histories of women in Nordic sport
From a U of A varsity ski club to the Canadian Birkebeiner and the Olympics, women have always been part of the landscape of winter sport. When Lyndsay Conrad dove into her archival research on early 20th-century ski history in Alberta, she found women were missing in the standard narratives, yet leap out in old…
The power of mentoring in sports: Who, what, and how?
Mentorship is a powerful resource with the potential to positively influence the growth and success of people in sport. Mentoring is a relationship where one or multiple mentors (i.e., a senior person in age or experience) provide guidance and support to one or more mentees (i.e., individuals seeking new knowledge and experience) to improve career…
Looking back to go forward: 50 years of Canadian women’s sport
U SPORTS 2020 Swimming Championships at Saanich Commonwealth Place, Victoria, BC, February 2020 (Photo: U SPORTS) Looking back over the last 50 years of women’s sport in Canada, it’s amazing how we have progressed to bring equity, stability, and opportunity, not necessarily in all aspects of sport, but certainly in many. For example, 50 years…
Four strategies to support girls through sport-based mentorship
Sport has the potential to foster girls’ healthy development, leading to outcomes such as enhanced self-esteem, physical health, and mental well-being. Sport can reduce adverse health outcomes for girls, such as depression (Canadian Women & Sport, 2022; Eime et al., 2013). Yet in Canada, girls are dropping out of sport at alarming rates, with recent…
Anything is Possible: Using Ringette to Support Physical Literacy in the North
Sport is a vital opportunity for communities in the Northwest Territories (NWT) to stay active and social, particularly during the winter months when daylight is limited and temperatures are frigid. Sport offers a reason for people to come together and keep moving. It was for these reasons, plus a desire to better serve Indigenous communities…
Body-related emotional experiences in sport among adolescent girls: Participation outcomes over time
Project Summary In adolescence, girls are less likely to participate in sport, are more likely to drop out of sport, and report more poor sport experiences compared to boys. Concerns related to appearance, body shape, size, and weight disproportionally affect girls during adolescence and may impact their sport experiences. To date, there is primarily anecdotal…