Inspiring women to be active
Being active in midlife and menopause can be life-changing for women, but many experience barriers to getting active. The sport sector can help women in this life stage by expanding opportunities for physical activity, creating judgment-free zones, and offering social support. Expanding the image of what ‘sporty’ means can further inspire women to be active.
Doing Para sport classification differently
The COVID-19 pandemic has limited access to athlete classification, a requirement for Para sport competition. To this end, researchers at Western University are working to develop and evaluate hybridized frameworks to deliver classification, including elements of virtual classification. The aim is to consider approaches that require few resources and create greater levels of accessibility to…
Injury prevention programs in soccer
The FIFA 11+ program was developed in 2011 based on medical research. It consists of a warm-up routine that combines exercises in strength, running, and balance to prevent injuries in soccer players. Despite its current success, research shows that higher program uptake can be achieved by raising injury prevention awareness and promoting protecting players’ overall…
Accountability loops
Delegating without an accountability loop leaves an organization’s board of directors at risk. To delegate safely and support role clarity, the board can do 4 things: (1) specify the results it wants and boundaries for actions and decision-making that must be respected in pursuing those results, (2) document what happens, (3) implement a systematic, rigorous…
Intersectional data collection for equity in sport
Relying on top line averages and rankings can perpetuate inequality in sport. But examining data through the lens of demographic factors can help organizations to take meaningful action toward equity in sport. MLSE LaunchPad’s 4 pillars of Transparency, Trust, Trying (it out) and Talking (it out) can help sport organizations improve their measurement and evaluation…
Interval training for performance and well-being
High volumes of interval training can lead to increased injury risk and athlete burnout. An optimized interval training program is necessary for helping athletes safely reach their goals. Improvements in endurance performance can be seen in as few as 2 weeks of sprint interval training (SIT) or 4 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
Welcoming newcomers to Canadian sport
Research shows that new immigrants to Canada who participate in sport and physical activity increase their social networks, improve their health, and better integrate themselves into Canadian society. These findings highlight the importance of critically evaluating ‘Intro to Sport’ programs and their effectiveness in welcoming newcomers to Canadian sport.
Using stakeholder engagement as real-world data to inform organizational change
Over the past 6 months, we’ve seen ongoing news of alleged maltreatment of athletes who compete at national and international levels. These reports of maltreatment in artistic swimming, gymnastics, bobsleigh and skeleton, and most recently boxing have sparked increased discussion by both the sport sector and the public. These reports also led to action by the…
Making evaluation meaningful
“I think that sport has unique evaluation opportunities in that you can measure things like confidence. You might not spot that change in confidence unless you measure these skills at baseline and share that information with the kids.” In the SIRC blog, Chris Penrose, Director of Programs and Operations of Lay-Up Youth Basketball, discusses how…
Inclusion by design
Designing inclusive programs in sport is not an easy task. Inclusion requires intention, honest conversations, flexibility and innovation. It means using individual power and privilege to create safe and accessible spaces for all Canadians to engage in sport. Learn about how Canadian sport policies and programs have evolved to support the development of safe and…