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Supporting Podium Dreams – Paralympian Search and RBC Training Ground

Highlights from the CPC's Paralympian Search at the Canadian Sport Institute Calgary high performance training facilities in Calgary, AB, on November 24, 2018.

To support the identification and development of future Olympians and Paralympians, two Canadian programs have been developed to fuel the Canadian pipeline of future hopefuls. RBC Training Ground and the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Paralympian Search are athlete identification programs designed to assess participant aptitudes in various sports, and connect athletes with sport opportunities and development…

Winter 2021 SIRCuit

The Winter 2021 SIRCuit is now available!  For many, the new year presents an opportunity to set new goals, refine behaviours, or let go of something that is holding them back. This edition of the SIRCuit provides takes a deep dive into self-compassion, athlete identification, relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S), engaging masters athletes, and social learning…

Year 3

In an Olympic or Paralympic quadrennial, year three is often considered the most important – and with the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo on the horizon, 2019 promises “sizzling” performances across Canada’s summer sports. According to sports journalist Lori Ewing, “2019 marks a chance for athletes to gauge their performances against the best…

True Sport Selection Process

Two new True Sport resources are designed to help sport organizations put values at the centre of coach and player selection processes. The Coach Selection Process resource provides practical tools to support the identification of coaches that are committed to values-based sport. The Player Selection Process resource supports a selection approach that is designed to…

Innovations to Address RAEs

Interventions such as age-ordered shirt numbering and corrective adjustments that account for birthday in timed events such as sprinting, may be effective at mitigating relative age effects (RAEs). Learn more about current research and new innovations to address RAEs in the SIRCuit.

RAE Impacts

The “relative age effect” (RAE) advantages relatively older individuals in an age group while disadvantaging the relatively youngest. This age inequality can have significant impacts on sport and educational performance, and long-term health and wellbeing. Learn more in the SIRCuit.

Coming of Age With Relative Age Research: Origins, Consequences, and Potential Solutions

Two youth hockey players playing in a game

On October 17, 2018, Relative Age Effects: An International Conference was hosted at York University where leading international scholars gathered to discuss the implications of athletes’ dates of birth on sport, health, and education. This article highlights the history of the phenomenon known as the “relative age effect” as well as its impact on sport,…

Talent Identification Issues

A short-term focus on winning can influence talent identification and team selection practices, and create a protectionist and isolationist culture within sports. However, these practices are a disservice to athletes, failing to assess long-term potential and restricting multisport experiences that could enhance development. Learn more about the ins and outs of early identification and selection…

Issues in Athlete Identification and Selection: Are We Compromising Talent?

Youth hockey goalie observing the game from the bench

Despite some important ethical and developmental concerns, early identification and selection is the modus operandi of high performance sport. Most sport systems internationally have limited resources for high performance athlete development and, as a result, have to make predictions about who has the greatest likelihood of future success. Notions of talent also play critical roles…

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