Team Unbreakable: The transformative power of running for youth mental health

Mental health challenges among Canadian youth are a growing concern. It is estimated that up to 20% of children and youth in Canada, which is more than 1.2 million young individuals, are affected by a mental health disorder. Addressing the mental health needs of these children and youth lays a crucial foundation for their lifelong…

Sport for stress reduction

Sport isn’t just about competition, it’s also about having fun. For adolescents, engaging in physical activity can reduce the effects of stress, especially when they genuinely enjoy what they’re doing. This highlights how motivation behind physical activity influences life satisfaction and reduces stress.

Leveling the playing field: Accessibility in youth basketball

This article is part of a series in collaboration with the Centre for Healthy Youth Development through Sport (CHYDS) at Brock University and was presented at the CHYDS’ hosted Youth Sport Summit in April 2024. Most kids who have played basketball have never been on a basketball team. Despite its potential to be one of the…

The state of coaching sport: Landmark report reveals new insights and data

This article is part of a series in collaboration with the Centre for Healthy Youth Development through Sport (CHYDS) at Brock University and was presented at the CHYDS’ hosted Youth Sport Summit in April 2024. Coaching is the backbone of sport, fostering skill development, mentorship, and a sense of community among athletes and participants. With 1…

ReThink Sport: Building an inclusive and equitable future for youth sports in Canada

From coast to coast to coast, what could a reimagined equitable, diverse, and inclusive youth sport system look like, especially for girls? This is the question driving the mission of the ReThink Sport Project. Given what we know; that youth face a myriad of barriers to sport participation including identity factors such as gender, race,…

Protective equipment in hockey

Protective equipment plays an important role in keeping hockey players safe from injuries, including concussions. Recent research out of the University of Calgary has shown that wearing mouthguards (both off-the-shelf and custom-made) can reduce the risk of concussion in youth hockey players. Policies that reflect research findings are important to ensure that athletes are wearing the appropriate…

Parental involvement in kid’s sports

Parents play an important role in their children’s sport experiences. A recent study highlights 4 things that parents can do to make their children’s sport experiences more enjoyable: 1) show that you care about your child’s sport by facilitating and prioritising participation, 2) listen and learn from your child to ensure you can engage in…

Benefits of traditional physical activities for indigenous youth

On Indigenous Peoples Day, it’s crucial to recognize the significance of traditional physical activities for indigenous youth. In a recent review, researchers found that engaging in traditional physical activities helped youth feel connected to their land and community while supporting the development of healthy habits. This highlights the importance of integrating traditional physical activities in…

Young people’s reasons for leaving organized sports

A recent study examined the reasons Norwegian youths provided for dropping out of organized sports and how these reasons depend on social backgrounds such as socioeconomic status, gender, and ethnicity. Overall, the most common reasons for dropout were prioritizing schoolwork, lack of skills, and friends quitting.

Coaching your own child – 5 tips for the parent-coach

Being a parent-coach presents a unique set of challenges. Coaching is all about relationships, but sometimes the relationship between a parent and child poses different demands to that of an athlete and their coach. Balancing both can be difficult; particularly in team environments, where we must strive to be fair not only to ourselves and…