2019 Concussion Prevention Workshop
Today, members of the Canadian sport sector are rolling up their sleeves to examine innovative ways to prevent concussions in sport at the Concussion Prevention Workshop hosted by SIRC, with support from Sport Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Discussion will focus on rules and policies, training practices, and behaviours and sport culture…
Small-sided Games and Goalies
Under the age of 12, Soccer Canada’s Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) model is built around small-sided games. A large body of research has demonstrated the benefits of this approach for players’ skills and confidence. However, little was known about the affects for goalies – until now. A new study has shown that goalies have more…
First Impressions for Coaches
Facing the parents/guardians of youth athletes for the first time at the beginning of the season can be a daunting task for coaches. New research from Nipissing University recommends that coaches focus on demonstrating their competence during early interactions, and focus on warmth-related characteristics as the season progresses.
Trauma-informed Approaches
Trauma-informed approaches are policies and practices that work to minimize harm to survivors of violence and abuse, and aid healing and justice. These approaches are essential to addressing abuse, harassment and discrimination in the Canadian sport system. Learn more about the impacts of violence and considerations for policy and practice here. Read about how a…
Life Skills Blog
A focus on winning at all costs has created sport programs in which building psychological, cognitive, social and emotional skills are largely ignored, yet these are essential ingredients for successful high performance athletes. Today’s blog provides an overview of the development of executive functions and social and emotional learning through sport.
Managing the Risk of Athlete Burnout With or Without Early Specialization
Parents who dream of their children becoming professional athletes, and coaches who believe that single-minded dedication is the only way to reach the top of their sport, have contributed to an increase in early sport specialization. However, there are many researchers, coaches, and athletes who have been pushing back on this trend, citing a range…
Concussion Blog – Ringette
For ringette, putting a values lens on the issue of concussions made decision-making simpler – preventing concussions as much as possible and ensuring athletes recover properly are priorities. When pressure to return to play comes from athletes not wanting to miss out, or parents pushing to have their child back on the ice, clear protocols…
Safe Sport Consultation
To address abuse and harassment in sport, the Coaching Association of Canada is leading a consultation process to explore the creation of a pan Canadian code of conduct and associated sanctions. To complement a series of in-person consultations, an online survey has been launched to increase the reach of the process. To share your thoughts…
Ringette Concussion Blog
With so many stakeholders and sometimes competing priorities, alignment across the sport sector is a challenge. However, preventing and addressing concussion is one issue where alignment is common sense. From the grassroots to the high-performance levels in ringette, organizations are coming together through SIRC’s #HeadstrongCanada campaign. Learn more in today’s SIRC blog.
Innovation Initiative
Wondering if your organization’s new program is effective? Sport Canada’s Innovation Initiative provides funding to deliver and test innovative program approaches to build the evidence base about what works to reduce the barriers to participation, increase physical literacy, support retention in sport, and achieve social goals through sport. The deadline to submit a concept is…