Multiculturalism and physical culture: The case of the GTA

There are two parts to this project: First, we have established an open-access on-line archive to collect every form of physical culture that people participate in in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Second, use the on-line archive to engage in follow-up research – interviews and secondary data analysis – to answer an initial set of…

Retaining experience coaches  

Project Summary  Understanding the factors that influence coach transitions is pertinent. Six themes were identified: 1) interpersonal considerations, 2) work demands, 3) career concerns, 4) positive coaching experiences, 5) seeking opportunities to be more successful and 6) leaving a negative or challenging work environment.   Findings highlight the importance of practitioners and sports organizations providing support…

The relationship between sport, physical activity, and social engagement: A profile of Canadian seniors

Project Summary  Models of successful aging (SA) encourage a continued engagement with life, which research literature refers to as a diverse set of activities including productive (e.g., housework), social (e.g., visiting friends), passive (e.g., reading), and active leisure (e.g., playing a sport) pursuits. It is widely accepted that engaging in life promotes a more meaningful…

Culture of national sport organizations and participation in sport

Project Summary This project examined the relationship between the culture of Canadian national sport organizations (NSOs) and participation in sport. The overall goal was to better understand and ultimately increase the effectiveness of policies aiming to promote sport activities such as the Sport Participation Development Program (SPDP). Generally, NSOs subscribed to a humanistic-encouraging type of…

Description of the first years of experiences of novice female coaches

Project Summary The objective of this study is to better understand the experiences of novice female coaches during their first two years of coaching. Conclusions of previous studies have shown an under-representation as well as a decreasing number of female coaches in the last 30 years. Not only are there less female coaches, those who…

Phsychological skills and factors related to ice hockey officials’ coping and performance

Project Summary Research focusing on the development of psychological skills in sport, has been conducted primarily with athletes and coaches. However, we know little on how to assist officials to enhance their performance. Thus, the general objective of this research was to better understand ice hockey officials’ experiences in their sport and factors that influence…

Sociocultural barriers to women’s participation in sport: The role of self-objectification and stereotype threat

Project Summary Women and girls in sport have endured years of cynicism regarding their physical abilities, much of which is perpetuated via media portrayals that emphasize their appearance, femininity, and (hetero) sexuality rather than athletic competence. Although female athletes have made gains in international recognition, funding and opportunity, the negative representations and resultant stereotypes about…

Understanding adolescents’ positive and negative developmental experiences in sport

Project Summary Currently, there is considerable public concern about youths’ healthy physical and psychosocial development. As such, researchers in both developmental and sport psychology highlight a need to better understand how organized sporting activities may be contributing to youths’ positive or negative development. The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of adolescents’ positive…

Combating social exclusion in sport and recreation through participatory policy development

Project Summary The purpose of this study was to examine how experiences with physical activity for recent immigrant Chinese women living in Vancouver can inform Canadian sport and recreation policy at the local, provincial, and national levels to increase their participation. The Chinese population is the largest ‘visible minority’ group’ in Canada, yet little is…

Curling and community in rural canada

Project Summary The main objective of this research was to understand the role of curling clubs in rural Canadian life. It aimed to deepen and broaden our understanding of the role of leisure and sport settings in community development by studying the rural curling club. Specifically, it sought to: (1) explore the functions of these…