Sport after Moneyball: Examining sport analytics and the digital economy
The 2011 film Moneyball was a critically acclaimed, Academy Award-nominated, box office success. This is quite something, given that the movie centres on debates over baseball strategy and statistics. This article explores sport after Moneyball, meaning sport at a time when Moneyball’s disruptive ideas are widely accepted, and often celebrated. It’s true that the statistical…
Move over menstrual cycle: Ovulation monitoring is the new gold standard to monitor REDS in female athletes
How do we know a female athlete’s energy availability is in a good place? Until recently, menstrual cycle patterns were touted as one of the main indicators of energy availability status in female athletes. So, what has changed? Menstrual cycle patterns remain an important element in understanding energy availability status, with missed menstrual cycles ringing…
Exercising outdoors in Canada: What the research tells us about exercising safely and effectively in extreme heat
While Canadians are used to severe winter weather, 9 of the 10 warmest years on record in Canada have occurred in the last 25 years. This has real world implications for outdoor sport events. For example, even the best triathletes in the world struggled with the extreme heat in Edmonton in July of last year,…
Farag Girgis ( faraggirgis1@gmail.com ) @ 08/02/2023 6:22 pm
Sport science meets public health
What can public health and rehabilitation learn from elite sport? In this article, researchers identify 22 areas in which sport science research might aid public health, including: exercise prescription, monitoring of fatigue and monitoring of adaptation.
Collaborative coaching is key to successful Para athlete transfer
Alexandre Hayward’s successful transfer from national level wheelchair basketball to national level Para cycling is proof of how important it is to have broad development pathways in sport. It’s particularly important in Para sport, where a “scarcity mindset” tends to exist surrounding athletes. Hayward’s experience shows how collaborative coaching across different sports can nurture athlete…
How personality relates to athlete development
If everyone knows it takes years of practice to develop expertise in sport, why is it that only some athletes will practice with full concentration and effort while others will tend to avoid it? Why do very talented athletes sometimes fail to develop into experts while others, who may be initially less skilled, succeed in moving…
Early specialization
There has long been debate regarding the benefits versus pitfalls of early specialization in sport. A recent study of young basketball players shows that early sport specialization does not provide a physical fitness advantage.
Language matters in the context of athlete development
Consistency when it comes to language is important to consider in the context of athlete development. Some terms that are frequently used in sport have blurry or competing meanings, such as what it means to have “talent,” what it means to be “elite,” or what it means to have “character.” Researchers advise being specific with…
Continuing to play after a concussion
Research shows that for every 30 minutes of sport participation an athlete engages in after a concussion, their days to symptom resolution increase by over 8%. More simply, continuing to play after a concussion can lead to a longer recovery. Highlighting the importance of stopping play after a concussion in terms of long-term health and…