Concussion Newsletter – November 2019
By championing a mix of “hard goods and soft goods solutions,” Freestyle Canada has prioritized the creation of an environment in which athletes can test their limits without sacrificing safety or risking traumatic brain injuries. Learn more in the SIRC November Concussion Newsletter.
Concussion Prevention Through Innovation
It’s a potent mix: dangerous flips and twists performed by young, boundary-pushing athletes who revel in the sport’s free-spirited culture. More than most sports, concussions are a day-to-day, moment-to-moment risk for the freestyle skiing community. The five demanding disciplines – Aerials, Moguls, Halfpipe, Slopestyle and Big Air – put athletes in dangerous situations, hurtling down…
Champion Article – Freestyle Canada
The five disciplines of Freestyle Skiing – Aerials, Moguls, Halfpipe, Slopestyle and Big Air – excite spectators with their gravity-defying skills, but put athletes in situations with high-risk for concussion. In this environment, education and awareness around concussion prevention and management is critical. Learn more about how Freestyle Skiing Canada empowered their athletes through “a…
Tennis Canada’s Covered Courts Program – Driven By Data
Tennis Canada’s mission is to lead the growth of the sport in the country. That mission can only be accomplished with more individuals playing more tennis more frequently. However, to increase participation rates, one important barrier needs to be addressed – winter. Enter Tennis Canada’s Covered Courts Program. This article discusses how Tennis Canada leveraged…
Para Cycling
Para cyclists compete on bicycles (sometimes modified for prosthetics), tandem bicycles (for athletes with visual impairments), handcycles (used by amputee and paraplegic athletes), and tricycles (for athletes with impairments affecting their balance and coordination). Para cycling begins today at the Parapan American Games! Learn more about para cycling and follow the competition on the Canadian…
If you build it, those with vouchers will come
In 2015, the Town of Milton, Ontario, constructed the $56 million Mattamy National Cycling Centre, which hosted the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games’ track cycling competitions. The Mattamy National Cycling Centre is the only indoor 250m cycling track velodrome in Canada. Milton hoped that staging the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games would enhance the visibility of…
Wimbledon Tennis Balls
During Wimbledon, 53,000 tennis balls will be used. According to International Tennis Federation rules, every ball is hand-tested for its bounce, weight and compression, stored at 68°F, and replaced during a match after the first seven games, then every nine games. Used balls are sold, with proceeds going to the Wimbledon Foundation. Click here for…
Carbon Fibre Bikes
Listening to your friends boasting about their carbon fibre bikes, and wondering what all the fuss is about? Carbon fibre has revolutionized bike frame design, enabling the manufacturing of frames that are lighter, stronger and in more complex shapes. This video from the Global Cycling Network (GCN) explains the science behind the material and takes…
Compression stockings
Designed to apply pressure to the lower legs and enhance blood circulation, compression stockings are a relatively new technology in sport performance. A study measuring agility and lower limb muscular endurance amongst female athletes after a soccer match found the compression tights reduced fatigue-related muscle damage. This suggests compressing stockings could provide a significant performance…
Winning bias and uniform colour
Does the colour of your uniform bias your chances of winning? In judo, a white judogi has been commonly considered a disadvantage because it was thought to be more visible, allowing athletes in blue to better evaluate and anticipate the movement of their (white) opponent. However, research now suggests that a winning bias is attributed…