Mental Performance for Officials

Officials have to make split second decisions that can affect the ultimate outcome of games. Strategies used by Canadian FIFA offical Marie-Soleil Beaudoin to prepare for games include a commitment to training, familiarizing herself with the teams., using keyword reminders to keep herself grounded, and disassociating the teams with the history and expectations they bring…

Maintaining Fan Support

Research with a professional Australian Football team’s season ticket holders revealed that good service quality, communication and administration positively influenced renewal and referral intentions, and provided a buffer against unpredictable on-field performance. This could help inform strategies used by sport organizations as they seek to maintain strong relationships with fans through COVID-19 restrictions and return-to-play…

Robot Spectators

Spectators are considered by some to be an important component of homefield advantage…so what will be the impact of empty stands? From robot mannequins in China, to cardboard cut-outs of fans in Germany (with proceeds to local charities), a number of innovative ideas are emerging that could be considered by professional sport leagues as they…

Curling Prize Money

This year, for the first time, Curling Canada will award the men’s and women’s national champions the same amount of prize money. This weekend, join the 1.5M active Canadian curlers in celebrating Curling Day in Canada (February 22) and tune in to the final games of the Scotties Tournament of Hearts happening in Moose Jaw,…

Gender Equity in the Media

Media coverage of tennis sensation Bianca Andreescu during the US Open provides insight into what quality coverage of women’s sport should be. Andreescu’s rise was covered with “hype and enthusiasm,” storylines focused on her athleticism and mental toughness, and decisions were made to expand coverage to build on national excitement (in one case pre-empting a…

Women’s World Cup 2019 – About More than Just Soccer

Since June 7, 2019, televisions, radios and mobile phones around the world have been tuned in to the Women’s World Cup. And while the play on the field has amazed, inspired and delighted us, the Women’s World Cup has also provided an opportunity for social transformation. Players are speaking out against gender discrimination in soccer,…

Sport Insight: The rule change that revolutionized curling

SIRC’s Sport Insight series features blogs and articles that examine innovation and evolution in the sport landscape. It started as a practice drill between two brothers and grew into the rule that transformed the sport of curling: the Free Guard Zone rule. Russ Howard, one of the best skips in Canadian curling history, is credited…

Hurling – The Fastest Game on Grass

Take a little bit of field hockey fundamentals, the ball carrying and throws of lacrosse, the physicality of rugby, with a sprinkle of hockey and soccer for good measure and you’ve got the Irish national sport of hurling (Camogie in the women’s league). Commonly known as the fastest game on grass, hurling is a designated…

The Best Defensive Techniques in Soccer

By Amanda Johnston – Algonquin Sport Business Management student With the 2014 FIFA World Cup underway, everyone around the world is talking about these elite teams and how they will apply specific strategies to win the coveted World Cup. Players, coaches, and fans across the globe have high demands for achieving the most efficient tactical…

Jump To It!

If someone were to bring up the topic of jump rope or skipping, odds are you would remember time spent on the playground shouting rhymes and mastering the art of Double Dutch. The childhood game of jump rope as we know it has been taken to a whole other level by skilled jumpers. These high…