Pan Am Games Countdown

Delegations from 41 countries will gather in one week for the opening ceremonies of the Pan American Games. The Games, running from July 26 to August 11, will welcome 6,900 athletes competing in 69 disciplines across 39 sports. Watch SIRC’s daily News Hub and social media platforms and daily News Hub for Games-related content! Visit…

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…

Year 3

In an Olympic or Paralympic quadrennial, year three is often considered the most important – and with the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo on the horizon, 2019 promises “sizzling” performances across Canada’s summer sports. According to sports journalist Lori Ewing, “2019 marks a chance for athletes to gauge their performances against the best…

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,…

Women’s World Cup 2019

The Women’s World Cup has amazed, inspired and delighted us…while also providing a platform for players to draw attention to persisting inequities in the sport. Today’s SIRC blog provides an overview of some of the key issues raised by the players, and provides recommendations for influencing positive change in sport, whether you’re committed to achieving…

Super-Elite Athletes

Evidence suggests that a number of preconditions are necessary to achieve at the highest levels of sport, including a family culture of striving and achievement, positive sport-related experiences during early development, late sport specialization, and an ability to “push yourself to the maximum” in competition and practice. But what differentiates elite athletes (those that compete…

Raptors Nutrition

Wondering what role nutrition played in the Raptors’ NBA Championship? This interview with Jennifer Sygo, registered dietitian and performance nutritionist with the Toronto Raptors, Athletics Canada and Swimming Canada, talks about the nutrition needs of high performance athletes and provides some key takeaways for recreational athletes.

We the Champs

The Toronto Raptors made history last night after winning Canada’s first NBA Championship. Game 5 viewership on Monday reached 13.4 million Canadians and averaged 6.4 million viewers – it was the biggest audience for an NBA game in the country, and the most watched program ever for Rogers Media. No doubt last night’s Game 6 audience was…

Psychological Skills and Overuse Injury

Research from a sample of elite youth tennis players in the Netherlands showed that girls with low to moderate self-regulation skills (i.e. planning, self-monitoring, evaluation and reflection) were 10.8 times more likely to miss training or competition due to overuse injuries. Although this is a new area of inquiry, evidence to date suggests that improving…

Athletes and Depression

Research exploring elite athletes’ experiences of clinical depression sheds light on symptoms that may be unique to high performance sport, including demotivation, drops in performance, and risk-taking behaviours. Stigma surrounding mental illness may delay the time it takes for athletes to seek help, but an understanding of these symptoms could help reduce the time to…