Understanding your role in sport and why it matters

When talented athletes come together to represent a nation, some must inevitably accept different roles than they have on their respective league teams. This was the case when Steve Yzerman, the architect of Canada’s 2014 Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey roster, based role assignments of selected athletes on positional need, player style and teamwork, rather than…

Gender and sport ambition

In Norway, boys and girls participate in sport at about the same rate. But while boys are more likely to talk about becoming professional athletes and going “all in,” girls are more likely to talk about their goals in terms of skill development. Cultural narratives influence girls’ and boys’ sport-related ambitions, which in turn influences…

Self-compassion and performance failures

Mistakes and failures are part of sport, but athletes are highly susceptible to emotional suffering that stems from harsh evaluations of their sport performance from themselves and others (e.g. teammates, coaches, spectators, parents). Performance failures in sport can lead to decreased mental health, a diminished sense of self, and emotional distress. Self-compassion can enable athletes…

Pick-up basketball

Playing pick-up sports, ranging from hockey to basketball to soccer, can have a positive impact on players’ wellbeing. In a case study of a weekly pick-up basketball game, researchers found that regular players developed a sense of belonging, community and kinship through their weekly games.

A real-life Moneyball: How to identify, select and integrate members into your team

Whether people are baseball fanatics or just Brad Pitt fans, they’ve most likely seen the film Moneyball. It’s based on the true story of Billy Beane, the former General Manager of the Oakland A’s in Major League Baseball (MLB). Beane changed sport recruitment forever with his use of statistics to scout talent, choose players, and establish…

How early is too early?

Research shows that the accuracy of draft selections in professional sports is poor, and yet many youth sport teams are making selections at increasingly younger ages – with athletes who have yet to fully develop. This begs the question: How early is too early to be making selections in sport?

Incidence of RED-S amongst athletes

Athletes competing in sports that are aesthetically judged, body-weight dependent, and weight classed, are considered at high risk of developing relative energy deficiency (RED-S). However, research shows RED-S is still a concern for athletes in any sport, and can occur at any competitive level.

Unexpected, but not a surprise: Anticipating stressors in competition

An athlete’s ability to cope with stress is crucial for performing well in competition. Many stressors can arise for athletes, including training demands, pressure to do well, conceding points, and discomfort. Most of the stress that athletes experience during competition stems from unexpected stressors. In fact, research shows that between 69% and 92% of stressors experienced by…

Psychological safety in sport

Psychological safety is believing that you won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up about ideas, questions concerns or mistakes. Psychologically safe sport environments pave the way for greater teamwork, improved resilience, enhanced athlete satisfaction and an ability to reduce athletes’ burnout.

Making #HERstory: Girls who play on boys’ teams and supporting the lone girl in sport

On October 7, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) kicked off its 2021-2022 season. After having a season cut short and another cancelled altogether, this season looks different for the OHL. And it isn’t because of the COVID‑19 pandemic. In June, Taya Currie became the first female athlete drafted to the OHL. Selected in the 14th round by the…