Supporting mental health in elite athletes

For athletes, mental health can be as important as physical health. Australian researchers encourage sport organizations to use a three-pronged approach to supporting high performance athletes by equipping athletes with skills to manage distress, training coaches to recognize mental health concerns, and working with skilled mental health professionals when needed.

Youth injury prevention

For youth soccer players, injury prevalence and patterns vary with age. A recent study found that injuries tend to increase as players get older. Joint sprains and bone stress injuries are most common in athletes aged 16 to 18, while younger athletes are more prone to growth plate injuries. Tailoring injury prevention measures to age…

Everywhere, all the time, anywhere: Why physical literacy matters

The loosening of COVID‑19 pandemic restrictions on sport and physical activity presents a unique opportunity to dramatically change how we engage young people in sport and physical activity. Pre-pandemic sport participation was marred by high dropout rates among girls and young women, youth from low-income households, and teenagers in general. Recent reports suggest that this…

Warm-up tips

Do you like to stretch before going for a run? Research shows that short durations of dynamic stretching (up to 4 minutes) are the most beneficial for running performance if there are no further warm-up activities after stretching. Static stretching, on the other hand, has no effect on performance but can reduce acute injuries by…

Movement-based methods

Creative approaches to data collection can be useful for sport organizations to evaluate the effectiveness of youth programs. For example, movement-based methods use the structure or rules of a game to gather feedback from youth about their experience. They can also double as a program activity, helping to save time and keep kids on task….

Expecting the unexpected

Unexpected stressors happen often and are more challenging to manage than expected stressors. However, they can be managed. One way to manage them is by expecting them. To help athletes “expect the unexpected” during competition, work with them to identify potential stressors before competition. Then establish strategies to manage those stressors.

How reflecting can reinvest in mental health

Taking time to reflect on growth experienced during a sport season is a great way for student-athletes to reinvest in their mental health. In addition to setting goals for the future, athletes should take time to think about and celebrate how they’ve improved or what they’ve achieved. Coaches can help athletes reflect on their growth…

Women’s hockey under the radar: What’s driving participation?

It has been almost a quarter of a century since women’s ice hockey debuted at the Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan. Despite a heartbreaking loss for Team Canada in the final of the first Olympic women’s hockey competition, it was a big step forward for women’s hockey on the international stage. Since then, Canada has…

Preventing RED-S

Creating a healthy sport culture is critical for the prevention of relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S). According to research, key prevention factors include education for athletes, coaches, trainers, administrators, parents and all involved in athlete care, and a zero-tolerance policy for toxic training environments or practices such as body shaming, over-exercising, and under-fuelling.

Shared athlete leadership

Whether recognized formally or informally, athletes should occupy leadership roles to support a team’s functioning. Like some NHL teams, improving the number and effectiveness of athlete leaders can enhance team motivation, communication, cohesion and performance. Shared leadership among teammates can be an effective way to increase team dynamics and success.