Holistic approach to athlete development
A holistic approach to athlete development considers the interconnections between different spheres of an athlete’s life, and recognizes their impact on performance. Whether athletes are struggling with the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, relocation, injury, or the end of a relationship, coaches and IST members can support them in evaluating the impact across the spheres…
To select, or not to select
Identifying and selecting athletes at a young age is a contentious practice in sport. Keeping as many athletes in the system for as long as possible means more chances at success, but resources are often limited, and at some point, difficult decisions need to be made. Learn more about the pros and cons of early…
Sport specialization beliefs
Youth athletes may experience increased pressure to specialize when involved in club-level sport. Research discovered club coaches were more likely to possess attitudes in favor of sport specialization, when compared with high school coaches. Early sport specialization has been associated with negative physical and psychological outcomes including overuse injuries, dropout from sport, burnout, and lower…
Strengthening Collaboration in Canadian Sport: Exploring a Nordic Strategy
Anyone who spends time in the world of sports—competing, coaching, supporting, or spectating—has heard their fair share of inspirational quotes. From “alone we go faster, together we go further” to “teamwork makes the dream work,” the strength of the team is a central feature of stories about success in sport. But what if we told…
Next Steps in the Safe Sport Journey: From Prevention of Harm to Optimizing Experiences
Highlights At its core, the Safe Sport movement is about optimizing the sport experience for all—athletes, coaches, sport administrators, officials, support staff, and others in the sport environment. Broader societal changes have influenced the Safe Sport movement: Changing approaches to child and youth development The #MeToo/Time’s Up movements Increased attention to equity, diversity, and inclusion …
Spring 2021 SIRCuit
The Spring 2021 SIRCuit is now available! Spring is in the air and summer is on the horizon—and while the COVID-19 pandemic rages on in many parts of the world (including here in Canada), sports enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. Looking ahead, this edition of the SIRCuit tells compelling stories about how athletes and sport organizations have adapted and thrived in the…
For or Against? The Pros and Cons of Early Talent Identification in Sport
Early Talent Identification (TID) describes the process of identifying, evaluating and selecting athletes for sport programs in early adolescence (ages 10-14). This practice has created a contentious issue in sport. On one hand, early selection may eliminate late bloomers from the system. On the other, resources in sport programs are finite, and can only be…
Verbal feedback
Verbal feedback from a coach during practice can direct an athlete’s focus internally (on body movements) or externally (on the intended movement effect). Research participants instructed to focus externally (e.g. “accelerate the dart” or “hit the target”) outperformed peers who were instructed to focus internally (e.g. “accelerate the forearm” or “hand to target”).
Leadership behaviour
Athletes like Christine Sinclair, Sydney Crosby or Willie O’Ree have exceptional skills; but what distinguishes them as leaders is their behaviour. Great work ethic, showing care for teammates, being accountable, acting in ways that reinforce positive team norms – these are examples of behaviours that help athletes emerge as leaders within a team.
Pre-exercise hydration
While hydration practices during training and competition are important, new research emphasizes the importance of beginning endurance exercise in a well-hydrated state. Athletes experiencing pre-exercise dehydration showed impaired aerobic exercise performance, peak oxygen consumption, and lactate threshold.