Managing Healthy Expectations for Youth Athletes
A study delving into the impact of expectations on the well-being of young students in talent schools for sports found that while coach and parental expectations provided motivation, students also faced self-doubt and stress. Coaches played a crucial role in progress, yet excessive dependency on their approval could pose problems. Parental support was appreciated, but…
Belonging in marginalized populations
Organized sports can serve as a powerful conduit for fostering feelings of belonging in marginalized populations, such as individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Effective Cheering
Did you know that cheering for runners is more than just words? Research reveals that providing instructional and motivational support is appreciated by runners, but its effectiveness depends on factors like the runner’s condition and course feedback accuracy. While support is usually uplifting, it can also create pressure. Experts suggest using the “IMPACT” approach (Instructional,…
Exercise-related transient abdominal pain
Have you ever been on a run and suddenly started experiencing pain in the side of your abdomen? Many people refer to this as a side stich, but the proper name is exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP). To help decrease the chances of ETAP, don’t eat a large meal an hour before your run, avoid…
Group cohesion in sport
Group cohesion in simple terms is ‘the glue that helps teammates to stick together’. Cohesion is important for not only group sports but individual sports as well. To help teams become more cohesive, coaches, sport psychologists, and athletes can use team building activities. Team building activities may include games played with teammates, puzzles the team…
Sport for Development and Peace in Canada over the last 50 years
Introduction Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) refers to the organization and mobilization of sport to meet non-sport goals of international development, such as health promotion, gender empowerment, education, and peace building and conflict resolution. The overall field or sector of SDP has grown significantly in the past 50 years, shaped in particular by the…
SIRC at 50: A half-century of shaping Canadian sports through knowledge and collaboration
The Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC) has been a pivotal organization in Canada’s sporting landscape for half a century. Founded with the vision to provide valuable research and knowledge to support the sport community, SIRC along with its partners have played a role in shaping sport in Canada. In this exploration of SIRC’s journey, we’ll…
Athlete-Centered Coaching
Athlete-centered coaching focuses on facilitation and teaching by focusing on the athlete’s humanistic needs. According to research, by using this approach, athletes are empowered through 1) encouragement to discover their full potential; 2) increased independence, self reliance, and control; and 3) prioritization of personal goals over winning, amongst many other things. Coaches should aim to…
Burnout in Young Athletes
Burnout is when an athlete loses interest in a sport they play because of physical and emotional exhaustion. Some signs of burnout in young athletes include loss of motivation, drop in athletic performance, and persistent fatigue. Parents and caregivers can support their children by encouraging a variety of activities and by focusing on what the…
Choking Under Pressure
Choking is defined as a decrease in performance that happens in high pressure or anxiety-provoking situations. It often occurs in sports because of internal and external pressures that are present during competitions or big events. Visualization, practicing for pressure, developing a pre-performance routine, and developing a stress mindset can help decrease the chances of choking.