Small-sided Games and Goalies

Under the age of 12, Soccer Canada’s Long-Term Player Development (LTPD) model is built around small-sided games. A large body of research has demonstrated the benefits of this approach for players’ skills and confidence. However, little was known about the affects for goalies – until now. A new study has shown that goalies have more…

First Impressions for Coaches

Facing the parents/guardians of youth athletes for the first time at the beginning of the season can be a daunting task for coaches. New research from Nipissing University recommends that coaches focus on demonstrating their competence during early interactions, and focus on warmth-related characteristics as the season progresses.

Responsible Coaching Movement

The Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM), coordinated by the Coaching Association of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, is a call to action that has the potential to positively affect all sport organizations and coaches across Canada by ensuring that athletes, especially minors, are protected from abuse, harassment, and other safety risks. Learn…

Mother’s Day 2019

Parents and caregivers can have a deep and meaningful impact on the development of a child’s physical literacy. To celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend, this Active for Life blog shares insights from elite Canadian athletes about their mother’s influence on their athletic journey.

Developing Executive Functions and Social Emotional Learning Through Sport

This blog was adapted from a SIRCuit article written by Dr. Vicki Harber. For the full article, click here. Within Canada, there is some concern that an ethos of “winning at all costs” has infiltrated youth sport, degrading the quality of the sport experience resulting in reduced participation (Brenner, 2016) and increased injury (Jayanthi et…

Life Skills Blog

A focus on winning at all costs has created sport programs in which building psychological, cognitive, social and emotional skills are largely ignored, yet these are essential ingredients for successful high performance athletes. Today’s blog provides an overview of the development of executive functions and social and emotional learning through sport.

Outdoor Play Myths

Fear of injury and kidnapping, and a belief in the superiority of structured activities, have reduced the amount of time children engage in outdoor unstructured play. This infographic provides the evidence to debunk these common myths that are keeping kids at home on the couch, instead of outside playing.

Pitching Policies

Excessive pitching is one of the main risk factors for shoulder and elbow injuries among adolescent baseball pitchers. While some organizations have policies in place that limit the number of innings or pitches, these policies may not consider the additional pitches in the bullpen or during warm-up.

Managing the Risk of Athlete Burnout With or Without Early Specialization

Parents who dream of their children becoming professional athletes, and coaches who believe that single-minded dedication is the only way to reach the top of their sport, have contributed to an increase in early sport specialization. However, there are many researchers, coaches, and athletes who have been pushing back on this trend, citing a range…

Using app-based technology to influence the physical activity of Canadians

Despite the plethora of positive health outcomes associated with regular physical activity, only 18% of Canadian adults currently meet national physical activity guidelines (Statistics Canada, 2017). To help buck this concerning trend, ParticipACTION has developed an app to get Canadians active and engaged in a movement for more movement. The development of the app demonstrates…