Playing devil’s advocate: How to avoid groupthink in sport environments

Women field hockey team before start of the game

“This is how we’ve always done it.” You’ve heard that phrase before. Whether you’ve said it or heard it said, it’s clear that groupthink is present in every corner of our society. When we fail to consider fresh perspectives in favour of tradition during decision making, we limit ourselves and our abilities. Take it from…

Multi-sport participation

Youth who participate in multiple sports may be able to improve their performance in a given sport more quickly than their specialized peers. For example, in a study of 12-year-old soccer players, those who participated in multiple sports demonstrated greater improvements in match-play performance over the next 2 years than youth who were already specialized…

Cultivating a mastery climate in youth sport

Portrait Of Children In Water At Edge Of Pool Waiting For Swimming Lesson

When children are asked about why they play sports, having fun is consistently ranked as the number one reason. Trying their best, being treated with respect and getting playing time are reasons that fall close behind. Winning, on the other hand, is ranked much lower, near the bottom of all reasons for playing sport (Visek…

Gendered athlete representations on social media

How athletes are portrayed on social media can influence sport participation among girls and women. An analysis of tweets during the 2018 Commonwealth Games shows that gender differences persist in athlete representations. Even seemingly neutral words, like “dedicated” and “hard working,” can have gendered connotations. Strategic use of social media during large sporting events can…

Protection and retention of officials

Community organizations across the country are experiencing a shortage of sports officials. Soccer referees have been in short supply during the pandemic, a problem worsened due to bad sideline behaviour of parents, players and coaches. The Teal Shirt Campaign allows first year referees to identify themselves on the job and encourages spectators to show respect…

Supporting new moms

“You have to get beyond the mindset of having to do it all yourself.” That’s the advice that Mandy Bujold, 2-time Olympian and mom to 3-year-old Kate, has for new moms who want to be active. “There are people out there – family members, neighbours, friends – who would love to help, even for an…

Current perspectives on multi-sport participation

Highlights What’s the best path to the podium? That’s the question behind the debate between early specialization and early diversification. Drawing on the example of some well-known champions like Tiger Woods or the Williams sisters, the early specialization camp argues that an early start in the athlete’s primary sport is essential for development of high-level…

Sport dropout and re-engagement

As sport leaders and organizations, we’re often concerned with participant retention. We rarely consider how dropout may play an important role in sport development pathways, or potential pathways for sport re-engagement later in life. The inclusion of sport dropout as a potential pathway in long-term sport participation models could push for a dialogue on how…

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