Athlete Perspective: My reality as a clean athlete in a not so clean sport

SIRC’s Athlete Perspective series provides insight and recommendations on key issues from an athlete’s perspective. The collection of blogs and SIRCuit articles profiles Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes and taps into their lived experience. I started weightlifting in a small, remote city in northern Quebec when I was nine years old. It was, and still…

ACL Injury Recovery

Reconstruction surgery has become a viable method for athletes to return to play after suffering an ACL injury, yet one third of patients will develop osteoarthritis within 10 years. Researchers have found that the way a patient moves after surgery has significant implications for their long-term recovery. Patients who reported lingering symptoms post-surgery were found…

Social Identity and Team Behaviour

Good team cohesion is a key factor for success, but can create pressure for team members to conform. Research conducted with NCAA athletes found that those who more closely identified with their team were more likely to adapt to their teammates’ behaviour. This held true for both risky (e.g. drinking and driving, concealing concussion) and…

Mentoring Outcomes

Successful mentoring relationships can increase motivation, productivity and self-efficacy. Learn more about the value of mentoring from an athlete perspective in the SIRC blog.

2018 Year in Review

As we ease ourselves into the year ahead, here is a round-up of the most popular SIRCuit articles and SIRC blogs from 2018! Top 5 SIRCuit articles The implications of cannabis legalization for athletes Issues in athlete identification and selection: Are we compromising talent? A year in the making – Reflections on Canada Artistic Swimming’s…

Endurance and External Focus

Endurance athletes use a number of strategies to distract themselves and manage their performance. For example, athletes can manipulate their attention, focusing either internally (e.g. on the running movement, internal body signals) or externally (e.g. on the environment, music). Research reported in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Physiology measured running economy to confirm the…

Coaches and Ethical Behaviour

Don’t underestimate the influence of coaches on ethical behaviour. Recent research with amateur athletes from Football Federation Flanders confirmed the importance of coach ethical behaviour in creating a moral bond between coaches and athletes, and supporting a positive ethical climate the club.

Athlete Perspective: The Value of Mentorship

SIRC’s Athlete Perspective series provides insight and recommendations on key issues from an athlete’s perspective. The collection of blogs and SIRCuit articles profiles Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes and taps into their lived experience. Success isn’t accomplished alone. It takes a balance of hard work, open mindedness, and most importantly, mentorship. As long ago as…

The Implications of Cannabis Legalization for Athletes

The legalization of cannabis in Canada will have significant implications on the Canadian sport system, ranging from anti-doping policy, to athlete and staff safety and wellbeing, to risk management for organizations. In conjunction with its partners, SIRC will be providing insight and resources to support sport organizations in navigating the many issues. This SIRCuit article,…

The Development of Executive Functions and Social and Emotional Learning Skills Through Sport

One of the biggest stories coming out of the 2018 Winter Olympics was the success of the Norwegian Team, who topped the overall medal count with 39 medals (7.33 medals/million population), compared to Canada’s third-place standing with 29 medals (0.81 medals/million population). In team rooms and in the media, everyone was asking “How did such…