Integration in Para Sport

Integration of para sport with able-bodied sport is often assumed to be the preferred participation model. But what do para athletes think? Today’s blog disrupts this assumption, calling for more research into the merits and pitfalls of integrated vs. “distinct and separate” sport from the perspective of the athletes.

AWG2020 and the TRC Calls to Action

Number 91 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action reads: We call upon the officials and host countries of international sporting events such as the… [Arctic Winter Games] …to ensure that Indigenous peoples’ territorial protocols are respected, and local Indigenous communities are engaged in all aspects of planning and participating in…

Terry Fox Run 2019

In 1980, Terry Fox ran 5,374 kilometers, completing close to a marathon a day for 143 days, to raise funds for cancer research. Terry’s legacy lives on across Canada and around the work through community Terry Fox Runs and Terry Fox School Runs, being held on September 15th and 26th respectively. Click here for run…

Music and HIIT

Music is often used as a dissociative strategy to draw attention away from the body’s physiological responses to exercise such as an increased heart rate or sore muscles. While listening to fast tempo, motivational music during high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions, new research from the University of British Columbia showed participants exhibited higher heart rates…

Healthy School Lunches

Healthy school lunches provide children with essential vitamins and minerals for healthy growth and development, and the energy and nutrients they need throughout the day for learning and active play. Health Canada recommends engaging children in planning their meals to make it more likely that they eat and enjoy their food. Looking for tips? Check…

Deselection in Sport

“Deselection,” or being cut from a team, can have negative emotional, social and physical consequences for athletes. These include loss of friends and social circles, reduced self-esteem, decreased physical activity, and impacts on long-term engagement in sport. Learn how coaches can improve the experience for athletes, and consider alternative participation models, in the SIRCuit.

Game and Activity Databases

Are you a teacher looking for new ideas to activate your students during class, recess or after school; or a coach looking to refresh your practices? The Playworks Game Library and Active for Life Activity Database let you search activities by age, skill, group size, and more!

Positive Para Sport Experience

Positive experiences in sport provide a foundation for participation, regardless of whether athletes are participating in community sport programs or competing at the Parapan American Games. The Quality Parasport Participation Framework identifies six “building blocks” of positive sport participation: autonomy, belonging, challenge, engagement, mastery and meaning. Learn more in the SIRC blog.

Don’t Retire Kid

“Don’t Retire Kid” is a new campaign from ESPN, in partnership with the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, to address youth dropout from sport. The campaign draws attention to the causes of youth dropout – including early specialization, pressure from parents and coaches, and lack of fun. Practical resources are available from the Aspen Institute and…

Sport Participation Research

Home / SIRC Services / Sport Participation Research Advancing innovation in Canadian sports and physical activity with evidence-based knowledge products through the Sport Participation Research Initiative. Share page sport participation research initiative (SPRI) The Sport Participation Research Initiative (SPRI) is a joint initiative of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and) Sport Canada. The initiative is intended to support…