Self-Compassion in Sport 101

If you have been involved in the coaching or administrative side of competitive sport, chances are you have seen athletes experience emotionally difficult setbacks. These setbacks can range from devastating performance failures (e.g., “choking” during an important competition), to facing harsh, negative evaluations by others (e.g., spectators, teammates, competitors, parents) and/or themselves (the self-critic is…

Supporting Podium Dreams – Paralympian Search and RBC Training Ground

To support the identification and development of future Olympians and Paralympians, two Canadian programs have been developed to fuel the Canadian pipeline of future hopefuls. RBC Training Ground and the Canadian Paralympic Committee’s Paralympian Search are athlete identification programs designed to assess participant aptitudes in various sports, and connect athletes with sport opportunities and development…

Pandemic Silver Linings in Canadian Sport

This article is the second in a special series that explores how Canadian sport leaders are adapting and innovating to safeguard the wellbeing of athletes preparing for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games and other Major Games during a global pandemic. Read the first article here. The challenges facing Canada’s top summer athletes have never…

Evaluating Impact using the RE-AIM Framework

For any organization, the ability to demonstrate impact — to funders, board members, and other stakeholders — is crucial. Demonstrating the value of an organization, project, or service is important to access financial support, engage stakeholders, and achieve organizational objectives (Fedorciow, 2012). Within the Canadian sport system, sport administrators are increasingly required to design and…

Building Capacity in Community Sport Organizations

Community sport organizations (CSOs) occupy an important place in our communities by providing sport and recreation opportunities for all ages, as well as serving a wider social role within our communities (see, for example, Taking Action: Community Sport Organizations and Social Responsibility by Misener, 2018). Previous research has pointed to the challenges these organizations face,…

Performing in a Pandemic: The Resilience and Leadership of Canadian Athletes

This article is the first in a special series that explores how Canadian sport leaders are adapting and innovating to safeguard the well-being of athletes preparing for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games and other major games during a global pandemic. Read the second article here. Following the previously unthinkable decision by the International Olympic…

Supporting Leadership Learning: From Classroom to Boardroom to Playing Field

There are as many definitions of leadership as there are people writing about it. To me, a leadership learning facilitator and teaching faculty member, leadership is a body of skills and behaviours which enable the positive holistic development of people and performance. I have been told countless times that leadership is learned in sport, and…

Adapting Sport and Physical Activity for Individuals with IDD: Highlighting a Decade of Inclusion and Outcomes

The Adapted Physical Exercise (APEX) Research Group at the University of Windsor leverages the transformative power of sport and physical activity through inclusive, barrier-free programming for adults with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD). In collaboration with Community Living Essex County, APEX delivers volunteer-led, one-on-one fitness training at the University of Windsor’s fitness facility. The purpose of this article is to summarize our key findings and recommendations from…

Match Manipulation and Gambling in Sport

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) and McLaren Global Sport Solutions Inc. (MGSS) hosted the first-ever Symposium in Canada addressing the issues of match manipulation and gambling in sport in 2019. Following the Symposium, a White Paper was produced by CCES and MGSS titled “Match Manipulation and Gambling: A Growing Threat to Canadian…

Learnings from the COVID-19 Lockdown – Stories from Event Cancellations

For many Canadian sport administrators, a global pandemic seemed the stuff of history books or science fiction movies. However, in March 2020, with COVID-19 sweeping the globe, a number of major sport events were cancelled in Canada. This article shares the experiences and lessons learned from the 2020 Arctic Winter Games Host Society, Skate Canada…