Soccer

Check out the latest SIRC Newsletter -Soccer!

It seems everywhere you look these days you’re surrounded by soccer. Not only is it possibly the most popular grassroots sport, but soccer also has one of the biggest international sporting events. Have you ever stopped to consider how either a player or a coach gets from the grassroots level to the international stage? Here are a few things to think about: what makes a great soccer coach? Are soccer coaches looking for more than just your ability to play the game? What can I do to prevent injuries while playing? Should I just train my body or my mind too? Another great way to improve your soccer skills is to take in a Canadian National Team Event and learn from some of Canada's best players.

http://sirc.ca/newsletters/mid-june10/index.html

Just a hit to the head or a concussion?

We often hear about the severity of head trauma and coaches are encouraged to check for symptoms of concussions (dizzy, headache, light sensitive). However, recent studies are showing that repeated hits to the head, concussed or not, may result in long term side effects. In particular athletes who receive frequent head blows in sports such as football, boxing, soccer, equestrian etc may suffer significant visual memory loss.

It was estimated that a concussion may result from a head impact of over 80 times the force of gravity, (the average header in soccer produces an impact of 20 Gs) however, a recent study in the US monitored college football players and found that players were receiving approximately 150 hits/week with a force often between 100-250 Gs. The amount of force regularly hitting the players is astounding and yet these players were not exhibiting any symptoms of concussions and they appeared fine to their coaches and parents. What was disturbing was to find out was that the tests were showing a 20% decrease in visual memory capacity (in particular the area that requires rapid identification of recurring patterns) for players after just 3 months of training.

What this is saying, is that we need to be more aware of all head injuries. Be very careful of both major concussions as well as all those minor impacts that “chip away at the brain”.

Consensus Statement On Concussion in Sport

SIRC Newsletter: Concussions

Reference from the SIRC Collection: Epstein, David (2010). Unexpected Findings: The Damage Done. Sports Illustrated, 113 (16), 42-47.

Coaches and the Female Athlete Triad

There are awkward conversations some coaches avoid having with their female athletes. One of these discussions may be about the menstrual cycle, especially by male coaches. This awkwardness can be avoided by educating your athletes on the Female Athlete Triad.
The three clusters of the triad are:

• Disordered Eating (poor nutrition),
• Menstrual dysfunction (irregular or loss of period), and
• Osteoporosis (low bone density)

Athletes should be educated on proper eating habits to maintain or balance the use of energy when training, as to prevent low-energy availability. The low-energy availability and excessive exercise can lead to a lack of estrogen causing amenorrhea (loss of period) or menstrual irregularities. A lack of estrogen, and poor nutrition (especially calcium) can lead to the third cluster, osteoporosis.

As coaches, the main focus should be on disordered eating, as this leads to the next two clusters. Women face many pressures these days to look a certain way, or have a certain body-type. For serious female endurance athletes, the pressures of training can produce the mind set of, “If I lose 5lbs, I can run faster.” These pressures can very easily lead an athlete into poor eating habits.

For more information on this topic please check the SIRC collection.
Female Athlete Triad Coalition

Computer-Mediated-Communication

Instant messaging programs such as Skype, text-messaging, Facebook, email, and MSN messenger, just to name a few, are some of the media which has entered our lives to facilitate communication between people. Our lives get more connected everyday and CMC (Computer-Mediated-Communication) is not something that will be leaving our society any time soon.

What does this mean for the coach-athlete relationship? CMC media brings obvious improvements to coach-athlete communication, as they are able to interact more efficiently, more effectively and more closely than ever before. But it can also bring on challenges, especially in the area of ethics.

Some of the questions that may come up are: Should my athlete and I be friends on Facebook? What do I do if my athlete adds me to MSN? What if I see a picture of my athlete engaging in illegal behavior? These are all situations which might blur the lines of coach-athlete interactions. If your sport organization doesn’t have a policy on coach-athlete interactions, it is recommended that every coach set his or her own personal standards for managing these new methods of communication. One example that the author gives us is; if you reject a Facebook friend request from one player, then you need to reject the friend requests from all your players. Each coach and each situation will be approached differently, but being aware is the first step.

Keeping an open communication platform with your athletes is important, but keeping the lines from becoming blurry is up to you. Ensure to make your standards clear to avoid any confusion and if the situation becomes too difficult to handle on your own, there is help. The most important thing is to guide discussions in a setting that fosters mutual respect and that will allow you to maintain a positive coaching environment.

Reference from the SIRC collection:
Lawrie, K. (2010). Computer-Mediated Communication - A Caution for Coaches. Coaches Plan/Plan du Coach, 17(1), 10-55.

Hello from Halifax!

Change is Imminent
by Michele Walker, SIRC

When a city is awarded the Canada Games, there is no doubt change is imminent.

Businesses stock up on more supplies. Staff get extra hours. Hotels are fully booked at a time of year that most would not be. There are more flights in and out of your city.

Schools change their schedule. In fact, one of the biggest changes affects everyone in the entire region. Moving the school spring break to February and closing schools for an additional week follows the practice for previous Winter Games. The last three provinces and territories to host the games -- New Brunswick (2003), Yukon (2007) and Newfoundland and Labrador (1999) -- moved March break and closed schools in the host region to accommodate the Games. To ensure students in the Halifax region do not lose valuable class time in 2011, the school year started early and will end late going through to June 30, 2011. Christmas break was shortened, and one teacher professional development day had to be rescheduled.

But the most interesting ‘change’ is that of ‘change over’ day in the middle of the Games. Unique to multi-sporting events in the world is the fact that the Canada Games hosts half its sports in Week One and the other half in Week Two. This means that missions staffs have to be moving athletes in and out of the host city twice. Those athletes who enjoyed the Opening Ceremony are not even in town to attend the Closing Ceremony, which is enjoyed by the Week Two sport athletes. The Local Organizing Committee in Halifax has to reset venues for a whole new batch of sports, set up new venues, and not to mention the complete cleaning of the Athlete’s Village top to bottom so it’s as fresh and clean as it can be and ready to host a whole new group of athletes and coaches.

Check out SIRC's Canada Games webpage for more information!

Beyond the Finish Line: A Walk Through the Mixed Zone

Photo courtesy
Polakoff Communications

Once an athlete gets to a certain level, there become many more obligations and expectations of them beyond their performance on the field of play. Walking through the Media Mixed Zone at a major sporting competition is just one of those responsibilities. The Mixed Zone is designed to permit the broadcast and print media to “mix” with athletes for the purpose of an interview in a designated area. Athletes are not obligated to stop for interviews and you can imagine how tough it is if an athlete just had the worst performance ever. But lots still do.

This  dedicated and secured zone is in an area just beyond the field of play that athletes must physically pass through when they are finished competing. They don’t even collect their clothing first. This unique opportunity allows the media and ultimately the viewers to have a window to that raw emotion and immediate thoughts of the athlete.

Some key points to a successful Media Mixed Zone experience for the athlete:

• Limit interviews to one minute or less so that as many broadcast and print media as possible have the opportunity.
• Be positive, pleasant, insightful and gracious despite the stressful circumstances.
• Act like a professional.
• Give the viewer a reason to care about how you do.

Photo courtesy
Polakoff Communications

It does seem a bit strange to have an athlete perform to physical and mental exhaustion, then ask them to sound eloquent just seconds after for an interview broadcast live around the world. Most well rested and prepared people have difficulty doing this. But this might be the one chance that the public has to hear from an athlete. It’s the 30 second sound bite that will create a post card image of what the athlete is all about. If they act classy, then people will think they are classy. And vice-versa!

Just because the finish line is crossed does not mean that the elite athlete’s job is done. It is important for an athlete to also prepare and train for the moments immediately following their performance.

Online Resource:
IIHF Media Guidelines & Access Policy

For more information on athlete interviews, please visit SIRC.

The Tech Savvy Coach

Many coaches have already started to incorporate smart technology into their training, and when used to its full potential, iPads or other smart technologies can significantly enhance the coaching business. To some coaches, technology can seem a little daunting, but coaches need to embrace it by making themselves aware of what is available and how it can benefit them and their athletes.

Slow Motion Video/Video Streaming

There are many benefits of having a video readily available when it comes to sport coaching.

• Athletes and coaches do not need to be in the same location to have a relationship 
• A coach can provide support from any location during competition 
• Game strategies, injury concerns and nutritional needs can all be discussed 
• A coach can quickly record their athlete in action and have it played back in slow motion which enables both parties to see what’s happening and enable the coach to point out corrections 
• Enhances fan interaction 

Web Applications

Everyday more and more applications are being created to help us navigate and interact with the world. Mobile applications for coaching are no exception and there are many you can access effortlessly and with minimal cost.

• Coaches Eye - Web app for the iPhone has many features including: video, slow motion review, audio commenting and video drawing to highlight problems
• Sports Game Timer App – Many recreational leagues require equal playing time or that each player plays at least half of the game. Keep track of players with a simple timer/tracker for sports teams. Great if you need proof for the parents! 
• G.A.P.S. Sports Coaching App - Gain access to over 1750 activities, practices and skills, perfect for creating enjoyable and interesting coaching sessions and PE lessons on the move.

The use of technology allows coaches to organize themselves and gain efficiency by having simple to operate equipment that produces maximum results. Up until this point, coaches might have been able to get away with older methods of running a program, but not anymore. Today’s technology can make you a better instructor, manager and leader and coaches need to grab a hold or be left behind. Replace the old way of thinking and you’ll be amazed at what technology can offer!

References from the SIRC Collection

1. A Bertram C, Marteniuk R, Guadagnoli M. On the Use and Misuse of Video Analysis. International Journal Of Sports Science & Coaching [serial online]. June 2, 2007;2(0):37-46.
2. Lachance A. Long distance coaching using today's technology. Coaches Plan/Plan Du Coach [serial online]. Summer2009 2009;16(2):56-57.
3. O'Donoghue P. The use of feedback videos in sport. International Journal Of Performance Analysis In Sport [serial online]. November 2006;6(2):1-14 The techno coaching revolution. Cycling Weekly [serial online]. July 14, 2011;:70-72.

Troubling Tendonitis

What is tendonitis?

Tendonitis is a word that is mentioned a lot in the sport industry, but few people really grasp what it is.  The word tendonitis means "inflamed tendon."  A tendon is a tough band of connective tissue, attached at one end to a muscle and on the other to a bone.  It is a common condition in athletes that can cause significant amounts of inflammation, swelling and pain.

Why does it happen?

Forgetting to warm up, overusing a joint and over-training while exercising or participating in sports can cause tendonitis.  For example, if you have not worked out for a while and then push yourself too hard, the result could be tendonitis.  

  

How long does it take to heal?

Tendonitis can take a long time to heal because of the limited blood flow to the tendons, but it mainly depends on the extent of the injury and the age of the person.

What can I do to treat it?

When you start to feel pain it's a good idea to apply ice to the affected area for at least 15 minutes.  It's also a good practice to limit the training intensity of your current workout, while you are still sore.

Is there anything I can do to prevent it?

Strong muscles help prevent tendonitis.  If you've been diagnosed with tendonitis or have had it in the past, you will want to put some extra effort into building up your strength, especially around the damaged area.

Where do I go from here?

If you're in pain and are afraid that going to the doctor will put you in an operating room, don't worry, tendonitis rarely needs surgery and if left untreated, it will worsen and become chronic.  Getting the help you need will get you back to training that much faster!

 References from the SIRC Collection

1. Brauer S. Achilles tendonitis. Journal Of Physiotherapy. March 2011;57(1):62.

2. Mayrhofer D. SALVATION FOR THE ACHING SOLE. Australian Cyclist. January 2012;37(1):20-22.

3. Metzl J. Troubleshooting Tendonitis. Triathlete. June 2012;(339):24.

4. Nessel E. Athletes Needing to Treat Sore Muscles and Tendons. ASCA Newsletter. April 2010;2010(4):24-27.

5. Reed A. Taming the Achilles Heel. Skitrax. December 15, 2011;22(2):74.

6. Romanelli D, Almekinders L, Mandelbaum B. Achilles rupture in the athlete: current science and treatment. Sports Medicine & Arthroscopy Review. October 2000;8(4):377-386.

Going Gluten-Free

The gluten-free food trend has become more popular and many athletes are questioning whether it's something they should try.

The main reason people decide to omit gluten is that they have been diagnosed with celiac disease.  Celiac disease is when gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains, damages the intestines and prevents the body from absorbing essential nutrients.  Along with intestinal damage, celiac disease can cause pain, bloating, fatigue and bone loss. 

Some athletes feel that they have more energy after giving up gluten, but that is usually because they have been forced to cut out processed foods and have replaced them with fruits and vegetables. 

If you have been diagnosed with celiac disease or suspect a gluten sensitivity, be aware that a lot of unexpected foods have gluten and that you will need to be an avid label reader to avoid further issues.  Some items to watch for are:

• Cheese, yoghurt or ice cream
• Roasted or seasoned nuts
• Processed meat
• Soups and sauces
• Flavoured or herbal teas
• Natural supplements or protein powders

Although many people are making the switch, there are still a lot of nutrients to be had from whole grains so athletes should not make this decision lightly.  Because this is a relatively new issue, research on this topic is minimal so its recommended that athletes only make the switch if they are diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.

References from the SIRC Collection

1. Crosland J. Coeliac disease and sport. Coach. March 2004;(21):54-56. 
2. Eberman L, Cleary M. Celiac Disease in an Elite Female Collegiate Volleyball Athlete: A Case Report. Journal Of Athletic Training. 
3. Hamilton A. Wheat gluten and muscle damage. Peak Performance. February 2009;(273):11. 
4. Keihanian S, Burke K, Levey J. Sports Dietary Supplements: Overview and Effect on the Gluten-Sensitive Athlete. AMAA Journal. 
5. Managing Celiac Disease in the Athletic Population. Athletic Training & Sports Health Care: The Journal For The Practicing Clinician. May 2011;3(3):110-111. 
6. Mancini L, Trojian T, Mancini A. Celiac Disease and the Athlete. Current Sports Medicine Reports (American College Of Sports Medicine). March 2011;10(2):105-108.