Winter Running

Recent news reports have focused on the severe winter weather that has suddenly hit Canada. For a lot of runners this weather can be discouraging. Winter running does not have to be extreme or unsafe, it should be fun. Cold weather running should be exhilarating as it is a great way to get fresh air, spend some outdoor time with friends, and enjoy the beauty of the season. It all depends on how well prepared you are for the weather. Wearing the correct clothing and being prepared for the cold can be the difference between having fun and discouragement. When putting on your running gear make sure to think about these three layers:

1. Wicking Layer: Synthetic Material that moves moisture away from the body, preventing you from getting chills
2. Insulating Layer: Keep your body warmth close to you preventing you from getting cold
3. Shell Top Layer: A jacket to protect you from the cold wind and water…well snow!

Other items that are recommended for runners are:

• Positive attitude
• Running Hat
• Two pairs of running gloves
• Neck Warmer

Reference from the SIRC Collection:
Mandel, C. (2009). Winter Running Guide. Canadian Running, 2(1), 62-63.

Other SIRC Resources:
SIRC Winter Newsletter
Cold Weather Resources

Get Out & Enjoy Winter!

Check out the latest SIRC Newsletter on getting out & enjoying winter!

Welcome to 2011! Winter is one of the best seasons to enjoy all the wonders Canada has to offer. Whether you like skiing or snowshoeing, skating or tobogganing, getting outside and being active will make you feel better both physically and mentally. If you need a little motivation to break away from the comfy warm couch, grab a friend and set some goals. Remember that a little prep work before you earn your rosy cheeks will ensure your muscles are ready, you’re dressed properly and your equipment gives you maximum enjoyment. Have fun outside and think about how great you’ll feel after that workout!

http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/january11/index.html

Sportsmanship: Connecting Fun and Competition

What is sportsmanship? Do we really understand how to exercise, teach, or encourage sportsmanship? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines sportsmanship as “fair play, respect for opponents, and polite behavior by someone who is competing in a sport or other competition.” Sportsmanship is the glue that holds competition and fun together.

As athletes, coaches, officials, or parents we need to lead by example. This can be done by:

• Thanking coaches and referees at the end of games
• Congratulating players and opponents
• Cheering for your teammates
• Being polite to the referees

Youth sport should be about having fun. However, as athletes get older the competitive drive gets bigger and often sportsmanship can be forgotten. Officials of highly competitive games can help to create a good sportsmanship atmosphere. Click Here for some tips on how officials can prepare.

Reference from the SIRC collection:
Woelfel, Rick. (2005). How to Build Good Sportsmanship. Referee, 30(3), 14.

Online Resources:
SIRC July Newsletter
TeensHealth: Sportsmanship

SIRC Newsletter: High School Sport

September means back to school for most Canadians. Getting ready for the arrival of students can be a major task for teachers, coaches, and administrators. Questions may arise on anything from planning a fitness program to creating risk management strategies. As a student-athlete, knowing what coaches are looking for in tryouts or how to prepare for your university or college athletic future may be on your mind. SIRC wants to help you get prepared for the upcoming school year.



For more information check out the Newsletter online!

SIRC Newsletter - Coaching

Whether you are a grassroots or high performance coach, in the boardroom or in the field, this is an excellent time to think about your coaching style. When is the last time you thought about your coaching philosophy, evaluated guidelines or policies related to your work or took a coaching education course? There are great national and provincial associations out there to help you like Coaches of Canada, Coaching Association of Canada, Coaches Association of British Columbia, and Coaches Association of Ontario. As well as upcoming events this Fall such as the SPIN Summit and the Petro-Canada Sport Leadership Conference.

For more information check out the SIRC Newsletter online!

SIRC Newsletter - Volunteering

Volunteers are critical to the success of sport and recreation! Appreciating our volunteers and providing well managed programming and tools will assist in the retention and positive experience for everyone involved. Typically volunteers feel a strong identification with the activity, a passion for giving back and want to make a meaningful contribution. How do organizations keep people coming back? From local clubs to national organizations, recruiting, managing and retaining volunteers can be difficult and daunting but there are tools out there to help.

CHECK OUT THE NEWSLETTER ONLINE

Not Your Average Winter Sports - SIRC Newsletter

Winters in Canada are filled with fun, lots of snow and hot chocolate! When we think of winter sports, the first that come to mind are skating sports such as hockey, ringette or figure skating, snow sports such skiing, snowboarding or cross-country skiing. But winter sport enthusiasts are always finding fun and unique ways to spend time outside. Some of these sports may sound familiar whereas others aren’t so much. We want to encourage you to stay active this winter and we think the best way to do that is to showcase all the amazing activities that are out there.

How about some ice-boating or ice-climbing for those of you who sail or rock climb during the summer months? Do you love camping? Then why not try it in the winter.

Read the Full Newsletter - http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/jan12/index.html

Coaching Running - SIRC Newsletter

The signs of spring are in the air and the number of people running outside and enjoying the wonderful weather is increasing. Warm weather marks the beginning of race season and running clubs, track clubs, university teams, and high school teams are all starting to get back into their rigorous training schedules. For running coaches this is the perfect time to review their plan and athletes for the season. No matter what team/club you coach, you will encounter athletes with different styles, levels, and abilities and it is important to consider all of this when looking at the season ahead.

SIRC has compiled the following articles to help you learn more about the athletes you coach and how to help them reach their goals.

http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/apr12/index.html

Respect, Fair Play and Ethical Behaviour - SIRC Newsletter

SIRC Newsletter Now Online: Respect, Fair Play and Ethical Behaviour

We have heard before that respect, fair play and ethical behaviour (also known as sportsmanship) are all learned behaviours. The question is from whom and when do we learn these? It is never too early to learn the fundamentals, physical education classes and grassroots programs are excellent places to start. However this behaviour should be exhibited at all levels of sport, recreation through to high performance. As well it shouldn’t just be limited to athletes; parents, coaches, officials, fans and even sport organization staff should all show respect, play fairly and behave ethically. Sports and physical activity are meant to be fun; these behaviours help to create a positive experience.

SIRC has compiled the following articles to help you learn more about respect, fair play and ethical behaviour and how to lead by example.

Read the Full Newsletter: http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/mid-apr12/index.html

Recovery

SIRC Newsletter now available online:  Recovery

You’ve had an intensive workout and your muscles are sore, you’re thirsty and your body is yelling at you to just lie down and rest. This is the easy part! Often neglected but very important, recovery is a major part of training and should not be overlooked. The idea is to make time for your body to get the necessary rest it needs to perform even better the next time you train. Muscles need to rebuild and your body needs to replace its essential nutrients.

Read More: http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/mid-may12/index.html

Strength Training

SIRC Newsletter now available online: Strength Training

Most people think strength training is just for professional athletes or body builders but we all need to understand what strength training is and the role it can have in improving our body and overall health . If you establish training guidelines and follow proper nutritional recommendations, adding regular resistance training in your daily schedule will have a considerable influence at any stage of development.

Read More:  http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/june12/index.html

Engagement

SIRC Newsletter now available online: Engagement

With London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics still in everyone’s minds, it’s important to leverage this momentum to get more people engaged in sport. Sport has always promoted inclusion within the community; it supports participation and fun regardless of your gender, religion, ability, ethnicity, age or disability. Sport provides an avenue for leadership and valuable life skills are learned through teamwork and collaboration. We all know what sport can do, now it’s up to us to take advantage of this opportunity and encourage people to get involved and have some fun!

Read more:  http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/september12/index.html

Sport Safety and Accessories

SIRC Newsletter now available online: Sport Accessories and Safety

With all the kids back in the classroom, try outs for school sports and classes for phys-ed will be starting up again. Many of you may have already received a note from a coach or phys-ed teacher requesting that students remove all jewelry and accessories before participating in any kind of sport. As a parent or coach, it's essential to know why this is important, what equipment children should be using and any safety measures to be aware of in case an injury occurs.

Read more: http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/mid-sept12/index.html

Volunteerism

SIRC Newsletter now available online: Volunteerism

Volunteerism is considered the backbone of Canada's sport and recreation system. Currently, Canada has over 6.5 million volunteers with 35% of those being involved in sport. Sport volunteers encompass people from all walks of life, from active and retired athletes, coaches and officials to professionals, parents and youth (and more) who want to help out in their community. Volunteers are the key to making sport possible for the physical, social and emotional development of children and adults, so it's important that we recognize and value their contributions to the sport community.

Read more: http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/october12/index.html

Talent Identification

SIRC Newsletter now available online: Talent Identification

The process of detecting, identifying, and selecting talent is an enormous and difficult challenge that has long been discussed by National Sport Organizations, coaches and sport science experts, among others. Currently, the majority of organizations have talent identification or talent emergence programs in place, with all of them having similar fundamental characteristics varying by sport. The challenges are that skills and aptitudes shown at a young age do not automatically translate into performance, talent is not always apparent by observation alone and that 'chance' can be a big factor in identifying athletes with the best potential for success.

Read More: http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/mid-oct12/index.html

Sleep

SIRC Newsletter now available online: Sleep

Elite athletes push their bodies to extremes every day. This brings with it a considerable degree of physical fatigue while training, traveling and competing. Where fractions of a second often mean the difference between a win and a loss, studies have shown that there is competitive advantage to those athletes who recognize the value of recovery. To stay on top, keeping the body healthy is not just about nutrition and training but also knowing the importance of a good night’s sleep.

Read More:  http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/november12/index.html

Sports and your Smile

SIRC Newsletter now available online: Sports and your Smile

Mouthguards are a top priority as sport equipment; they protect not just the teeth, but the lips, cheeks and tongue. The statistics say that up to 40% of sport-related injuries involve the face in some way so it’s worth it to invest in the proper equipment. Custom-fit face masks and/or mouthguards are essential in preventing the facial injuries that are so common in sport. Helmets and face masks can also help protect athletes from head and neck injuries such as jaw fractures and concussions.

Read more:   http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/December12/index.html

Sport for Life

SIRC Newsletter now available online: Sport for Life

Participation in sport and physical activity is extremely important for the development and the health of your child. We all know this, yet obesity rates are climbing and children spend more time in front of screens than they ever have before. For this and many other reasons, SIRC supports the sport for life movement and its principles for Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD), fundamental movement and physical literacy. Sport and physical activity is meant to be fun and enjoyable for all ages. With the Canadian Sport for Life (CS4L) summit taking place from January 30-31, this newsletter will be focusing on different aspects of sport for life in support of this organization.

Read more:  http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/mid-jan13/index.html

Diversity in Sport

SIRC Newsletter now available online: Diversity in Sport

The Canadian sport community has the opportunity to embrace our uniquely diverse population and actively strive for a multicultural and socially inclusive environment. Proactive sport organizations adopt a broad view of diversity and value it to its fullest extent. Ideally, this means going beyond merely removing barriers to participation but working towards ensuring that all participants are valued and respected.

Read more:  http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/mid-mar13/index.html

Officiating

SIRC Newsletter now available online: Officiating

There's no arguing, officiating comes with its challenges! Today's officials are fit, smart and passionate about what they do. Many are experts in their sport – from techniques, tactics, skills and strategies to formations in the game, it’s a job that deserves respect. Officials come from all walks of life, parents, teens, coaches and former athletes, all of which have one thing in common - a love of sport.

Read more:  http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/april13/index.html