Heavy Lifters!!

Weightlifting, not a sport you usually think about doing in your retirement. Golf, bowling, curling – these are the more common pursuits of the retired generation. But these sports are not for everyone, especially if you are a Canadian Masters Weightlifting record holder and gold medalist. Bernie Eckler, a regular visitor to SIRC’s Toronto Regional library, is just that. Even though he is fast approaching 70 years old, Bernie still works out regularly with the Apollo Barbell Club, and works part-time for Athletics Ontario. Currently, he is planning a trip to the Pan American Masters Weightlifting Championships this June in Montreal.

The Apollo Barbell Club has quite a reputation in the Canadian Weightlifting world. In 2008 all 9 members of the club who competed in the Canadian Masters Championships won gold medals and in 2009 they won eight gold and one silver.

Weightlifting has been an Olympic Sport since 1920, and was first debuted in the 1896 Athens Summer Olympics. There are two areas of competition, the snatch and the clean and jerk. In the snatch, the bar is pulled in one explosive motion from the floor to full arm's length overhead. In the clean and jerk (C&J), the bar is also lifted to full arm's length overhead. However, although it is considered one event, the C&J is really two lifts that must be completed one immediately after the other. In the clean, the bar is raised (pulled) in an explosive motion from the floor to a point of rest approximately at the level of the shoulders. The second part of the C&J, the jerk, consists of bending the legs and then extending both the arms and the legs to bring the bar to full arm's length over the head in one explosive motion.

Here are just a few of the articles found in the SportDiscus™ Database on Masters Weightlifting…

• Age dependence of Olympic weightlifting ability. / Evolution avec l ' age de l ' aptitude pour l ' halterophilie. Meltzer, D.E., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Aug 1994: Vol. 26 Issue 8. p. 1053-1067
• Age, body mass, and gender as predictors of Masters Olympic weightlifting performance. The, D.J.; Ploutz-Snyder, L., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise July 2003: Vol. 35 Issue 7. p. 1216-1224
• Injuries in Masters Weightlifters: A 4-Year Study at the World Masters Weightlifting Championships. (Poster Session) Lavallee, Mark E.; Kary, Joel M., Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine Sept 2007: Vol. 17 Issue 5. p. 426
• Muscle function in elite master weightlifters. Fonction musculaire chez des halterophiles de haut niveau. Pearson, S.J.; Young, A.; Macaluso, A.; Devito, G.; Nimmo, M.A.; Cobbold, M.; Harridge, S.D.R., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise July 2002: Vol. 34 Issue 7. p. 1199-1206

Durham College Students learn the value of research!

Amanda Street-Bishop (Toronto’s Regional Information Specialist) received an invitation from Durham College’s Professor Kate Houze, to speak to their first year students enrolled in the Sport Administration and Sport Management programs. Students partook in a hands-on workshop which allowed them to learn about SIRC and how they can use us to help them in their second semester Sport Research Course. The purpose of this course is to present each student with a knowledge base and the relevant skills in order to better understand and function in the evolving sport management industry. The students study research and its application to the sport industry. Students examine research in detail – what it is, its purpose, its importance to industry, how to use, when to use it and then apply this knowledge to several research projects. Many sport management positions require one to research, to articulate an idea or concept and to present this information effectively to a board of directors, a client, a sponsor or other management groups making research an essential part of the Sport business environment.

The session was conducted in the school’s state of the art computer lab allowing each student to independently explore the SIRC site and the SportDiscus™ Database. The students were interested in scholarly, peer reviewed articles on a variety of topics including: steroid use in professional baseball, violence in amateur hockey and the promotion of mixed martial arts.

Here’s some of what they found:

• Financial Incentives and League Policy: The Example of Major League Baseball's Steroid Policy. Tainsky, Scott; Winfree, Jason A., European Sport Management Quarterly Mar2008, Vol. 8 Issue 1, p67
• Honor, ritual and violence in ice hockey. Colburn Jr., K., Canadian Journal of Sociology 1985: Vol. 10 Issue 2. p. 153-170
• Injury trends in sanctioned mixed martial arts competition: a 5-year from 2002 to 2007. Available Ngai, K. M.; Levy, F.; Hsu, E. B., British Journal of Sports Medicine Aug2008, Vol. 42 Issue 8, p686
• Mixed Martial Arts: The Book of Knowledge. Bolelli, Daniele, Journal of Asian Martial Arts 2007, Vol. 16 Issue 4, p86
• Public Perceptions of Steroid Use in Sport: Contextualizing Communication Efforts. Becker, Amy B.; Scheufele, Dietram A., International Journal of Sport Communication Dec2008, Vol. 1 Issue 4, p444
• The Relationship Between Spectator Motivations and Media and Merchandise Consumption at a Professional Mixed Martial Arts Event. Sport Marketing Quarterly 2009, Vol. 18 Issue 4, p199
• Sports MDs seek CMA support in bid to make hockey safer. Sullivan, P., Canadian Medical Association Journal Jan 15, 1990: Vol. 142 Issue 2. p. 157-159

SIRC on the Road in Charlotte, NC

Nancy Rebel, one of SIRC’s sport librarians, attended the Joint Commission on Sports Medicine & Science (JCSMS) Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina this weekend. The purpose of the Joint Commission is to provide a platform through which the leaders of sports medicine and exercise science organizations from the United States and Canada can convene to promote cooperation and collaboration on various issues facing sports medicine and science. The annual meeting brings together these leaders once a year for educational sessions and collaborative opportunities providing a concrete space for leaders to meet on a personal basis and network on these issues. SIRC is pleased to have been a member of this organization for many years and we look forward to attending these meetings to keep abreast on leading concerns and issues in the areas of sports medicine and exercise science and to provide support and networking opportunities.

The main topics of discussion of this year revolved around the following themes:

Sport trauma and overuse injury prevention in youth sport
Focus: STOP program (Sports Trauma and Overuse Prevention);
Risk factors: “too much … too fast … too soon”;
Safety first

Medical, science and health fitness of NASCAR athletes
Focus: physical and mental demands on drivers and pit crews
“metalthletes"

Opportunities for Influencing Governmental policy in the United States
Focus: Childhood obesity and promoting youth physical activity (legislation);
President Obama’s focus on health care reform;
First Lady Michelle Obama to announce on Tuesday Feb 9, 2010 her platform initiative on healthy lifestyles (including highlighting physical activity and nutrition programs for children);
CDC’s role in informing and advising associations in their policy advocacy efforts

New National Physical Activity Plan for the United States to be launched May 3, 2010
Vision: For all Americans to be physically active and live, work and play in environments that facilitate regular physical activity.
The target of the plan is policy makers in the United States

Nutrition recommendations for pre-, during, and post-exercise/sport
Focus: A position statement released in March 2009 by the American Dietetic Association and the American College of Sports Medicine on Nutrition and Athletic Performance

Miscellaneous hot topics of discussion:

• Young athletes and hypertension
• Heat injuries in youth
• Energy drinks and youth
• Concussions
• Osteoarthritis
• US to look into developing a certification program for coaches
• “Exercise is Medicine”; physical activity as a treatment for chronic disease
• Importance of evidence-based practices (applying research to practice)
• Mouthguards: relation to concussions;
• Relation to performance enhancement – do mouthguards decrease lactate buildup in athletes
• Doping and drug testing; in particular the prescription of performance enabling drugs (such as medications for ADHD) and the implications on drug testing in sport (therapeutic use exemption implications)

For more information on the Joint Commission on Sports Medicine & Science or any of the information detailed above please feel free to contact SIRC (moreinfo@sirc.ca)

What would you do with $750,000? Facts and Numbers of the Games

With four days until the Opening Ceremony the world is turning its attention to British Columbia. You have probably heard lots about the athletes, the venues, the torch run and maybe some things about how much things are going to cost.

Have you ever considered how much it would cost for a prime-time ad slot during the Olympics? On NBC the going rate for a 30-second prime time slot is $750,000. Although they were predicting taking a $200-million revenue hit during the Games sales have picked up and NBC have sold $820-million in sales. For NBC this is a good thing since shows such as American Idol and Grey’s Anatomy will be competing for ratings on other networks.

Revenue in other areas of the Games is looking good as well. Ticket sales are on track to reach the $251-million target and Canadians have bought over half a million hoodies, toques and scarves and don’t forget the red mittens! They have become the hot item to have for the Games at $10 a pair and are constantly sold out at retail locations.

We have been hearing about the cost of the Games in Vancouver over the past few months and there is a good chance we will be hearing about it for months to come. Some articles that can be found in the SIRC Collection surrounding the cost of the Games include:

Cohen, Andrew (2009). Oh, Canada. Athletic Business, 33(1), 20-22.

Mickle, T. (2010). A Mountain to Climb. Street & Smith's Sportsbusiness Journal, 12(37), 1-16.

Mickle, T., & Ourand, J. (2010). NBC readjusts Games sales goals. Street & Smith's Sportsbusiness Journal, 12(37), 1-27.

Wilner, Barry (2009). VANOC to Glow in the Dark. SportBusiness International, (142), 9.

Although the Games are taking place during a time of recession things are looking brighter the closer we get. Tune into the Opening Ceremonies this Friday to cheer on Canada that’s what we will be doing at SIRC.

The 12 Minute Sport Lawyer – Ottawa Edition

The first installment of the SIRC/CSL Knowledge Management Series was a success! The 12 Minute Lawyer took place yesterday afternoon in Ottawa. If you missed attending you have another chance. Register now for the session held in Toronto on February 23 at SIRC@Sport4Ontario.

Rachel and Steve from the Canadian Centre for Sport and Law led a discussion about some of the hot, legal issues in the sporting community. Time flew by as we talked about social media, music rights, hands-free devices, police checks, human rights and LTAD. Interesting questions to ask yourself include:

• Are you paying SOCAN for music rights during practices? Should you?
• Can you get fired for what you say on Facebook?
• Should you have to play employee fines if they are talking on their phone in the car for business and get caught?
• Do waivers for minors really work?
• How are the changes to police check policies effecting your organization?
• Should you align LTAD with the Athlete Assistance Program?
• Are your employees and volunteers aware and educated on human rights violations?

We are looking forward to Managing Your Intellectual Property, the next KMS in Ottawa. Speakers will discuss the ambush marketing that happened before and during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Make sure you register early!

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics

Check out the latest SIRC Newsletter -2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics!

With the 2010 Winter Olympic Games starting this week in Vancouver, Olympic fever is upon us. It is hard to walk down the street without seeing someone wearing the famous red mittens or open the paper and not see stories about the Vancouver Olympics. These Games are sure to be an action packed two weeks but what will make the Vancouver Olympic Games stick out? Not only have they created what they claim to be the fastest speed skating and luge tracks … ever, they have also created the most sophisticated and comprehensive anti-doping programs yet. It does not end there! VANOC is hoping to pull off the “greenest” Games so far by including initiatives such as planting two trees for every tree that was cut down during the preparation for the Games. So put on your Canadian colours, cheer on our athletes and make these the best Games ever.

SIRC would like to wish all athletes good luck at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics!

http://sirc.ca/newsletters/february10/index.html

Vancouver 2010 Olympics Off to a Great Start!

With the Winter Olympic Games well underway in Vancouver many of us are learning more about sports that we aren’t as familiar with, and learning new facts about our old favourites. Everyone now knows the answer to the question of who was the first Canadian to win gold at a home Games, Alex Bilodeau scored big to win gold in the men’s moguls competition. So how’s your knowledge of the other medaling sports?

Did you know:

• Since results in long track speed skating are given at one one hundredth of a second, radio transponders are used to accurately record time. Antennas are laid in the ice. Each athlete then has a transponder attached to the lace of their boot. Each transponder has a unique ID, so when the athlete goes over the antenna, the transponder is read and the ID is transferred to the results system. Five cameras are also employed to supply photos at the finish line.
• Snowboard cross has been described as the Olympics' version of NASCAR, 80 seconds of pushing, shoving and hurtling down a hill at breakneck speeds. Winning comes through equal parts skill and daring with a dash of luck thrown in.
• If you plan to hit the moguls course, Jen Heil says that having a strong core is the key to being able to react really quickly to the moguls and to allow the body to act as a shock absorber.

SIRC congratulates Canadian medal winners of the past weekend and all Canadian athletes with their Olympic efforts. If you’d like to find out more about the sports profiled at the Olympic Games check out the SIRC resources.