In this Relay
Sport New Zealand
Sport New Zealand strategic plan 2012-2015 – 2012 (PDF, 1.33 Mb)
The refreshed strategic plan includes a renewed focus on regional delivery, sport in schools and better support clubs, and a more coherent strategy for talent development. New areas of focus include sport outside the traditional club structure, with focus on the changing lives and needs of young people. The plan seeks to help sports bodies become more commercially capable and provide advice on the planning and development of sports facilities around the country. (Sport New Zealand)
Young people
Welsh kids to benefit from big sporting changes – 22 Nov 2011
Big changes to the way children in Wales gain the skills to take part in sport are hitting schools and clubs in 2012. A new buzzword - multi-skills - will enter the Welsh sporting dictionary, with a pilot scheme already taking shape that will see early age children get kitted out for all sports. (Sport Wales)
Free cricket games for English youth thanks to lottery grant – 26 Jun 2012
Hundreds of young adults living in inner city communities affected by youth crime and anti-social behaviour will be given free cricket sessions, thanks to a National Lottery grant of just under £1million. The funding from Sport England will provide weekly cricket to around 11,000 16 to 24 year olds in deprived areas of Birmingham, Bristol, Hull, Liverpool, London and Manchester over the next three years. (Sport England)
‘Keep Her on the Field’ Campaign Aims to Get Teenage Girls Back in the Game – 28 Jun 2012
The Women's Sports Foundation is launching "Keep Her on the Field," (resource in our Useful Weblinks section) a campaign that, through a series of public service announcements and social media initiatives, aims to keep young girls involved in athletic programs through their teenage years. One aspect of the campaign involves women changing their Facebook avatars to photographs of themselves as 14-year-old athletes with the caption "If I walked away then I wouldn't be here now." The campaign already has its share of high profile supporters among the likes of Billy Jean King and Serena Williams.
“Can Sport Help Develop Life Skills?” – July 2012
During the London 2012 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games television viewers will be regaled with stories of how athletes overcame adversity, training setbacks, injury, or even personal tragedy to reach the pinnacle of their sporting careers. But can sport really help develop life skills? The answer is yes, but only when sport is delivered in appropriate ways.
Australian schools shy away from risk, limiting uptake of outdoor education – 20 Jun 2012
A risk-averse culture and cost cutting are being blamed for limiting the uptake of outdoor education among schools as experts reveal that activities including treks from Mount Kosciuszko to the mouth of the Snowy River, snow trips, rafting, and hiking on week-long adventures are delivering enormous results for students. (Outdoors Queensland)
New project to draw young people into British National Parks – 24 Jul 2012
Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are being given the chance to boost their skills and confidence and get active in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. More than £250,000 will be ploughed into a new project to encourage more young people between 16 and 25 to learn new skills in the Yorkshire Dales and four of England’s other national parks. (Countryside Recreation Network)
Hip function and running mechanics in youth athletes – June 2011
This thesis has sought knowledge of hip function and running mechanics in youth athletes; specifically, whether a lower limb functional exercise programme can reduce hip and knee frontal plane motion in this cohort. (AUT University)
Is a cognitive-behavioural biofeedback intervention useful to reduce injury risk in junior football players? – June 2012
Previous research has suggested that it could be possible to reduce sports injuries through psychological skills training. This study examined the extent to which a cognitive behavioural bio-feedback intervention could reduce the number of sports injuries in a sample of players in Swedish elite football high schools. (Journal of Sports Science and Medicine)
Community sport and recreation
Irish Sports Council publishes Irish Sports Monitor report 2011 – 11 Jul 2012
The fourth Irish Sports Monitor report, for 2011, has been published. The report measures adult participation in sport and physical activity and compares it with previously published information. It shows very significant increases in the levels of engagement with sport across active and social participation measures between 2009 and 2011. The Irish Sports Monitor report is also available in full. (Irish Sports Council)
Taking Part survey shows sports participation on increase in England – June 2012
The latest release from the Taking Part survey highlights an increase in the numbers of English adults playing sport. The survey showed an increase in the proportion of adults participating in at least one session of 30 minutes of moderate intensity sport in the last week. Taking Part is a continuous face-to-face survey with adults aged 16 and over living in private households in England. (Department for Culture, Media and Sport UK)
Paralympians back new sports training guide for disabled people – 9 Jul 2012
English Federation of Disability Sport has created a new specialist training guide for disabled people keen to get into sport. The Get Into Sport guide, is for disabled people who need advice on where to begin with their training, and how to choose a sport that is right for them. Complementing the guide is an online hub, full of useful information and blog entries from disabled people, athletes and Paralympians. (English Federation of Disability Sport)
Victorian sports clubs give unhealthy habits the boot – 2 Jul 2012
Hundreds of sports clubs across Victoria will make sweeping changes to become healthier places, with new $3.3 million VicHealth funding announced. Clubs that participate in VicHealth’s Healthy Sporting Environments programme will strive to become healthier by addressing six preventable illness risk factors. (VicHealth)
UK coach tracking study – 2012
The Coach Tracking Study was a four year research project that followed more than 400 coaches for four years. This report looks at the coaches’ experiences, motivations, development and the support they have received. (Sportscoach UK)
Independent review of swim coaching services at Moana pool – 18 Jul 2012
A review of swim coaching services at Moana Pool has been completed by an independent panel. The report from the review contains the panel’s recommendations and involves some significant changes to the management of swim coaching. (Dunedin City Council)
Netball calls on AFL umpire expert to review pathway – 28 Jun 2012
Netball Australia has announced that respected umpire coach and educator David Levens will lead a review of netball’s national umpire pathway. Netball Australia chief executive Kate Palmer said a review was timely, with increased expectations of umpires’ performance accompanying the growth of the sport and the need to ensure that the number of umpires at the grassroots level can meet the sport's needs. (Netball Australia)
British Rugby Football Union to go beyond rugby at Twickenham – 12 Jul 2012
The British RFU hosted an exploration of rugby's role as a force for positive change at Beyond Rugby, a ground breaking event at Twickenham Stadium on July 24. RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie and fellow speakers joined global experts, NGO's and leaders of on-the-ground projects to debate and drive forward the role rugby can play in local communities and in transforming lives. (British Rugby Football Union)
Outdoor recreation
British survey underlines importance of local greenspaces – 3 Jul 2012
Natural England has published its third year of findings in the definitive survey of the way people enjoy the great English outdoors. The Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment survey, which sampled 47, 000 people in 2011/12, provides a unique data set on long term trends in countryside usage. The latest monthly update is available on the Natural England website. (Natural England)
Abel Tasman foreshore management plan approved – 28 Jun 2012
A management plan for the Abel Tasman foreshore has been approved. The Abel Tasman Foreshore Scenic Reserve Management Plan 2012-2018, will come into effect from 1 November this year. (Tasman District Council)
Regional parks to thrive under long-term plan – 10 Jul 2012
Over the next 10 years, Auckland Council's network of 25 regional parks will offer more opportunities for Aucklanders to visit, stay overnight and get active. The now adopted Long Term Plan identifies more than $80 million of investment in increasing camping opportunities, increasing connectivity through track improvements and land purchases, and developing recreation opportunities. (Auckland Council)
New bridge to increase Huatoki walkway use – 6 Jul 2012
A new link is being created on Huatoki Walkway to enable more people to use it easily. Work is underway on building a shared pedestrian and cycle bridge to link Sycamore Grove with the walkway. (New Plymouth District Council)
Regular physical activity in natural environments halves risk of poor mental health – 20 Jun 2012
Regular exercise in a natural environment may cut the risk of suffering from poor mental health by half, according to a new Scottish study published by CRESH. Rich Mitchell studied the use of natural and non-natural environments for physical activity, like walking, running and cycling. He found regular use of natural environments such as forests and parks seemed to protect against mental ill-health, whilst use of non-natural environments like a gym, did not. (Centre for Research on Environment Society and Health)
High performance
Psychologist gets athletes ahead at the Games – 5 Jul 2012
Athletes can spend years preparing their bodies physically for the Olympics, but to become a champion the mind also needs to be prepared. Massey’s Professor of Sport Psychology Gary Hermansson will be helping New Zealand’s Olympic team get in the right headspace in London as the team’s sport psychologist. (Massey University)
Olympic hopefuls sign on as ambassadors – 25 Jul 2012
The New Zealand Olympic men’s lightweight double scull rowers Peter Taylor and Storm Uru have rowed into new territory, as Outward Bound’s latest ambassadors. The duo recently took time out from their gruelling schedule to sign on to the charity’s Ambassador Programme. (Outward Bound)
Battle against injury and illness – 25 Jul 2012
In the sports world of marginal gains, athletes, coaches and support staff are working tirelessly to gain a performance edge at this year’s Olympic Games. With no stone left unturned, viewing the presence of injury and illness as ‘performance threats’ has led to a novel approach being introduced by researchers at the English Institute of Sport and UK Sport. (English Institute of Sport)
Why isn’t women’s canoe in the Olympics? – 5 Jul 2012
This opinion piece examines the absence of women’s canoe from the Olympics. The author reflects on a number of factors they feel contribute to the lower level presence of women’s sport at the Olympics, including leadership in the sport, varying degrees of acceptance within the sport, and perceptions of women’s readiness and ability to participate. (WomenCAN International)
Sport and exercise science and medicine: building on the Olympic legacy to improve the nation’s health – 18 Jul 2012
In this report two questions were asked: how robust is the research and evidence base for improving the performance of elite and non-elite athletes; and how can this knowledge be translated into treatments and preventative interventions to improve the nation’s health? There was a focus on bio-medical research that could enhance the performance of the individual. (British House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology)
Big sporting events key to attracting investment, say emerging economies – 26 Jul 2012
Businesses in emerging markets most value the ability of big sporting events to attract investment to their economies, whilst counterparts in developed economies view them as less important, according to new research. As a result, developed economies must work hard to maximise the economic opportunity these events present and win support from businesses. (Grant Thornton International)
£19.4m Olympic legacy boost for grassroots sports clubs in Britain – 18 Jul 2012
Sports clubs around the UK are celebrating after securing a share of almost £20 million of Olympic legacy funding. (Department for Culture, Media and Sport UK)
British Prime Minister sets out commitment to London 2012 legacy – 5 July 2012
The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has set out the UK Government's commitment to establishing a sustainable legacy from the Games. He paid particular attention to the success of the School Games andChange4Life Sports Clubs, two programmes which the Youth Sport Trust is delivering in partnership with government, Sport England and others. (Youth Sport Trust)
Organisational capability
Preparing female sport management students for leadership roles in sport – July 2012
Women are consistently under-represented at the higher management levels of New Zealand sport organisations, as is the case across the sectors in New Zealand and internationally. In order to better understand the New Zealand situation this research sought a better understanding of the educational experiences of recent female sport management and physical education graduates; and the career pathways of recent sport management and physical education graduates, and female chief executives in the New Zealand sport sector. (Ako Aotearoa)
Workforce development plan - Western Australian sport, recreation and racing industries – 30 Nov 2011
The plan identifies the skills and workforce development priorities for Western Australia’s sport, recreation and racing industries and foresee emerging influences on workforce development and training issues. This report describes the environment in which the sport, recreation and racing industries are currently operating in Western Australia. It sets out the industry critical skills which are necessary for future sustainability and growth. (Creative and Leisure Industries Training Council, Western Australia)
“Survival: the on-going challenge of having to deliver more with less” – 2011/2012
This New Zealand 2011 Not For Profit full survey report confirms that organisations in this sector, similar to their counterparts in the for profit sector, are not immune from the significant and often devastating effects of disasters – be they physical, financial or human. (Grant Thornton International)
Unlocking key to support a winner for professional sports teams – 13 Jul 2012
“How does this phenomenon of 'fandom' occur? How does it evolve and develop so that someone who is initially casually aware of a club becomes more involved with a particular team?" are questions occupying the mind of Griffith University PhD student Jason Doyle. The answer, he believes, could help to ensure the sustainability of new and emerging professional sports teams. (Griffith University)
Perry group signs five year deal with PureBlack racing – 10 Jul 2012
Perry Group have partnered with PureBlack Racing as a Foundation Partner over the next five years to invest in developing and promoting New Zealand cycle racing on the global stage. This partnership will also enable PureBlack Racing to relocate their headquarters to the Waikato and be based at Avantidrome, The Home of Cycling, from 2013. (Cycling NZ)
How strategists lead – July 2012
A Harvard Business School professor reflects on what she has learned from senior executives about the unique value that strategic leaders can bring to their companies. The full article, if you are introduced can be freely accessed following registration. (McKinsey Quarterly)
Sports science and technology
Scotland's sporting future boosted by new sports science facility – 18 Jun 2012
A new sports science centre at the University of Stirling will prepare Scotland's sporting talent to perform on the world stage. The High Performance Sports Science and Sports Medicine Facility is a £1.1 million development funded jointly by Stirling, Scotland's University for Sporting Excellence, and sportscotland. Two main laboratories will enable bio-mechanical analysis and performance assessment of athletes. (sportscotland)
Study identifies why women don’t wear sports bras – 24 Jun 2012
Bra shoulder straps have been identified as the biggest deterrent to women not wearing a sports bra when exercising. The results were featured in a study within the May 2012 issue of the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. Despite it being shown that well-designed sports bras are effective in limiting excessive breast motion and related breast pain, less than half of the survey respondents wore a sports bra during physical activity. (Sports Medicine Australia)
Innovative technology serves up a new hope to the future of tennis – 4 Jul 2012
The UK’s leading sports engineers, an innovative British technology company, and the Lawn Tennis Association have worked in partnership to look for the first time in 3D detail at the spine during serve. (Loughborough University)
Anaerobic and aerobic fitness profiling of competitive surfers – August 2012
Despite widespread popularity of competitive surfing internationally, very little research has investigated the physiological profile of surf athletes and attempted to identify the relationships between physiological measures and surfing performance. This study, from AUT University, determined the peak oxygen uptake from an incremental ramp test and anaerobic power during a 10-second maximal-paddling burst using a surf paddle–specific modified kayak ergometer, customised with a surfboard and hand paddles. (Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research)
Blood test for concussion damage – 4 Jun 2012
A blood test that could detect the amount of damage to the brain, post-concussion, is now being investigated with promising results. The new testing method could lead to greater precision in the diagnosis of concussion severity and help inform the critical ´return to play´ decision made by coaches and team medical staff. (International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education
Soccer ankle sprains occur more often when the two feet have different strengths – 25 Jun 2012
Professional soccer players tend to suffer from more ankle sprains when one foot is stronger than the other, researchers from the University of Athens reported in the American Journal of Sports Medicine. Players can sprain their ankle when a joint ligament is torn or over-stretched, usually because of a difficult landing or a violent twist. (Medical News Today)
Off the bench: Places and spaces
A review of benefits and issues associated with natural grass and artificial turf rectangular stadium fields – 14 Sep 2011
This extensive report compares natural grass and artificial turf surfaces and addresses topics such as playability, lifecycle cost, health concerns and environmental impacts. A summary document of the report is also available (attached to this memorandum). (Montgomery County Council, US)
Options for improving the usage capacity, quality and safety of sport surfaces – November 2011
This report summarises the major development options available for improving the performance of a sports field, thereby improving the playing quality for user groups throughout the year, achieving greater levels of use, , improving the safety of each venue and reducing the risk of the fields being unavailable to user groups due to unsuitable ground conditions. (Sports Turf Institute)
Pros and cons of artificial turf in sports – 13 July 2012
This brief article discusses environmental factors, cost and maintenance, impact on game play and injury impact from using artificial playing surfaces. (azcentral)
Human health issues on synthetic turf in the USA – June 2011
As the popularity of in-filled synthetic turf continues to increase, concerns over potentially negative impacts on the health of field users have arisen. One of the main health issues on synthetic turf fields is high surface temperature, which can contribute to physiological stress of athletes and cause serious heat-related illnesses. Another issue that has received attention is the possibility of athletes contracting bacterial skin infections, specifically those caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. (Pennsylvania State University)
Wellington’s artificial sportsfields popular – 9 Jul 2012
Wellington’s new artificial turfs are proving to be a winner with football and rugby players across the city. The new fields are having an overwhelmingly positive impact on winter sports, with fewer cancelled games and more training and playing time. (Wellington City Council)
Westpac Stadium “Staying on Top of Our Game” plan –July 2012
Westpac Stadium is about to start its next phase of development. This document not only looks back on the stadium’s development, it details the plan to open the stadium up to its Wellington waterfront location, letting in more light and views of the waterfront and city. (Westpac Stadium)
Useful websites
How Can You Help Keep Her in the Game?
Sports help girls in all aspects of their lives, which is why it’s so important to keep every girl in the game. Parents, Grandparents, Coaches and Teachers: What Can You Do? These resources will provide you, an important person in a girls’ life, with the pertinent information to keep your girls in the game.
US Olympic Committee Sport Performance Division Nutrition Factsheets
The professional nutrition specialists at the U.S. Olympic Committee have put together a variety of informational materials for athletes, coaches, and parents. In this section you can find access to these materials to learn more about sport-specific diet, travel nutrition, and eating guidelines.
Sports and Social Media: 3 Innovative Examples
More than 80 percent of sports fans use social media while watching a game on TV, and more than 60 percent when watching a game live. With those numbers, sports brands have excellent opportunities to use social media, here are some of the best examples