SPARC
Expression of interest: Cycling centre of excellence - 3 Aug 2010
Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) is planning to release a Request for Proposals at the end of October 2010 for the development of a Cycling Centre of Excellence for New Zealand, and an ownership and operational model for its ongoing use. It is planned to notify the successful tenderer and announce the results publicly in mid-April 2011. (SPARC website)
Revised 2010/11 Active Communities Guidelines - Jul 2010
Revised 2010/11Active Communities Guidelines and Expressions of Interest form are now available. SPARC's aim is to invest in projects that will make New Zealand the world's most active nation. (SPARC website)
High Performance Sport
Lotteries fund to support Rugby World Cup festival events - 28 Jul 2010
Public events as part of next year's nationwide Rugby World Cup festival will be supported by a new $9.5 million lotteries fund, Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully and Internal Affairs Minister Nathan Guy announced today. (beehive.govt.nz)
2012 brands on alert after report questions effectiveness of World Cup sponsorship - 29 Jul 2010
London 2012 sponsors have been warned they need to work hard to make the most of their involvement in the Games after new research suggested that backers of this summer's World Cup failed to make much of an impact on the British public. (Sports City)
Plans to keep London moving during the 2012 Olympic Games published - 29 Jul 2010
Plans to ensure that athletes and officials can get to their venues on time, while helping to keep London moving during the London 2012 Games were published recently. (London 2012)
Commonwealth Games chief concerned over corruption claims - 6 Aug 2010
Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Mike Hooper has expressed his "frustration" at the corruption allegations surrounding Delhi 2010, saying they are bringing the reputation of the event into "disrepute". (Sports City)
Organising committee Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 unveils medals for the Games - 6 Aug 2010
Organising Committee Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi today unveiled the victory medals for XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi. Delhi 2010 medals combine sporting excellence with fine craftsmanship. (Delhi 2010)
Sports Development
Sector Strategic Training Plan - Have your say on the sector's needs - Aug 2010
Over the next few months, Skills Active, with the assistance of NZRA, will be developing a
Strategic Training Plan for the Sport, Fitness and Recreation Sector for the TEC. The final plan, which will be completed by the end of 2010, is intended as a guiding document for the whole sector and all those involved in education and training. Opportunities for sector feedback will be via an online survey (sent directly to organisation reps) and nationwide forums on the following dates:
- Mon 30 August Dunedin
- Tues 31 August Christchurch
- Tues 7 September Wellington
- Mon 13 September Manukau
- Tues 14 September North Shore
- Wed 15 September Rotorua
To register for a forum (no charge!) please email your details to Kirsten at NZRA k.malpas@nzrecreation.org.nz, noting which forum you wish to attend.
Paralympics New Zealand looks to the future - 30 Jul 2010
A new logo and renewed view of the future has been confirmed by Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) as they continue their focus on achieving high performance results in the lead up to the London 2012 Paralympic Games and Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympic Games. (New Zealand Academy of Sport, South Island)
IPC and World Snowboard Federation sign Memorandum of Understanding - 26 Jul 2010
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Snowboard Federation (WSF) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to co-operate during the 2010-2011 season to further develop the sport of Para-Snowboard. (International Paralympic Committee)
European Commission's public online consultation on sport: Report now available - 28 Jul 2010
In April this year, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the EU's strategic choices for the implementation of the new EU competence in the field of sport. The consultation was addressed to entities, organisations and citizens with an interest in sport in order to obtain their input for the European Commission's future proposals. The Report on the results of this consultation is now available. (European Commission, Sport)
AFL receives funding to reduce violence against women - 5 Aug 2010
The Australian Football League (AFL) will receive $400,000 in funding as part of the Federal Government's $9 million Respectful Relationships initiative. The AFL launched its Respect and Responsibility Program in 2005 and it now runs across all Australian states and territories, including the 16 AFL clubs. (Australasian Leisure Management)
NFL considering introduction of chip-in-ball technology - 4 Aug 2010
The US National Football League (NFL) is pondering the adoption of a ground-breaking technology that would see balls holding a chip that could send alerts to an official's watch once they cross lines. (SportBusiness International)
Sport Science, Medicine and Coaching
Touch Blacks open womens coach named - 28 Jul 2010
Touch New Zealand would like to congratulate Chris Muagututia on his appointment as Head Coach of the Touch Blacks Open Women's team. (Touch New Zealand)
Notes from recent coach seminar from Dr Peter Haberl, Senior Sport Psychologist, US Olympic Training Centre - 31 Jul 2010
Dr Haberl gave a perspective on the time frame he believes it takes for a Sport Psychologist to have an impact on performance and talked about how you can measure the impact that sport psychology makes through evaluating both quantitatively and qualitatively. (New Zealand Academy of Sport, North Island)
The legend basketball coach John Wooden: A case study in leadership - 2010
Coaches play a very important role in sport. In general, coaches teach and lead their players to complete tasks that govern their performance. There is plenty of research concerning coaches' leadership strategies, traits and behaviors. (The Sport Digest, US Sports Academy)
Training athletes with a physical disability - 27 Jul 2010
This document is a summary of current scientific research about training of athletes with a disability. It is organized by major disability type and the Long-Term Athlete Development stages of development. (Canadian Sport for Life)
Three sessions to improve your swimming - 27 Jul 2010
In swimming, there are only really three key things to keep in mind when planning out your session: 1. Technique 2. Endurance 3. Intensity. (Endurancesport NZ)
Want to get stronger? Go at your own pace - 7 Aug 2010
A strength training technique called autoregulatory progressive resistance exercise (APRE) in which athletes increase strength by progressing at their own pace provides better results than standard techniques in which resistance is steadily increased, reports a study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning. (Medical News Today)
Sports nutrition: The effects of green tea on sports performance - 23 Jul 2010
Green tea has long been researched for its health-giving properties, but what can it do for athletes? Andrew Hamilton looks at the latest findings, some of which are causing real excitement in the sports science community. (Peak Performance)
Little harm seen from painkiller shots for pro athletes - 30 Jul 2010
When professional athletes in sports like football and rugby are injured, they commonly get injections of pain-numbing anesthetics to help them stay in the game. Now a new study suggests that, while safety concerns remain, most athletes may not suffer any long-term harm from the practice. (Reuters Health)
National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Skin diseases - Jul/Aug 2010
This position statement presents recommendations for the prevention, education, and management of skin infections in athletes. (National Athletic Trainers' Association, US)
Sudden cardiac death in athletes: A systematic review - 3 Aug 2010
Considering the importance of sudden cardiac death in athletes and the requisite for an update of this matter, the authors of this review endeavored to describe sudden cardiac death in athletes. (Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy, Rehabilitation, Therapy and Technology)
After ACL injury, lubricating the knee cartilage may prevent osteoarthritis - 7 Aug 2010
An injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is fairly common, especially among young athletes. The injury can lead to increased risk of developing degenerative joint diseases, including osteoarthritis (OA). The problem is that fluid in the knee joint, which lubricates the cartilage, is impacted by the trauma of the injury and begins to deteriorate. A new study identifies options for restoring that lubrication to potentially prevent development of OA. (Medical News Today)
Sports often possible after shoulder replacement - 28 Jul 2010
Many older adults who were active in recreational sports like swimming and golfing can get back into the game after having a total shoulder replacement, a new study suggests. (Reuters Health)
Women have higher protein content of beta-oxidation enzymes in skeletal muscle than men - 6 Aug 2010
It is well recognized that compared with men, women have better ultra-endurance capacity, oxidize more fat during endurance exercise, and are more resistant to fat oxidation defects i.e. diet-induced insulin resistance. (PLoS One)
Reflections on the 2010 Annual Meeting of the European College of Sport Science in Antalya, Turkey - 30 Jul 2010
The ECSS annual conference is the European equivalent of the ACSM annual meeting, but with more emphasis on sport and less emphasis on medical. This conference report, focuses only on presentations relevant to athletic performance. (Sportscience)
Impact factors of journals in sport and exercise science and medicine for 2010 - 4 Aug 2010
This article is the authors annual update of the impact factor (mean cites per article per year) of journals in the disciplines of exercise and sport science and medicine, cribbed from the latest edition of Journal Citation Reports at the Thompson Reuters/ISI Web of Knowledge site. (Sportscience)
Active Communities
Olympic pool heated by local wood chips - 4 Aug 2010
A wood chip boiler installed at the Gisborne Olympic Pool in June has started to pay dividends. The old gas heater was 30 years old and cost $150,000 per year in energy costs. It has been replaced by an Austrian made wood boiler that is fuelled by wood chips sourced from locally-grown timber off-cuts that might otherwise go to waste. (Gisborne District Council, NZ)
Te Arawa Pride: strengthening wellness and te arawatanga through sport and traditional activity - 5 Aug 2010
Te Papa Takaro o Te Arawa (TPTOTA) is a Maori provider responsible for sport, physical activity, recreation, education, culture and health. TPTOTA was established from strong philosophical foundations — which continually shape and inspire a far-reaching initiative called Te Arawa Pride. Through sport and traditional physical activity, Te Arawa Pride is engaging Te Arawa whanau, hapu, iwi and marae, strengthening tribal identity, tikanga (customs) and cohesiveness.
(SPARC website)
Why active living? A health, economic, environmental and social solution - 30 Jul 2010
There is a rapidly growing body of evidence, which demonstrates that being active in everyday life not only has substantial positive impacts on our health, but also has potential environmental, social and economic benefits. (NSW Premier's Council for Active Living, Australia)
Women and strength training: Weighty issues - 2 Aug 2010
"People who lift weights are generally leaner," said Lou Schuler, a strength and conditioning expert. "This idea that pounds of muscle are suddenly going to appear on a woman's body because she lifts weights is just a delusion." (Reuters Health)
Environmental, psychological, and social influences on physical activity among Japanese adults: Structural equation modeling analysis - 5 Aug 2010
The present study examines the direct and indirect effects of environmental, psychological, and social factors on walking, moderate-intensity activity excluding walking, and vigorous-intensity activity among Japanese adults. (International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity)
The Sport Northern Ireland Disability Action Plan 2009-2012 - Jul 2010)
This Disability Action Plan is a statement of Sport Northern Ireland's commitment to and proposals for fulfilling the statutory obligations in compliance with Section 49A of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 (as amended by the Disability Discrimination (NI) Order 2006). (Sport Northern Ireland)
Recreation
Walkway user numbers boom in July - 5 Aug 2010
A dry July, an iconic bridge and the recent school holidays have kept New Plymouth District's parks and walkways very busy with users. (New Plymouth District Council, NZ)
Scottish people encouraged to get outdoors more often - 20 Jul 2010
People in Scotland are being encouraged to get outdoors more often to enjoy nature as research shows that more than half (53%) of all Scottish households visit the great outdoors less than once a week. (Scottish Natural Heritage, UK)
Connecting Americans to the great outdoors - Summer 2010
America's scenic and natural resources have always been a source of national pride, but the evidence is mixed about how often Americans go outdoors. Some argue that the popularity of nature recreation is steadily declining, and the author Richard Louv has even coined the term "nature deficit disorder" to describe the suggested lack of exposure to nature as a condition with a broad range of harmful consequences. (Resources for the Future, US)
'Nature Nearby': Accessible natural greenspace guidance - Mar 2010
This guidance is aimed at parks and greenspace practitioners and their partners, particularly decision makers, planners and managers of green space. It describes the amount, quality and visitor services of accessible natural green spaces that Natural England believe everyone is entitled to, and provides advice on how they can be delivered. (Natural England)
Young People
City of Sails welcomes the youth Olympic flame - 2 Aug 2010
The Youth Olympic Flame, on a mission to spread the spirit of Olympism to youth around the world by travelling to one celebration city in each continent, has arrived in Auckland, NZ. This marked the penultimate stop on the Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame that spans five continents, as a prelude to the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. (NZOC)
Youth Olympic Games are about far more than just medals - 3 Aug 2010
The inaugural Youth Olympic Games are about far more than just medals. That's because alongside the exciting sports competition that will take place in Singapore, the YOG will also feature an extensive Culture and Education Programme, which aims to introduce young athletes to Olympism and the Olympic values, and to raise awareness on important issues such as the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, sustainability and the fight against doping. (The Olympic Movement)
44% of men too worried to help child in need: In case of accusation of abduction, finds new research for Playday - 3 Aug 2010
New figures released for Playday 2010 reveal that the loss of community spirit in Britain is leading to children not being allowed to play outside where they live. (Play England, UK)
Wealthier families benefit most from Canada's children's fitness tax credit - 3 Aug 2010
When it comes to who gets the biggest bang for the buck from Canada's Children's Fitness Tax Credit (CFTC), it's wealthier families that benefit most, University of Alberta researchers have found. (Medical News Today)
Physical activity and sedentary behaviour typologies of 10-11 year olds - 28 Jul 2010
Targeted interventions may be more effective at increasing children's physical activity. The aim of this study was to identify clusters of children based on physical activity and sedentary patterns across the week. (International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity)
Useful Weblinks
New Zealand events resource bank
This Events Resource Bank has been developed by New Zealand Major Events in partnership with the New Zealand Association of Event Professionals. It draws on the 'tried and true' knowledge and expertise of some of New Zealand's most experienced and successful event professionals. It is a practical resource for New Zealand major event organisers and owners - a one-stop shop to support the major events industry in New Zealand.
Exploratorium: Sports science
The museum of science, art and human perception. The Exploratorium has so much to offer — hundreds of exhibits, dozens of programs, and thousands of web pages.
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