In this Relay

• Young People
• Community Sport and Recreation
• Outdoor Recreation
• High Performance
• Organisational Capability
• Sports Science and Technology
• Off the Bench: Athlete Development

Young People

Game On Scotland case studies - 2014 Game on Scotland is the official education programme of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and its legacy. It aims to provide inspiration and learning and teaching opportunities related to Glasgow 2014. These case studies use the Games as a context for learning. (Game On Scotland) Commonwealth Games resilience - 2014 This teaching resource takes young people behind the scenes of the Games, revealing some of the challenges that planners deal with. (British Red Cross) Everyone deserves a sporting chance - 3 Jul 2014 Making sport available to all and not just the elite is the aim two of the newest members of Sport-Scotland's Young People's Sport Panel. Their opinions will help influence and shape the future of sport in Scotland. (Evening Times) Performance Coach Advance Programme launched - 23 Jun 2014 This programme aims to improve the quality of coaches working with talented pre-elite 15-21-year-old athletes. It has been launched by Sport New Zealand in partnership with national and regional sport organisations and regional sport trusts. (Sport New Zealand) Christchurch Youth Wellbeing Survey results highlight areas of need - 26 Jun 2014 Christchurch young people's recovery needs are outlined in the results of the 2013 Youth Wellbeing Survey (PDF). Loss of sports and recreation facilities is the second most likely issue to still be having a moderate or major negative impact on young people's everyday lives. (Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority) Give girls a voice or risk putting them off PE and sport for life, warns Youth Sport Trust - 26 Jun 2014 Schools risk putting girls off PE and sport for life if they don't give them a voice in how the subject should be delivered. This is one of the findings of Girls Active (PDF), a one-year pilot programme in British schools investigating how to make sport appealing to girls. (Youth Sport Trust) Active After School case study - 18 Mar 2014 (PDF) This Canadian publication outlines key learnings and best practice from a mentoring project designed to increase female participation in physical activity, teach fundamental movement skills and build a foundation for life-long participation. (Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity) Women, sports, and development: does it pay to let girls play? - March 2014 (PDF) This policy brief reviews the evidence that young women and youth in general who participate in sports are more likely to attain educational success and that girls who play sports do better in school, suffer fewer health problems and achieve more in areas dominated by men. (Peterson Institute for International Economics)

Community Sport and Recreation

Developing "Advantage Canterbury" - 2 Jul 2014 Regional sporting organisations throughout the country face similar challenges. Check out the Canterbury region's approach to these challenges - providing sector staff with professional development that may set the sporting-proud province apart. (Sport Canterbury) Whangarei District Council inner city revitalisation - 18 Jun 2014 (PDF) This document features a report on the progress of the Whangarei walking and cycling strategy and includes a discussion paper outlining the implementation of the strategy and details of development. (Whangarei District Council) 10 problems and solutions for the grassroots sports industry - 20 Feb 2014 This article lists the main problems in the grassroots sports facility industry, it poses possible explanations and suggests solutions to address them. (Open Play) Inclusive Sport Survey - April 2014 (PDF) This anonymous survey was open to anyone who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex and lived in the Australian Capital Territory or its surrounding regions. It found that over 40% of respondents have felt unsafe in a sporting environment. (Australian Capital Territory Government) How do couples influence each other's physical activity behaviours in retirement? An exploratory qualitative study - 18 Dec 2013 (PDF) As most older adults approach retirement as part of a couple, a better understanding of how spousal pairs influence each other's physical activity behaviour in retirement may help inform more effective interventions to promote physical activity in older age. This qualitative study aimed to explore and describe how couples influence each other's physical activity behaviour in retirement. (BMC Public Health) Disability Resource - 2014 This website has been designed and written for volunteers and staff who provide sport and active recreation programmes for people with disabilities. It provides resource kits and news updates for the sector. (Disability Resource) US 2014 state of the sport - running industry report - 15 Jun 2014 Over the past decade, as the second running boom has continued robustly with more traditional and non-traditional running events and record numbers of finishers, the growth in general running participation has also grown to record heights. (Running USA)

Outdoor Recreation

Kitesurfing: action, (inter)action and mediation - 2013 (PDF) This thesis approaches the emergent sport of kitesurfing, in the context of the growth of so-called “lifestyle sportsâ€ù. Drastic increase in participation, the manifestation of sporting sub-cultures and the growing adventure tourism industry have given impetus to academic investigation of this phenomenon. (Auckland University of Technology) Economic, social and biological attributes of two marine reserves within New Zealand - 2013 This New Zealand thesis investigates how established marine reserves are performing in terms of social, economic, social and biological goals and contributing to society‘s well-being within New Zealand. Click on the icon at the bottom of the page to download. (Victoria University of Wellington) Changes afoot on Both Sides of the Fence - 3 Jun 2014 A new-look home page, improved image gallery and more comprehensive teaching materials are among major upgrades being introduced on the Walking Access Commission's Both Sides of the Fence education website. (NZ Walking Access Commission) SOPARNA: system for observing physical activity and recreation in natural areas - April 2014 (PDF) SOPARNA has been designed for use as a valid direct observation methodology for measuring recreation and physical activity-related behavior in outdoor recreation settings such as forests, wildlands, wilderness zones, and natural open spaces. (Active Living Research) Parks and trails health impact assessment toolkit - November 2013 Research examining the connection between parks, trails, and health has helped identify the value that parks provide to people. (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) An evaluation of the importance of site characteristics on freshwater-based recreations in the United States - 2014 (PDF) Amenities at recreation sites are important not only to maintain healthy life of recreation sites, but also to provide visitors greater inspiration to visit these sites. Using freshwater-based recreation data from a national survey, this study found that closeness and size were the two most important qualities. (AgEcon Search)

High Performance

Commonwealth Games remain crucial for sports prosperity - 26 Jun 2014 An Australian sports marketing specialist, discusses his view that the Commonwealth Games is fertile ground for the promotion of the sports on show and the Commonwealth Games as a brand itself. (Sports Business Insider) Scots eye Commonwealth gains - 2 May 2014 Scottish people are optimistic that the upcoming Commonwealth Games will be good for the country in terms of both the economy and lifestyle, research from YouGov's Scottish Omnibus survey (PDF) shows. (YouGov) Glasgow 2014 thrilled by record-breaking response to appeal for Games volunteers - 1 Mar 2013 Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games organisers have said 50,811 thank-yous - to every one of the individuals who came forward to offer their services as part the volunteer force which will be at the heart of the city and Scotland's Games. (Glasgow 2014) Glasgow City Council announces new legacy figures - 26 Jun 2014 Glasgow City Council has announced new legacy figures for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games outlining the benefits which have been achieved for the city so far. Some £401 million of Games-related contracts have been awarded so far, with over half of these going to Glasgow-based firms and organisations. (Glasgow City Council) M?tauranga M?ori at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games - 12 May 2014 (PDF) M?tauranga M?ori can be defined as ‘the knowledge, comprehension, or understanding of everything visible and invisible existing in the universe', and is often used synonymously with wisdom. This article traces the trajectory of m?tauranga M?ori into the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth games teams over a six-year period. (MAI Journal) Dreams becoming reality for Silver Ferns manager - 2014 The Silver Ferns' operations manager has been managing the Ferns for the best part of six years and is about to embark on her second Commonwealth Games. (Netball NZ) New Zealand's sporting culture to be showcased at World Masters Games 2017 - 27 Jun 2014 Some 28 sports and 45 disciplines have been confirmed into the sporting programme for the World Masters Games 2017, in Auckland A feature is the inclusion of uniquely Pacific sports or disciplines such as waka ama and Weta class sailing for a distinctly kiwi feel. (World Masters Games 2017) Mimetic, coercive and normative influences and the decision of national sport organisations to bid for world championship events - 2013 (PDF) This local research investigates the pressures on a national sport organisation's decision to bid for a world championship event. The results contribute to the knowledge of institutional pressures and provide a clearer understanding of the dynamics underpinning decisions to bid. (Auckland University of Technology)

Organisational Capability

Sustainable event management - 3 Jun 2014 This site outlines a Scottish Government programme dedicated to sustainable event management of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the creation of a legacy to increase the understanding of how sustainability can be properly embedded into future events across Scotland. (Scottish Government) Commonwealth Games Legacy Active Scotland Skills Group: Legacy skills report - June 2010 (PDF) This review and the resulting workforce development plan examines the nature of the workforce required to meet the needs of delivering the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and accommodating the positive impact of the Games on participation. Please note this document downloads directly to desktop. (Skills Development Scotland) Commercial pillars in grassroots sport - 2014 (PDF) This paper advocates that sport organisations streamline their administrative functions from the national level through to local sports clubs by using common systems, reporting and metrics to measure and manage their activities. (IMG Sports Technology Group) NRL Nines reaps $9million return for Auckland - 16 Jun 2014 The inaugural NRL Auckland Nines delivered more than double the forecast return on investment. In addition to being well attended by Aucklanders, the event attracted 16,000 Kiwis from around the country and more than 6,000 people made the trip across the Tasman. (Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development) NZ Football records 2013 surplus - 16 Jun 2014 For the sixth year in succession, New Zealand Football has delivered a positive financial return, highlighting the success of the Whole of Football Plan and the continued growth in the game. (NZ Football) FIFA World Cup claims Facebook interaction record - 30 Jun 2014 Football's 2014 FIFA World Cup has claimed a new record by becoming the most talked-about event in the history of social networking platform Facebook. Between the first game and the second set of games on June 29, the competition generated one billion interactions from 220 million people. (SportBusiness International) Sport and social media - June 2014 Sport and social media are now irrevocably intertwined with fans actively engaged with their favourite athletes and sport teams on a regular basis. SIRC has compiled information on social media training for athletes, developing a social media policy, how to leverage social media for your next sport event and how to increase fan engagement. (SIRC) The social media scoreboard: accurately valuing your social media assets in sports - 5 Jun 2014 The new social media habits of fans should be viewed as being far more valuable than they currently are currently in many sponsorship deals. Social media is often treated as a “value addâ€ù that is thrown into a larger package. However, it can be far more valuable than that. (sporttechie)

Sports Science and Technology

High-tech tennis racquet comes with a built-in digital coach - 5 Jun 2014 Before Julia Görges stepped onto the court at the French Open on May 26, the German tennis pro did something strange. She stopped to switch on her racquet. Görges was the first player to use the Play Pure Drive, a digitally enhanced racquet created by the French company Babolat. (Bloomberg Businessweek) In the long run: keeping track of athletes with wearable tech - 31 Mar 2014 Today's coaches aren't satisfied with analysing highlights footage post-match to get stats. To help gather and collate information, the CSIRO has developed an exceptionally accurate wireless position location system that works anywhere that current global positioning system satellites can't reach. (The Conversation) Students develop 'bruise trousers' to detect impacts from sports - 16 Jun 2014 Prototype trousers that enable people with paralysis to more easily detect potential injuries after sport has been developed. The ‘bruise trousers' consist of light-fitting, breathable, high-waisted Lycra trousers and reactive film. (Imperial College London) Tips for runners with intestinal problems - 2014 Many runners suffer from ongoing intestinal issues related to running. This article focuses on the causes of gastrointestinal upset in runners, potential triggers and strategies that may reduce the occurrence of symptoms. (Worldwide Running) Tips for managing your sports nutrition goals as a gluten free athlete - 12 May 2014 These tips will help ensure your nutrition plan is as optimal as it can be for your health and sporting performance, while managing gluten intolerance or a low gluten diet. (Sports Dieticians Australia) Pre-exercise nutrition: the role of macronutrients, modified starches and supplements on metabolism and endurance performance - 29 Apr 2014 (PDF) Endurance athletes rarely compete in the fasted state, as this may compromise fuel stores. Thus, the timing and composition of the pre-exercise meal is a significant consideration for optimising metabolism and subsequent endurance performance. (Nutrients) A step towards personalised sports nutrition: carbohydrate intake during exercise - 3 May 2014 There have been significant changes in the understanding of the role of carbohydrates during endurance exercise in recent years, which allows for more specific and personalised advice. These new guidelines may replace existing guidelines for carbohydrate intake during endurance exercise. (Sports Medicine) Vitamin D and mood: effects of vitamin D supplementation on Brunel Mood Scale score in semi-professional rugby union players - June 2013 (PDF) Mood is important in the athletic environment as the response to training is partially dependent on psychological state, thus monitoring mood can help to prevent overtraining. This study concludes that players who are vitamin D replete obtain no mood benefit from supplementation. (Otago University)

Off the Bench: Athlete Development

Long-term athlete development 2.0 - 19 Feb 2014 (PDF) This consultation paper describes a 7-stage Canadian framework of long-term athlete development, a training, competition, and recovery programme based on developmental age - the maturation level of an individual - rather than chronological age. This resource is an update on the original 2005 paper. (Canadian Sport for Life) Canada Soccer unveils new unified technical development vision - 3 Jun 2014 Canada Soccer has unveiled its unified technical development vision, entitled: “Canada Soccer Pathway. Your Goals. Our Game.â€ù The aim is to identify and develop elite players, using its long-term player development community guide (PDF) and Women's EXCEL programme guide (PDF). (Canada Soccer) Ultimate Canada long-term athlete development model - 7 Apr 2014 (PDF) “Ultimateâ€ù continues to gain popularity in Canada as word spreads about this easy to learn sport that challenges players to throw, catch, run and jump in order to move a disc down the field. The long-term athlete development model creates an opportunity to define a pathway and develop programmes to support current and future athletes. (Canadian Sport for Life) Australian Institute of Sport - Pathways - 2013 FTEM (representing foundations, talent, elite and mastery) is a user-friendly framework of sporting development that is representative of the ‘whole of sport' pathway continuum. It provides a practical method to assist sporting stakeholders to construct a more functional athlete and sport development system. (Australian Institute of Sport) Australian Canoeing national pathway strategy canoe sprint 2014-2016 - 2014 (PDF) In order to ensure international success into the future, Australian Canoeing has created high quality sustainable pathways for athletes and coaches, with a clear, evidence-based methodology for how to identify and develop talent. (Australian Canoeing) New trans-Tasman sporting and educational partnership and performance centre for Northland - June 2014 Northland-based NorthTec has announced the establishment of an educational partnership with the Gold Coast Titans, as well as the launch of the Graham Lowe Sports Performance Centre. The centre plans to establish strategic partnerships with professional franchises to provide a pathway for young talent in the Northland region. (NorthTec) New pathways opening for youth - 25 Jun 2014 A series of rugby league academies around the country may soon prepare New Zealand's burgeoning talent for professional and international careers. The scheme is designed to keep home-grown players in New Zealand longer before trying their hands in the NRL. (NZ Rugby League)

Useful Weblinks

New Zealand Olympic Committee's Glasgow 2014 site This site counts down to Glasgow, streaming New Zealand team news updates and linking to social media updates from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Sport NZ's sport and recreation pathway site The pathway incorporates the dual aims of lifelong participation in sport with achieving high performance success, both delivered as part of one integrated sport and recreation system. See also the new Pathway to Podium site. Please note, Relay intends to include a broad range of opinions. Not all of these are supported or endorsed by Sport NZ or reflective of Sport NZ policy. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented here, but we are not responsible for the content of external websites.