In this Relay

• Young People
• Community Sport and Recreation
• Outdoor Recreation
• High Performance
• Organisational Capability
• Sports Science and Technology
• Off the Bench: Value of Sport
• Useful Weblinks

Young People

Risky outdoor play has positive impacts - 21 Sep 2015New research from the University of British Columbia shows that risky outdoor play is not only good for children's health but also encourages creativity, social skills and resilience. (Queensland Outdoor Recreation Federation)What is the relationship between outdoor time and physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness in children? A systematic review - 8 Jun 2015 (PDF)This Canadian review revealed overall positive effects of outdoor time on physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and cardiorespiratory fitness. (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health)Parental fear as a barrier to children's independent mobility and resultant physical activity - October 2015 (PDF)This Australian project investigated the relationship between parental fear and children's independent mobility, and found that children who are able to play and travel without an adult are more likely to meet Australian physical activity guidelines. The report contains recommendations to promote children's independent mobility and incidental physical activity, and reduce parental fear. (La Trobe University)Outdoor play 'good for the eyes' -15 Sep 2015Getting children to play outside for 40 minutes a day could be a way to curb growing rates of short-sightedness, according to Chinese researchers. Their findings support the theory that children need to balance "close up" work, like reading, with activities that use distance vision. (BBC)A self-study of outdoor education in secondary teacher education - 2015 (PDF)This New Zealand study set out to investigate, document and analyse the challenges in teaching prospective teachers about outdoor education using more 'authentic' experiences. (University of Canterbury)Education Outdoors NZ Update - 25 Sep 2015 (PDF)Education Outdoors NZ supports education outdoors and outside the classroom, providing professional development, training, resources, guidance, mentoring and leadership. (Education Outdoors NZ)Tenuous affair: environmental and outdoor education in Aotearoa New Zealand - 20 Feb 2015The relationship between outdoor education and environmental education in Aotearoa New Zealand has undergone many changes since formal education began in early colonial times. The article describes how they had common historical roots in nature studies that eventually were teased apart and finds that contemporary forces are now driving a positive re-engagement of the two discourses. (ResearchGate)Olympic celebrations kick off across New Zealand - 21 Oct 2015Olympic celebrations have kicked off across New Zealand with 85 schools involved nationwide and 13 Olympic pin presentations made to New Zealand Olympians. Up to 20,000 young New Zealanders will explore the Olympic values in discussions and activities provided by the New Zealand Olympic Committee. Resources for schools are available to stimulate discussion, encourage physical activity and to recognise the Olympic Values in action. (NZOC)

Community Sport and Recreation

Steve Hansen to headline landmark coaching convention - 4 Nov 2015Fresh from winning the Rugby World Cup, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will address 600 coaches from around the country at Sport New Zealand's 'Connecting Coaches' convention in December. (Sport New Zealand)New Zealanders belong to a sporting nation - 22 Oct 2015Almost two-thirds of Kiwis belong to a club or organisation, Statistics New Zealand has found, with sporting clubs being the most popular. (Statistics New Zealand)2015 US participation report - October 2015 (PDF)This annual study tracks levels of activity and identifies key trends in sports, fitness and recreation participation in the US. (US Physical Activity Council)Understanding women's lives: redesigning and repositioning sport and physical activity to engage women - 7 Sep 2015 (PDF)This research by UK charity, Women in Sport, provides key insights on how sports can engage more effectively with women and girls and increase the number of women playing sport. It defines six key values that are fundamental in the lives of women and girls and which, if tapped into effectively, can influence their sporting behaviours. (Women in Sport)Helping women and girls get active - 25 Aug 2015Sport England has released this interactive guide to help close the gender gap when it comes to physical activity. The guide, which brings together results from recent female-focussed campaigns, helps sport and activity providers think about the barriers to activity and how to encourage women and girls to consistently get active. (Sport England)Remembrance event secures regional sports trust support - 2 Nov 2015Sport Canterbury has secured the future of an iconic Christchurch event that attracted over 6,000 participants over the past three years, confirming that A Run to Remember will return to the Port Hills again in February 2016. (Sport Canterbury)

Outdoor Recreation

How health and safety reform will affect recreation in NZ - 2 Sep 2015The new Health and Safety at Work Act will come into force on 4 April 2016 and has implications for people working across the recreation industry. NZ Recreation Association members outline the challenges they see in preparing for change, and the support they would like from the Government in implementing the reforms. (NZ Recreation Association)Climate change to melt away ski seasons - 3 Nov 2015Skiers and snowboarders could be feeling the heat from global warming as soon as 2040, with rising temperatures predicted to reduce snowfall and cut short snow seasons. The Ministry for the Environment's new state of the environment report (PDF) points to the impact of climate change on the tourism industry (among other things), and says ski-field operations could be affected. (Radio New Zealand National)High wire and swing activity safety guideline - January 2015 (PDF)The result of a recommendation from the government review of risk management and safety in the adventure and outdoor commercial sector in New Zealand, this guideline was developed by the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand in association with high wire and swing technical experts. (Support Adventure)Australian Royal Life Saving launches educational campaign: "Respect the River" - 25 Oct 2015 In response to almost 1,000 people drowning in Australian rivers since 1 July 2002, Royal Life Saving has launched a major educational campaign called "Respect the River", which aims to raise awareness of the preventable nature of these tragedies. (Royal Life Saving)Gympie Regional Council canoe and kayak strategy - July 2015 (PDF)This strategy provides direction for the use of waterways for water-based recreation. It sets out the types of infrastructure that may be required and recommends priority projects and their cost. It identifies tourism benefits that may arise from maximising the recreational use of waterways and discusses future promotional opportunities. (Gympie Regional Council)Popularity and economic benefit of British mountaineering - 1 Sep 2015The latest Active People Survey results from Sport England suggests that around 211,000 people go climbing or hill walking at least once a month and 84,000 take part at least once a week. (British Mountaineering Council)

High Performance

RWC 2015 declared biggest and best tournament to date - 1 Nov 2015Tournament owners World Rugby and tournament organisers England Rugby 2015 have hailed the success of the biggest Rugby World Cup ever, which saw records broken on and off the pitch. This included tickets sales of over 2.47 million and an official fanzone attendance of over one million. (World Rugby)Planet rugby is on the rise - 29 Oct 2015The world's fastest-growing sport? That status is claimed by many, but rugby union has a genuine shot at the title on the back of a record-breaking Rugby World Cup. Data collected by governing body World Rugby shows that player numbers climbed to more than 8 million last year from 5.48 million in 2012. (SBS)Why are the Olympics in search of the X-factor? - 26 Oct 2015This article, written by two NZ academics, looks at the issue of how the Olympic movement can remain relevant to younger generations. The average age of Olympics viewers is 55 years and ageing. The IOC is seeking to address this problem with the inclusion of more youth-focused action sports. However, this process of inclusion is far from simple. (The Conversation)First wave of Rio 2016 test events ends with many successes and lessons learned - 16 Oct 2015Rio 2016's organising committee has tested its Olympic and Paralympic Games operations across 12 sports competitions, bringing more than 1,800 of the world's top athletes to Rio to check out the venues and get into the spirit of the Games. (Rio 2016)San Diego to host first World Beach Games - 30 Oct 2015San Diego, USA will host the inaugural World Beach Games in 2017. Around 20 sports are expected to feature, with beach volleyball and beach soccer likely to be the marquee events. (Reuters)

Organisational Capability

Sports industry to reach US$73.5 billion by 2019 - 19 Oct 2015The sports market in North America was worth US$60.5 billion in 2014. It is expected to reach US$73.5 billion by 2019. The biggest reason for such growth is projected increases in revenue derived from media rights deals, which is predicted to surpass gate revenues as the sports industry's largest segment. (Forbes)More than 15 million people tuned into Yahoo!'s first-ever live stream of an NFL game - but there is a catch - 27 Oct 2015Despite some people experiencing trouble with their web-based feed, Yahoo's first foray into streaming an NFL game put up some big viewer numbers. According to the initial numbers released by Yahoo! and the NFL, the game was watched by 15.2 million unique viewers, although only for on average about 30.3 minutes per unique viewer. (Business Insider)FFA announces major changes in digital and fan engagement - 29 Oct 2015Football Federation Australia has announced a major management change to set up the game for the 20-year vision contained in its Whole of Football Plan. The establishment of a new digital and fan engagement department will transform FFA's ability to connect with the 1.96 million participants in Australian football. (Football Federation Australia)Manchester United partner with Indian tech firm HCL Technologies to rake in revenue in Asia - 10 Sep 2015Manchester United is planning to increase its revenue stream through a deeper digital engagement with fans following a tie-up with Indian tech firm, HCL Technologies. The vast majority of the club's 659 million supporters live in developing countries, with more than half in Asia. The figure represents a huge non-traditional potential revenue stream. (The Drum)Developing digital maturity in sports business - 13 Sep 2015 (includes AUDIO 29 minutes)This podcast discusses an assessment tool to evaluate an organisation's digital readiness against five key indicators. A review of more than 75 US professional and college sport teams found building a common vision with organisation-wide collaboration is the number one challenge in driving digital performance. (SportsGeek)How two major Australian sports leagues use fan engagement to make better business decisions - 8 Oct 2015Advances in mobile and social technologies have transformed how fans watch games and engage with their favourite players and teams. At the same time, many teams and leagues are struggling with declining ticket sales. Team performance in the stadium no longer predicts whether fans will show up. The question that leagues and sports teams need to ask is: how do we develop a stronger, more meaningful connection with our fans? (Vision Critical)

Sports Science and Technology

Female Athlete Health Symposium - 3 Sep 2015The University of Waikato's Female Athlete Health Symposium in September heard from psychologists, sociologists, sports scientists, nutritionists, coaches, athletes, and educators. Audio from expert speakers at the event is on this site. (University of Waikato)Does the menstrual cycle affect sporting performance? - 22 Jul 2015This article investigates to what extent the menstrual cycle can affect sporting performance, as well as examining strategies for mitigating its draining effects. (Medical News Today)Periods in sport: new research on the menstrual cycle effect - 11 Aug 2015A research group is hoping to increase awareness of the "taboo" subject of menstrual cycles and sport performance. The Female Athlete Health Group - a collaborative project between St Mary's University and University College London - worked on two surveys, including one of London Marathon competitors. The researchers are usingcrowdfunding to aid the next stage of research, which will focus on heavy menstrual bleeding and the possible increase of iron deficiency. (BBC)Iron and the female athlete: a review of dietary treatment methods for improving iron status and exercise performance - 6 Oct 2015 (PDF)This British review looks at studies investigating the effects of dietary iron treatments on iron status in female athletes. It discusses factors affecting iron status and the practical implications and challenges of improving it through diet. (Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition)Eating and activity guidelines for New Zealand adults - 28 Oct 2015 (PDF)This document provides evidence-based population health advice on healthy eating and being physically active. It identifies the international evidence that underpins the statements and provides information for putting the statements into practice. (Ministry of Health)Oxford and Cambridge exam board's new PE qualifications to bring science into sport - 23 Jul 2015The British Oxford and Cambridge exam board is introducing a more scientific approach to its new PE qualifications, to reflect the increasing role of science in modern sport. (Oxford Cambridge and RSA)WADA launches digital-only Play True magazine - 4 Nov 2015The World Anti-Doping Agency has launched a digital, interactive magazine, Play True. The publication replaces the former print and online version and is available to all supporters of clean sport worldwide through WADA's website and digital devices including iPhone, iPad and Android. (WADA)

Off the Bench: Value of Sport

The economic value of sport and outdoor recreation to New Zealand report - 12 Nov 2015 (PDF)This report is an update to 2011 data and has been undertaken by the Agribusiness and Economics Research Unit at Lincoln University. The research shows that the economic value of the wider sport and recreation sector is estimated at $4.9 billion per annum. (Sport New Zealand)Research explores winning off the rugby field in Samoa - 2 Jul 2015As much as $21 million is sent back to the Pacific Islands annually by Pasifika athletes now resident in New Zealand and other parts of the world, a study investigating the value of sport-generated remittances has found. (Massey University)Bikeconomics: unlocking the cycling economy - 17 Dec 2014Europe's cycling economy is reported (PDF) to employ more people than mining and quarrying combined, and New Zealand studies have found similar results. This article includes audio (35 minutes) which investigates the cycling economy both here and abroad and visits Hawke's Bay, where cycle tourism is booming. (Radio NZ National)Study highlights value of grassroots football - 16 Mar 2015This report, The Community Impact of Football in NSW, (PDF) details the economic, health and social contribution of grassroots football. It estimates its total annual economic contribution is more than A$417 million. (Football NSW) Football-loving tourists score £684 million for Britain - 10 Sep 2015VisitBritain's research report, Football tourism scores for Britain (PDF), shows that the 800,000 international visitors to Britain last year who went to a football match spent a total of £684 million during their time in the country. (VisitBritain)UK Sport Satellite Account, 2011 and 2012 - July 2015 (PDF)This report gives an overview of the economic impact generated by the sports industry and its contribution to the UK's output in 2011 and 2012. The value of sport to the UK economy is estimated to have been worth £38 billion during this period, which covers the London 2012 Olympics. (Sports Think Tank)Ryder Cup worth £106m to Scottish economy - 27 Aug 2015The 2014 Ryder Cup generated more than £106 million in economic activity for Scotland, researchers from Sheffield Hallam University have found. An independent study by the Sport Industry Research Centre shows the event at Gleneagles attracted more than 63,000 visitors from outside Scotland. (Sheffield Hallam University)Three inspirational days - impact of the UK stages of the Tour de France 2014 - December 2014 (PDF)The start of the Tour de France generated approximately £130million and was watched at the roadside by crowds of 4.8 million, this official event impact review says. (Leeds City Council)

Useful Weblinks

ReachReach is a national British campaign created to raise awareness and inspire more women to get into coaching and encourage current women coaches to develop their skills further. The website offers a hub of information which will support women, celebrate their successes in coaching through case studies, videos and photographs, and provide useful resources which will, in the long term, create a cultural change in coaching.Fuel AotearoaDrawing upon published evidence, research and athletic experiences, this educational site provides information that will be useful to girls and women seeking to gain a better understanding of the role of energy balance and exercise to promote their own long-term health and well-being.Twitter made easy - 8 Apr 2015 (AUDIO 66 minutes)This Canadian webinar teaches best practice for Twitter: how to set up your account, find and follow other people and organisations and build your follower base. (SIRC)