In this Relay

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

Young People

Experts From FIFA, Sports Legacy Institute lend support to PASS initiative - 12 Jun 2014 In the last decade incidents of concussions among youth athletes, many of whom are soccer players, increased by more than 60 percent. Protecting Athletes and Sports Safety (PASS) is an initiative to integrate a culture of prevention and recommend enhanced practices to reduce the risk of brain injury, specifically concussions, among athletes at the pre-collegiate level. (National Council on Youth Sports Safety) StreetGames and Spirit 2012 brings Commonwealth Games to 10,000 young people across UK - 28 May 2014 National sports charity StreetGames will create 200 Pop Up Clubs during the British summer that will enable disadvantaged young people to take part in their very own Commonwealth Games. (StreetGames) Sports participation and health-related quality of life in children: longitudinal associations - 2014 This Australian study investigated the longitudinal association between sports participation and health-related quality of life in children (as reported by their parents). (University of Wollongong) Aussie kids graded D- in first ever physical activity report card - 21 May 2014 Australian school children rank among the worst in the world for overall physical activity levels, narrowly avoiding a fail in the inaugural Active Healthy Kids Australia Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth (PDF). Irish (PDF) and US (PDF) reports are also available. The Canadian report (PDF) includes Canada's results as well as international comparison. (National Heart Foundation of Australia) Athlete Pathways SIRCuit - March 2014 This Canadian publication features articles on addressing the needs of adolescent athletes and keeping them engaged, athlete motivation and the role of sports parents. (SIRC) Sport and recreation participation and lifestyle behaviours in Waterford City adolescents - 2013 (PDF) This research serves to depict the place of sport and recreation activity within the lives of Waterford city adolescents and examine the lifestyle pursuits of these teenagers and their influence on sport and recreation participation. (Irish Sports Council) Sport Waitakere "Have a Go Surfing Days" set to return to Auckland's West Coast - 29 May 2014 Primary and intermediate school children in the Waitakere region will get to experience the thrill of surfing and learn valuable surf safety tips from professional instructors as part of Surfing New Zealand's "Surfing 4 Schools" project. (Surfing NZ) School Alliances Make Sport the Winner - 4 Jun 2014 An innovative school sports competition in southwest Christchurch has proven an all-round winner, with participation growing by 100% over last year. One local high school has shown leadership, growing both sport and community spirit with this unique cluster competition which has an emphasis on 'having a go' and having fun. (Sport Canterbury) Childhood sports knee injuries carry heavy burden - 12 May 2014 Knee trauma from a childhood sports injury can have serious consequences in young adults. When assessed three to 10 years after the sports injury, young adults appear to be at higher risk of abnormalities visible on MRI, consistent with future arthropathy and have poorer knee-related quality of life and more knee symptoms. (Family Practice News)

Community Sport and Recreation

Campaign launched to stamp out ugly side of sport - 7 May 2014 A campaign has been launched to stamp out poor sideline behaviour by supporters. The campaign called Be Part of the Team is a joint initiative by Sport Hawke's Bay, Hawke's Bay Rugby Union, Central Football, Basketball Hawke's Bay and Hawke's Bay Hockey. (Eastern Institute of Technology) Petone residents' views on a multi-sports hub at North Park and Petone Recreation Ground - March 2014 (PDF) Petone Sportsville is exploring the possibility of redeveloping the grounds and facilities of North Park and Petone Recreation Ground into an enhanced multi-sports hub. This survey of residents found a high level of interest in the opportunities that an enhanced multi-sports hub might provide. (Petone Sportsville) Gemba Group report - gym workouts and group exercise - January 2014 (PDF) This report finds gyms and exercise classes stack up favourably against more traditional sporting pursuits. It asks what makes them so successful and investigates their product development and target audience marketing. (Gemba Group) Revolve, Involve, Evolve - TEDx Talk on the evolution of the Revolve Women's Cycling Club - 8 Jan 2014 (AUDIO 18 Minutes) The Revolve Women's Cycling club was founded in Wellington to encourage more women to have fun riding their bikes. Ash & MJ share their five years of 'empirical research' and outline the different phases Revolve went through in its development. (YouTube) Cycling Australia women's stakeholder findings public report - 2014 (PDF) This report outlines challenges, opportunities, riding behaviours, satisfaction levels and insights into Australian women's participation in cycling. (Cycling Australia) Active Universities 30-month national headline report - May 2014 (PDF) Sport England invested £8 million in 41 Active Universities projects to increase the number of students playing sport. The report highlights learnings and a range of innovative approaches that have engaged new audiences. (Sport England) Motivate me: understanding what motivates and appeals to disabled people to take part in sport and physical activity - May 2014 (PDF) This qualitative research used ethnographic methods to examine what is important to disabled people when they participate in sport and physical activity and how to improve the role it plays in their lives. (English Federation of Disability Sport)

Outdoor Recreation

Reconomics - the economic impact of outdoor recreation - 10 Jun 2014 (PDF) This British report brings together information, research and evidence relating to the economic impact of outdoor recreation. Some 26 case studies and an evidence document (PDF) support the report. (Sport and Recreation Alliance, UK) Valuing Wales' National Parks - September 2013 (PDF) This report assesses the economic benefits of the three parks in Wales, considering not only the measurable economic contribution of the parks to employment and gross value added, but also their less tangible benefits. (National Parks Wales) Government of Canada releases nature survey - 6 Jun 2014 Results from the 2012 Canadian Nature Survey (PDF) demonstrate the significant contribution that nature-related activities make to the national economy. (Leisure Information Network) Dramatic results show how to prevent drowning deaths: Otago study - 29 May 2014 New University of Otago research has found that many drowning deaths could be prevented if people learned to wait out the body's initial shock response to cold water. (University of Otago) Walking Access outcomes showcased - 3 Jun 2014 Access outcomes from across New Zealand are now publicly available on a new "Case Notes" section of the Commission's website. The new section showcases the type of regional work the Commission is involved in. (The New Zealand Walking Access Commission) Recreational trails programme annual report - 2013 (PDF) Over 20 years, the Recreational Trails Programme is responsible for creating and improving over 17,000 trail-related projects in the US, including urban greenways, nature centres, and horse, hiking, mountain bike, and motorised trails. (US Department of Transportation) New Zealand's avalanche experts already at work - 30 May 2014 (PDF) The first major snowfall of winter has given the New Zealand Mountain Safety Council's avalanche forecasters plenty of work already. Each winter, the council publishes daily danger advisories on their avalanche website. (NZ Mountain Safety Council)

High Performance

FIFA World Cup 2014: Brazilian goals - May 2014 This overview report evaluates the returns and impacts of previous World Cup events on host nations, and considers the long-term gains for Brazil. It draws on experiences dating back to the Mexican World Cup in 1970. (Colliers International) FIFA World Cup 2010 Country Report - 23 July 2013 (PDF) This report provides the reader with a bird's eye view of the task of organising the mega-event and explores both challenges and legacies. It is a collation of evidence gathered from commissioned research, the reports of related stakeholders and their ?ndings. (Sport and Recreation, South Africa) Glasgow 2014 on track and on budget claim organisers, despite reports of spiralling costs - 9 Jun 2014 Organisers of next month's Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games have denied costs of staging the event are spiralling, insisting the budget remains on track despite reports claiming a back-up fund of more than £45 million has been exhausted. (inside the games) Report highlights Glasgow 2014 legacy benefits - 28 Apr 2014 This Scottish Government evaluation (PDF) of Commonwealth Games legacy includes information on new training opportunities, Scottish firms benefitting from contracts and other major events being secured. (Legacy 2014) More funding for Australia's athletes - 12 May 2014 A new programme reallocates $1.6 million towards the best medal hopes and emerging talent. The scheme's emerging athlete category coincides with the ten-year Winning Edge strategy, which aims to support the best emerging talent as early as possible in their sporting career. (Australian Sports Commission) Japan Sport Council gives go ahead for Tokyo's Olympic stadium - 29 May 2014 The Japan Sport Council has given the go-ahead for the construction of Tokyo's new Olympic stadium for the Games in 2020. The new 80,000-seat stadium, which will be the central venue for Tokyo 2020, is to be built on the site of the 54,000-seat National Stadium, host venue for the 1964 Olympics. (Australasian Leisure Management) Snow Sports NZ and NZSki Ltd sign partnership agreement - 6 Jun 2014 Coronet Peak and Mt Hutt have been named as the official ski area partners of the New Zealand Alpine Ski Team and will host the New Zealand National Alpine Skiing Championships in 2014 and 2015. (Snow Sports NZ)

Organisational Capability

2014 FIFA World Cup team brand index - 3 Jun 2014 Sparksheet sought to find out whether there's any truth to the claim that when it comes to sports teams, it's the brand that counts and little else. They collected data on each team's brand performance, and compared that number to each team's official FIFA ranking. (Sparksheet) World Cup of brands: Nike vs Adidas - 2 May 2014 Nike and Adidas, two of world's largest sportswear giants, are at the centre of the battle where both their commercial strategies are starting to make a real impact, as the two gear up to maximise the advertising and sponsorship potential of the World Cup. (Marketing Magazine) The shift of TV to social media brings lucrative deals for sports rights holders - May 2014 With TV content now shifting to social media, sports rights holders are able to reach vast global audiences and create new value from existing content and strike lucrative deals with brand sponsors. (Digital Sport) Fans in India and Brazil the heaviest users of social media platforms to access sport - 3 Jun 2014 Sports fans in India are the highest consumers of sport on social media platforms, spending 2.6 hours per week accessing sports content in this way, according to Know The Fan - the Global Sports Media Consumption Report 2014. (SportBusiness) Australian sport, fitness and recreation environmental scan 2014 - March 2014 (PDF) This report identifies the macro and micro factors currently impacting on the skill needs of the workforce and its composition and considers how well the national training system is responding. Infographics on sport (PDF), community recreation (PDF) and outdoor recreation (PDF) provide an overview. (Service Skills Australia) Dunedin Masters Games announces budget surplus - 3 Jun 2014 Careful budgeting and naming rights sponsorship from the Southern Trust have enabled the Dunedin (New Zealand) Masters Games Trust to report a surplus of $104,000 in its 2012/14 financial results. The report (PDF) also outlines the economic benefits to the region and reports on a survey of participants. (Dunedin City Council)

Sports Science and Technology

The 3 main ways technology will impact the 2014 FIFA World Cup - 27 May 2014 Fans may not be privy to all of the new technology but between 4K resolution, goal-line technology and the components of the official World Cup ball there will be much more tech than meets the eye in this year's contest in Brazil. (sporttechie) Effect of panel shape of soccer ball on its flight characteristics - 29 May 2014 (PDF) Soccer balls are typically constructed from 32 pentagonal and hexagonal panels. The newest type of ball, named Brazuca, was produced from six panels and will be used in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. This study looks at the aerodynamic properties of balls constructed from different numbers and shapes of panels. (Scientific Reports) Physiological characteristics of elite female soccer players: influence of age, position and playing status - 13 Sep 2013 (PDF) This thesis investigates the demands of female soccer at the elite and international level and provides data regarding the physical characteristics associated with competition based on age, position and status as a starter or non-starter. (Auckland University of Technology) Risk factors for lower extremity injuries in elite female soccer players - 5 Feb 2014 (PDF) Results from this study indicate that a greater BMI was associated with new injuries to the lower limbs. In addition, players with a previous ACL injury had a significantly higher risk of new knee injury to the same side. (Oslo Sports Trauma Research Centre) Managing the health of the elite athlete: a new integrated performance health management and coaching model - 2014 (PDF) This article proposes a new integrated performance health management and coaching model based on the UK Athletics experience in preparation for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games. (British Journal of Sports Medicine) What makes a good strength and conditioning coach? - 30 May 2014 Addressing the balance needed between being a good coach and a skilled scientist is the task facing the English Institute of Sport's team of 55 strength and conditioning coaches. This article discusses how the balance is met. (English Institute of Sport) Successful captain researches winning formula - 21 May 2014 What is it about the Black Ferns that has led to its consistent 85 per cent win rate? Former Black Ferns' captain Dr Farah Palmer plans to find out by researching what role leadership and organisational culture play in the team's success. (Massey University)

Off the Bench: Places and Spaces

The FA is to allow the use of artificial pitches in FA Cup - 24 Mar 2014 The Football Association has confirmed artificial pitches will be allowed in every round of the FA Cup from next season. Under current rules, 3G (third generation) surfaces are banned from the first round of the competition and in professional league from the Conference upwards. (Sky Sports) AIS signs contract for a 'FIFA Two Star' football pitch - 26 Feb 2014 The Australian Institute of Sport has signed a contract with Sports Technology International for the installation of a new state-of-the-art 'FIFA Two Star' certified turf surface on the outdoor synthetic football pitch. (Australian Institute of Sport) Field perspectives: the right sports turf in the right place - February 2014 In the showdown between natural and synthetic turf, there's no clear winner overall. However, the unique circumstances of any particular project may point to an undisputed victor. This article outlines some specific situations and winning solutions. Note the article extends over 4 pages. (Recreation Management) The perceptions of professional soccer players on the risk of injury from competition and training on natural grass and 3rd generation artificial turf - March 2014 (PDF) This study describes professional soccer players' perceptions of differing surfaces on injury resulting from soccer participation on 3rd generation artificial turf compared to natural grass. Players believe the risk of injury differs according to surface type. (BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation) No greater injury risk on artificial playing surfaces, study shows - 11 Mar 2014 Many elite professional soccer teams are reluctant to install artificial turf because of a perception that injuries occur more often on these types of surfaces. The study authors concluded that there are no major differences between the nature and causes of injuries sustained on artificial turf and those that occur on natural grass surfaces. (ScienceDaily) From the Field: synthetic turf and human health - what does the research say? One of the most commonly asked questions is: "Are there health risks associated with playing on synthetic turf?" This article highlights recent studies examining potential health impacts related to synthetic turf. (USA Football) Turf and concussions: maintenance for safety's sake - 1 Jun 2014 When it comes to preventing concussions, we have some control as field designers and owners over the field surface itself. By properly maintaining and monitoring a field's turf, we can at least minimise any concerns the playing surface could pose for player safety. (Parks & Recreation, US) Singapore sports hub unveils state-of-the-art, multi-functional pitch at the National Stadium - 22 May 2014 Singapore has unveiled the National Stadium pitch that will play host to football, rugby, cricket and athletics for years to come. The pitch is a blend of two types of grass seeds injected with artificial fibres which results in natural grass growing around some 114 million protective filaments. (Desso)

Useful Weblinks

2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil news site The official FIFA site provides all the latest news, media releases and links to social media platforms. National Children's Football Alliance The Children's Football Alliance is a British coalition of agencies and organisations that safeguard and advance the rights of children in football. It acts as a network for organisations seeking sustainable partnerships, information, education and training on child-centred approaches and children's rights in football. These case studies highlight the power of children's football. Penn State University Centre for Sports Surface Research This US research centre is dedicated to the improvement of all sports surfaces. The site's research pages contain useful reports, factsheets and guides.