While playing sports can enhance physical and mental health in youth, injuries can reverse the benefits of athletic activities, says Brock University Assistant Professor of Kinesiology Amanda Black.

“Physical activity and team sport participation among youth have been shown to increase their self-esteem, life satisfaction, social integration and educational success while decreasing psychological distress,” she says.

All of this growth can be reversed when concussions and other injuries force youth to withdraw from participating in physical activities.

Injury-prevention strategies — protective equipment, changes to game rules and regulations and specialized training on movements in games — already exist, but these and other measures “are implemented inconsistently, limiting their impact, and may not take the needs of marginalized youth into account,” Black says.

Youth from the BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, disability and other equity-seeking communities can face barriers to sports as well as health care, she says, and the mental health concerns of marginalized youth are often underreported.

With support from a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Catalyst Grant, which is funded by the Government of Canada, Black is leading a team researching how best to implement injury prevention strategies, manage concussions and address mental health concerns among youth in sport, particularly those from equity-seeking groups.

But it’s a research team with a difference.

“We’re flipping it on its head: instead of the researchers making all of the decisions, it’s going to be the youth,” Black says. “It’s youth-led, youth-driven from start to finish.”

To that end, Black is looking to recruit 10 diverse youth ages 15 to 25 in Niagara to become members of the Niagara Youth Sport Advisory Group.

Members, who will be paid for participating, need to have a connection to youth sport and have experience with sport-related injuries, concussions or mental health improvements or challenges. Research experience isn’t required.

Those interested in joining the Youth Sport Advisory Group must complete the application form by Saturday, May 31. For more information, view the frequently asked questions or email [email protected]

The advisory group’s members will receive training on subjects such as systemic and structural health inequities within sports, research methods and determinants of health, including the roles of race, gender and class.

They will then branch off to conduct research into programs addressing injuries, concussions or mental health.

“They choose the area they’d like to work in,” Black says. “They build the program, they research barriers that prevent implementation and what helps the program to be successful, they refine the program, and they can share their program with coaches.”

Each member will be paired with a researcher who will mentor them throughout the process.

Black’s project, “Sports as a catalyst to enhance youth equity and wellbeing: Youth tackling challenges and piloting solutions,” involves a wide range of Brock University researchers, national co-investigators and community partners.

Co-leading the team is Gina Dimitropoulos from the University of Calgary. Brock researchers include Associate Professor of Recreation and Leisure Studies Corliss Bean, Associate Professor of Kinesiology Nicole Chimera, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology Rob Millington, Professor of Health Sciences William Pickett, Professor of Kinesiology Philip Sullivan, PhD Kinesiology student Carley Jewell, undergraduate Kinesiology student LeVar Lashington-Francis, Brock Associate Director of Sport Performance Steve Lidstone, Sport for Life Sport Leader Jay Tredway and Sport Niagara Executive Director Dan Kennedy.