Articles from:April 2025

• New Sport Medicine Clinic to offer community care

  Thursday, April 10, 2025 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE – April 10, 2025 – R0048

  Whether it’s a sprained ankle from a leisurely walk or a strained back from an ambitious volleyball play, Brock Sport Medicine Clinic has the expertise to help.

  The University has opened its second clinic location, with the new space focused on delivering care to the Brock and wider Niagara community.

  Located on the second floor of Canada Games Park, adjacent to Brock’s main campus, the new clinic marks the expansion of services previously offered only to student-athletes.

  “Through Brock Sport Medicine and Athletic Therapy, we have serviced our student-athletes for more than 30 years,” said Steve Lidstone, Associate Director of Sport Medicine and Sport Performance. “It was time for us to open a clinic that offers world-class services to the community.”

  All Brock students, staff and faculty, as well as community members in need of treatment, can now access the clinic. Services include physiotherapy/athletic therapy, registered massage therapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, acupuncture and bracing.

  Having the clinic located in Canada Games Park, a multi-use recreation and sport complex, provides a convenient option for care, Lidstone said, whether community members are spending time at the Brock Functional Inclusive Training Centre (Bfit) or taking advantage of the many programming options otherwise available on site.

  To introduce the community to the new state-of-the-art treatment space and its team, an open house will be held Wednesday, May 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

  While there will be no treatments conducted during the event, guests will be able to book future appointments.

  Open daily, the clinic takes a multi-disciplinary approach, with opportunities to work with physiotherapists, athletic therapists, massage therapists, chiropractors and osteopaths, Lidstone said.

  “With cutting-edge modalities, such as shockwave and laser therapies, the clinic will benefit not only the community but also Brock’s varsity athletes,” he said. “We’re excited to offer exceptional service to active populations consisting of all ages and abilities, and we look forward to building amazing connections through our new community-facing clinic.”

  More information, including hours of operation and how to book an appointment, is available on the Brock Sport Medicine website.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  *Maryanne St. Denis, Manager, Content and Communications, Brock University, [email protected] or 905-246-0256 

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  Categories: Media releases

• Minecraft movie mayhem reflects youth culture, not incivility, says Brock prof

  Thursday, April 10, 2025 | By Brock University

  EXPERT ADVISORY – April 10, 2025 – R0047

  Co-ordinated crowd behaviour by young moviegoers during recent screenings of A Minecraft Movie, spurred by a viral trend on social media, has sparked public backlash, but a Brock University researcher says the reaction reveals more about adult expectations than youth misconduct.

  Child and Youth Studies Postdoctoral Fellow Natalie Spadafora (BA/BEd ’13, MA ’15, PhD ’21) says the incidents, where teens chant, throw popcorn or collectively shout punchlines, may be better understood as expressions of community and cultural participation than as simple incivility.

  “While some of these behaviours may be disruptive or even cross a line, much of what we’re seeing is youth engaging in a shared moment, a kind of performance rooted in digital culture and connection,” she says. “These aren’t random acts. They’re often co-ordinated and informed by online trends.”

  This excitement is reflected in the film’s box office performance. A Minecraft Movie grossed a record-breaking $157 million domestically, according to estimates from Comscore, a company specializing in audience measurement.

  However, despite its financial success, the film hasn’t received the best critical reception, currently holding an unfavourable 49 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a website that aggregates film and TV critics.

  Spadafora, who researches youth behaviour, classroom conduct and the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on social development, says the Minecraft movie phenomenon shows that young people form belonging through collective experiences, even ones that challenge traditional public norms.

  “In many ways, this mirrors what we see in other spaces like concerts or sporting events,” she says. “Young people are pushing boundaries, yes, but it also seems like they’re creating a culture and connection with each other. We have to remember that context matters.”

  In her research on incivility, Spadafora explores how youth behaviour is often judged through an adult lens that expects silence, conformity and respectability. She cautions that those expectations can alienate young people and obscure the real motivations behind their actions.

  “The question isn’t just ‘why are they doing this?’ It’s important to think about where these group responses are coming from and understand why they are being engaged in,” Spadafora says. “When adults complain that kids are never outside or social anymore and then critique them when they do show up together in public, that might send a confusing message, and instead, we need to take the time to better understand the motivations behind their behaviours.”

  While she acknowledges that group behaviour can sometimes escalate into genuine disruptions, Spadafora draws a distinction between co-ordinated, performative moments and harmful acts like vandalism or violence.

  “Not all incivility is created equal,” she says. “We need to separate youth participation from criminality and better understand the cultural logics that shape these moments.”

  The Minecraft movie may be the latest powder keg, but for Spadafora, it’s a continuation of a long-standing generational disconnect.

  “We know from research that while there are certain expectations of what is considered civil behaviour in society, for many individual uncivil behaviours, there are differences in perceptions between young people and adults,” she says. “We need to remember that much of their behaviour is based on expectations we have for them and that they are continually trying to make space for themselves within it.”

  Natalie Spadafora, Child and Youth Studies Postdoctoral Fellow, is available for media interviews on this topic.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews: 

  *Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483

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  Categories: Media releases