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Consent form for participants

INVITATION
As a follow-up to a previous study, we would like to ask for your assistance with a study being carried out by the Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association (SHSAA) and the College of Kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan. This project aims to understand the experiences of student-athletes, coaches, administrators, high school student-athlete parents, and high school officials during the return of high school sport following the COVID-19-pandemic. We anticipate that this evidence-based information could be used to guide and assist the SHSAA as we seek to return to life following the COVID-19-pandemic. By understanding the experiences of these individuals, we can better inform high school sporting contexts for the future. Various coaches, student-athletes (including ages 15-19), administrators of schools that offer high school sport experiences, parents of high school athletes, high school officials, and those who were previously in these roles will all be surveyed regarding their experiences of the past year. By being involved in this study, your insight and experiences can help shape the future of high school sport in Saskatchewan.
 
WHAT’S INVOLVED
The project will involve completion of an anonymous one-time, online questionnaire. The questionnaire will take approximately 10-15 minutes and will ask you to share with us some information about your background, your experiences in high school sport, and your hopes for the future of high school sport to improve the experience for sport in Saskatchewan. At the end of the questionnaire, you will have the option to indicate whether or not you would be open to being contacted for an interview follow-up. This is not part of the original study and indicating “no” to a follow-up does not affect your results in the present study. Your email will not be associated with survey answers.
 
THE TOOLS
Survey Monkey is an internet software that will administer the online survey. The SurveyMonkey privacy policy can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/mp/legal/. Before access to the online survey, participant consent will be required. The online survey begins with a few questions regarding demographic data. The rest of the survey includes questions related to past experiences in high school sport in Saskatchewan, experiences throughout the past year during the return of sport following COVID-19, thoughts about the future of high school sport, and a short follow-up question.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS AND RISKS
There is minimal risk in completing the survey. While the questions are purposed to seek out past experiences and current beliefs surrounding the loss of high school sport due to the COVID-19-pandemic, some might experience mild stress in recalling these experiences. If you are experiencing emotional stress and would like to talk to someone, the kids help phone [1 (888) 668-6868] can offer support.
 

CONFIDENTIALITY
Only a study number will be associated with your survey responses. All information will be considered confidential and grouped with data from other participants, and thus your answers will never be singled out nor will names be associated with the answers. The last question of the survey asks if you would be willing to be contacted for a potential follow-up interview. If you indicate yes to this last question and provide your email, your email will be provided to the Principle Investigator. Your email will not be associated with survey answers. Access to all data will be restricted to the Principle and Sub-Investigators. All data will be kept in an encrypted and secured online cabinet within the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Kinesiology. The research team will assume responsibility for data storage for five years upon completion of the study, then the files will be deleted.
 
VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION
Your participation in this study is completely voluntary. If you wish, you may decline to participate in this study, without any repercussion. Once answers have been submitted, it is no longer possible to withdraw from the study.
 
PUBLICATION OF RESULTS
The aggregate results from this project will be made available to the research team and the SHSAA to inform the future of high school sport in Saskatchewan. The grouped results may also appear in printed or published reports such as journal articles and may also be presented at conferences. Further, participants may contact the principle investigators if they wish to receive a summary of the findings.
 
CONTACT INFORMATION AND ETHICS CLEARANCE
If you have any questions about this study or require further information, please contact the principle investigators using the contact information provided here:
 
USask College of Kinesiology Research Team:
Dr. Louise Humbert (louise.humbert@usask.ca)
Dr. Karen Chad (karen.chad@usask.ca)
Dr. Kenzie Friesen (kenzie.friesen@usask.ca)
Evan Boechler (evan.boechler@usask.ca)
 
This research project has been approved on ethical grounds by the University of Saskatchewan Research Ethics Board. Any questions regarding your rights or your child’s rights as a participant may be addressed to that committee through the Research Ethics Office ethics.office@usask.ca (306) 966-2975. Out of town participants may call toll free (888) 966-2975.

Question Title

1. Having read the information above, you must decide if you are eligible to participate:
Are you one of the following:
a. a high school student-athlete older than 15 years of age (this includes student-athletes who have not yet competed at the high school level but would have if not for COVID-19)
b. a high school sport coach
c. a current high school administrator
d. a parent of a high school student-athlete
e. a high school sport official
f. previously one of these 5 individuals (a-e)
 
If you are eligible and decide to participate, please click on “I agree” below. You may print a copy of this letter to keep.

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