SPKN’s SIDELINE

DR. HELEN LENSKYJ & ALI DURHAM GREEY | Justice for LGBTQ+ Athletes

Dr. Helen Lenskyj is Professor Emerita at University of Toronto. Helen works as a researcher, writer, public speaker and community activist. She has authored several books highlighting the adversity women and LGBTQ+ athletes face in the Olympics and sports culture. Ali Durham Greey is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Toronto. Ali is the co-editor of two volumes with Helen Lenskyj: Justice for Trans Athletes and Trans Athlete Resistance. Ali is a retired member of the Canadian national boxing team and is actively involved with Athlete Ally, a non-profit devoted to advancing LGBTQ2SIA+ inclusion in sport. 

DR. ROBIN SCHOLEFIELD | Creating Successful Team Values

Dr. Robin Scholefield is the Senior Associate Athletic Director of Culture, Wellbeing & Sport Psychology for USC Athletics. She specializes in team culture, cohesion, leadership, performance enhancement, and individual services for student athletes. Robin teaches Meg and Dr. G about the mindset for success and how to cultivate responsible and accountable student athletes. She provides consultation for USC coaches and staff regarding team dynamics, mental health issues, conflict management, as well as a host of other challenges that student athletes face in a highly competitive environment. Robin also earned a bronze medal in the 1976 Olympics swimming for Canada’s 400 meter medley relay team.   

MEGAN BARTLETT | Confronting Stress and Trauma in Sports

Megan Bartlett is the founder of the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport, a nonprofit organization focused on integrating sports with healing and justice oriented philosophies. Megan has spent more than 15 years supporting organizations that use sport to promote youth development and collaborating with coaches to discover tools that help kids heal. She co-created innovative coaching initiatives, and partnered with Bruce Perry, M.D., Ph.D. to create the Neurosequential Model in Sport.  She is also the author of A Kids Book about Trauma and co-author of Re-Designing Youth Sports: Change the Game.
Check out Megan's books below:Change the Game: https://amzn.to/3NUdZahA Kid's Book About Trauma: https://amzn.to/3NZD57D

DR. SYLVIE PARENT | Foundational Coach Abuse Knowledge

Sylvie Parent, PhD, is a full professor in the Department of Physical Education at Université Laval and she holds the Research Chair on Safety and Integrity in Sport. Her research focuses on violence in sport. More specifically, her current work focuses on four (4) thematic: 1) measuring the prevalence of violence toward athletes and the associated risk factors, 2) the impact of violence in sport on the physical and mental health of young participants, 3) the violence experienced by young officials in the course of their duties, and 4) various contexts of victimization of athletes (university environment, sexual minorities).

CHANTAL VALLÉE AND DR. GORDON BLOOM | Building a Championship Program

Chantal Vallée is the Head Coach of the Windsor Lancers Women’s Basketball program. Chantal inherited a team with only 4 winning seasons in 50 years and went on to win 5 consecutive National Championships. Dr. Gordon Bloom is a Professor and Director of the Sport Psychology Research Laboratory in the Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education at McGill University located in Montreal, Canada. Bloom and Vallee have collaborated together multiple times to conduct research on the knowledge, strategies, and behaviors employed by coaches in terms of leadership practices, mentoring, and team building that are designed to develop successful and well-balanced athletes.

JEN SOUTHALL | Advocacy for Rights of Disabled Athletes

Jen Southall is a strategist for inclusion and equity of disabled athletes. She is currently the running back and center back for the Oregon Ravens of the WNFC and the only deaf player on the roster. Jen has played a variety of sports and she provides insight into the experience of a deaf athlete. Jen has a unique perspective on how disability is handled in the sports community. She reveals how inadequate the resources are for athletes with disabilities and the obstacles that must be overcome to enjoy sports. Jen educates us on her advocacy for not only Athletes with disability but especially BIPOC deaf athletes who are severely underrepresented in sports. 

DR. LAURA LEWIS & ALLISON WAGNER | US Leadership in Anti-Doping Strategies

USADA Director of Science Laura Lewis and Olympic Medalist Allison Wagner discuss Anti-Doping regulations and intricacies. Meg and Dr. G seek to understand why we need Anti-Doping agencies and why it is important to protect the integrity of sport. Allison won multiple silver medals at top level competitions including the Olympics only to find out that those who had beaten her were later proven to have doped. In this episode we learn how athletes can educate themselves on the Anti-Doping process and how they can advocate for themselves to create a healthier competitive community. 

ANDREW MARANISS | Recognizing Leaders in Sports

Andrew Maraniss is known for his sport biographies of athletes who push the envelope and serve as beacons of inspiration. Andrew has written biographies on Perry Wallace, Glenn Burke, and the first US Women’s Olympic basketball team. In this episode, Meg and Dr. G gained insight into the history of these revolutionaries and what it takes to stand against the status quo and be a leader in the face of adversity. Additionally Andrew provides advice for young writers and athletes as well as a hint to what he’s working on now!
Buy Andrew's books at the links below:Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burkehttps://amzn.to/3Z7qQbV
Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the Southhttps://amzn.to/41AcphY
Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First US Women's Olympic Basketball Teamhttps://amzn.to/3KJjl6s
Games of Deception: The True Story of the First U.S. Olympic Basketball Team at the 1936 Olympics in Hitler's Germanyhttps://amzn.to/3mfsLwF
Strong Inside (Young Readers Edition): The True Story of How Perry Wallace Broke College Basketball's Color Linehttps://amzn.to/41zOj7i

ASANTE CLEVELAND & DR. TREVOR COTE | Professional Transitions

In this episode of Sideline, former NFL tight-end Asante Cleveland and clinical sport psychologist Dr. Trevor Cote,  share their personal stories and discuss the importance of caring for the athlete at all levels of performance. Player transitions throughout their career - high school to college, college to pro, pro to the rest of their lives -  play an integral part in the overall mental health of athletes.
Check out: Asante Cleveland's personal story " Working Through The Dark"https://amzn.to/3IdqxWV"There was a point in his life when he had to make a deliberate decision not to allow his childhood abuse to define him any longer. In many ways, his story is not unique; in fact, it is all too common. Because of his desire to instill hope in others, he's chosen to share his story and life lessons. He wants others to know they are not alone as they work their way through the dark."

Athlete Activism During The National Anthem

Name, Image, and Likeness for College Athletes

The NCAA is under fire! The issue of athlete compensation through name, image, and likeness has traveled from the field to the court…room! Coakley and Meg explain the legal, athletic, and political perspectives behind this pressing issue regarding athletes’ rights. 
Antitrust lawsuits go far beyond just advertising: long-term health care and insurance also contribute to this legal battle. Dive into the discussion regarding what has changed and what is likely to change following the Supreme Court rulings and state courts decisions!
Thank you to all of you who tuned in for this episode of Social Side of Sport. If you would like to learn more about Dr. Jay Coakley, or to explore additional sport knowledge, become part of the discussion where sport knowledge is spoken by joining all our SPKN contributors at  www.SPKNmedia.com.____________________________________________________________For more on Ed O’Bannon’s lawsuit, explore below!Holthaus Jr, W. D. (2010). Ed O'Bannon v. NCAA: Do Former NCAA Athletes Have a Case against the NCAA for Its Use of Their Likenesses. . Louis ULJ, 55, 369.
For more on the ongoing legal battle in West Virginia, explore below!Carstensen, P. (2021). The NCAA in the Supreme Court—Analytic confusion resulting in inexplicable results. Univ. of Wisconsin Legal Studies Research Paper, (1700).
For more on the Supreme Court’s intervention on NCAA, explore below!Duru, N. J., & Lacey, H. (2021). Supreme Court Considers NCAA Antitrust Case: In its decision, the high court will balance overregulation concerns with arguments of price-fixing.
The full story on the athlete who passed away during practice at the University of Maryland. Kaminski, T. W. (2018). Two Steps Forward and One Step Back.

For more on antitrust lawsuits and NCAA athlete compensation, read the information below!Sheetz, A. C. (2015). Student-athletes vs. NCAA: Preserving amateurism in college sports amidst the fight for player compensation. Brook. L. Rev., 81, 865.
To hear about the shortcomings of the NCAA from an athlete’s perspective, explore below!Hartman, K. L. (2014). “The most evil thing about college sports”: The 1-year scholarship and a former NCAA athlete’s personal narrative. International Journal of Sport Communication, 7(4), 425-440.
For more on amateurism in the NCAA, explore below!Lazaroff, D. E. (2007). The NCAA in its second century: defender of amateurism or antitrust recidivist. Or. L. Rev., 86, 329.
For another take on whether or not NCAA athletes should have healthcare, explore below!Lee, B. (2017). Knocked unconscionable: college football scholarships and traumatic brain injury. Geo. Wash. L. Rev., 85, 613.
For more on the 2021 Legislation on the NCAA, investigate belowZaccagnini, A. J. (2021). Time's up: A Call to Eradicate NCAA Monopsony through Federal Legislation. SMU L. Rev. F., 74, 55.
For more on NIL legislation, explore below!Kunkel, T., Baker, B. J., Baker III, T. A., & Doyle, J. P. (2021). There is no nil in NIL: examining the social media value of student-athlete's names, images, and likeness. Sport Management Review, 1-23.

LGBTQ+ Athletes

Sports stars often become society’s role models, exhibiting the discipline, courage and determination to motivate us in our own lives. LGBTQ athletes have  the ability to inspire others. We all need to break down stereotypes, leap over expectations, and lift up our voices, LGBTQ+ athletes show that we all have the muscle to overcome adversity.
 
https://www.athleteally.org
NCAA Outlines five ways to have an LGBTQ-inclusive athletics department https://www.ncaa.org/themes-topics/lgbtq
 
Thank you to all of who tuned in for this episode of Social Side of Sport. If you would like  to learn more about Dr. Jay Coakley, or to explore additional sport knowledge, become part of the discussion where sport knowledge is spoken by joining all our SPKN contributors at  www.SPKNmedia.com.

Gender Equality in Sport

The world of sport is rapidly changing, but what does this mean for the struggle for gender equality within it? Dr. Jay Coakley and Meg explain the history, culture, and disadvantages many female athletes and athletic directors face within their everyday lives. 
The conversation ranges from the US Women’s Olympic Soccer team to the disassembly of the AIAW, as well as the damaging effect media coverage has had on gender equality within sports. Learn about lack of funding, representation, and solutions that can be made going forward! 
TIPS & TOPICS 
Sport Sociology 
Gender in Sport
Equity vs. Equality 
Sport Media
Thank you to all of who tuned in for this episode of Social Side of Sport. If you would like  to learn more about Dr. Jay Coakley, or to explore additional sport knowledge, become part of the discussion where sport knowledge is spoken by joining all our SPKN contributors at  www.SPKNmedia.com.
 

The Transgender Athlete

Are we headed towards the next civil rights movement of the 21st century? Political and social discourse are sweeping the world of sport and contributing to transgender culture and identity. 
In this section of the Social Side of Sport, Meg and Coakley engage in a thoughtful discussion regarding the history of transgender identity, its influence in politics, and its influence in the world of sport. 
To hear more about the laws regarding trans athletes playing in their respective section, the future of health and safety for this population, and debunk the myth behind testosterone.
TIPS & TOPICS 
Sport Sociology 
Transgender athlete
Athlete’s rights 
Thank you to all of who tuned in for this episode of Social Side of Sport. If you would like  to learn more about Dr. Jay Coakley, or to explore additional sport knowledge, become part of the discussion where sport knowledge is spoken by joining all our SPKN contributors at  www.SPKNmedia.com.

Socialization in Sport

Coaches and teammates and parents all contribute to a player’s view of sport, and often the aren't in agreement.  Meg and Dr. Jay Coakley explore the topics surrounding sport socialization such as coach education, identity development through sport, and the struggle an elite athlete faces upon quitting sport. 
Is competitive sport or recreational sport better for youth athletes? How about for fitness and health? Coakley and Meg engage in a thoughtful conversation regarding what kind of environment would be best for both physical and mental health for all ages. A common issue within sport today is from a lack of balance between competition and recreation, which spills over into the world of identity development or athletes. 
 
TIPS & TOPICS
Socialization 
Sport Sociology 
Coach Education 
Participation vs. Performance 
Individual vs. Team Sports 
Sport Identity 
SPKN 
Thank you to all of who tuned in for this episode of Social Side of Sport. If you would like  to learn more about Dr. Jay Coakley, or to explore additional sport knowledge, become part of the discussion where sport knowledge is spoken by joining all our SPKN contributors at  www.SPKNmedia.com.

Over Organized Youth Sports

There’s no debate that backyard kickball and neighborhood whiffle ball tournaments have developed over time, but is this a beneficial end result? Dr. Jay Coakley and Meg venture into the competitive spirit behind organized sports, as well as the benefits behind spontaneous play. Coakley explains the three youth sport models, while intricately explaining the issues with placing too much emphasis on winning. 
Behind almost every kid running around on the field, there is a parent watching and cheering. However, along with the attention the child receives, there is a great pressure that accompanies it. Coakley and Meg go into the history of sport parents and when the shift of fun backyard games turned into a competitive and elite program, as well as the shift of parental involvement within sport. For a brief history on sport parents as well as organized sport within America, be sure to catch the full series for this segment of the Social Side of Sport! 
TIPS & TOPICS
Sport Sociology 
Physical literacy 
Spontaneous play
Locomotive skills 
Growth and Development 
Sport parent
Organized Sport
Youth athlete 
Sport Sociology
Organized Sport
Spontaneous Play
Competition vs. Cooperation 
Thank you to all of who tuned in for this episode of Social Side of Sport. If you would like  to learn more about Dr. Jay Coakley, or to explore additional sport knowledge, become part of the discussion where sport knowledge is spoken by joining all our SPKN contributors at  www.SPKNmedia.com.
 

Sport Sociology Issues

We all live in our own worlds. We create our own individual realms in which we choose to live in, but what role does sport play in these realms? Dr. Jay Coakley defines sport sociology as “the study of social worlds that people create, maintain, and change over time through their interaction with one another through sport.” However, what influence do factors such as gender, race, and social class have on sport as a whole? What influence does sport have on these factors in return? 
Tune in to hear Meg and Dr. Coakley dive into the hard-hitting question on the benefits as well as disadvantages of sport and society through a sociological lens. Coakley sheds light on the affect of elite athletics, a monoculture within sports, the great sports myth, and why sport sociology matters!
TIPS & TOPICS 
Sport Psychology 
Sport Sociology 
Monoculture
Sport Organization 
Levels of sport 
Social Worlds
CONNECT FOR MORE
Thank you to all of who tuned in for this episode of Social Side of Sport. If you would like  to learn more about Dr. Jay Coakley, or to explore additional sport knowledge, become part of the discussion where sport knowledge is spoken by joining all our SPKN contributors at  www.SPKNmedia.com.
 
 

MELISSA KUTCHER-RINEHART - Head Women’s Gymnastics Coach, U. of Denver

Explore all things athlete development and coaching education with the University of Denver women’s gymnastics coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart. Following the 2019 winning season, Coach Rinehart breaks down the struggle of creating a team atmosphere amidst COVID, along with ways she works to improve as a coach. Jump into the mindset of teamwork, character, and excellence with this special guest.
MENTIONED IN THE SHOW
For more on Carl Leland:Carl Leland - Women’s Gymnastics Coach. (n.d.). University of Denver Athletics. Retrieved July 14, 2021, from https://denverpioneers.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/roster/coaches/carl-leland/232
For more on Daniel Ritchie:Daniel L. Ritchie | Built for Learning | University of Denver. (n.d.). Denver University. Retrieved July 14, 2021, from https://www.du.edu/builtforlearning/profiles/daniel-ritchie.html
More on Gymnast Grace Broadhurst:Grace Broadhurst - Women’s Gymnastics. (2019). University of Denver Athletics. https://denverpioneers.com/sports/womens-gymnastics/roster/grace-broadhurst/2584
To hear about the influential Joy Burns:Nicholson, K. (2020, July 18). Joy Burns, first woman to lead DU’s Board of Trustees, dies at 92. The Denver Post. https://www.denverpost.com/2020/07/18/joy-burns-du-board-of-trustees-dies/
For more on the women’s gymnastics team at DU:Stone, J. (2021, January 13). DU Gymnastics Ready to Embrace the Challenge Inside and Outside the Gym. University of Denver. https://www.du.edu/news/du-gymnastics-ready-embrace-challenge-inside-and-outside-gym
To hear about the success of DU gymnastics in recent years:Stone, J. (2021b, April 1). DU Gymnastics Prepares for This Weekend’s NCAA Regionals. University of Denver. https://www.du.edu/news/du-gymnastics-prepares-weekends-ncaa-regionals

Jay Bilas - Toughness: Developing True Strength On and Off the Court: https://www.amazon.com/Toughness-Developing-True-Strength-Court/dp/0451414683/ref=sr_1_2?crid=W6IWRMY8FVXK&dchild=1&keywords=toughness+by+jay+bilas&qid=1626289392&sprefix=toughness%2Caps%2C293&sr=8-2

RELATED RESEARCH For more on coach development:Abraham, A., & Collins, D. (1998). Examining and extending research in coach development. Quest, 50(1), 59-79.
More about the history of collegiate women’s sport in Colorado:Allison, M. L. (2002). The history of women's collegiate sports in Colorado: A comparative case study of administrative decision-making at the University of Denver and the University of Colorado at Boulder. University of Denver.
For expansive ideas on love vs. accountability in coaching:Flett, M. R., Gould, D., Griffes, K. R., & Lauer, L. (2013). Tough love for underserved youth: A comparison of more and less effective coaching. The sport psychologist, 27(4), 325-337
Coach Kutcher-Rinehart’s philosophy of character, teamwork, and excellence:Lumpkin, A. (2011). Building character through sports. Strategies, 24(6), 13-15.Smart, D. L., & Wolfe, R. A. (2000). Examining sustainable competitive advantage in intercollegiate athletics: A resource-based view. Journal of Sport Management, 14(2), 133-153.
For more on leadership among student athletes:O'Brien, J. (2018). Leadership Development Programs in College Athletics: An Exploration of the Student-Athlete Experience.
For more on caring for injured athletes:Petitpas, A. L., & Danish, S. J. (1995). Caring for injured athletes. Sport psychology interventions., 255-281.

Exploring Gender in Sport

ARIAN FOSTER - NFL Running Back & Musical Artist

Meg and Dr. G sit down for an exclusive interview with retired NFL running back, Arian Foster, who played with the Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins. An All-Pro on the field, Arian is also an accomplished musical artist, actor, writer, and podcaster. The Sporting News once called Foster “the most interesting man in the NFL.”
 
How do our beliefs affect how we live our life? What is the essence of being an amateur athlete? These are just a couple of the questions Dr. G, Meg, and Arian addresses they weigh in on sports, compensation for athletes, fake news, broken education systems, capitalism, politics, life in retirement, and more.
 
Arian shows his range of thinking, feeling, and what it means to be a human, including an athlete. Destroying the myth of the dumb jock, Arian connects the past with the present to explain who we are as a people today. Many people are unaware that Foster has an undergraduate degree in Philosophy from the University of Tennessee—watch him flex those critical thinking and philosophizing muscles while covering such topics as ethics, politics, education, science, art and music, racist ideologies, sport in society, democracy, money, love, marketing, propaganda, Black Face and minstrel shows, truth telling, stereotypes, social and cultural capital or lineage and pedigree, scholar athletes, self-study vs esteemed degrees, cultural reproduction, Black history, capitalism, normal and the abnormal, astrophysics, scientific method, college major selection and opportunities and constraints, identity, cultural differences and discipline on the football practice field, hegemonic masculinity, and good/bad coach stories. 
_______________________________________
TIPS & TOPICS
Self-degradation & humor
Individuality in sports
Listening to Understand vs. Listening to Respond
Perspective taking and empathy
How to determine if something is from a reliable source: A helpful checklist from the University of Maryland: https://sites.umgc.edu/library/libhow...
Social Science Vs. Natural Science
Facts Vs. Feelings
Amateur Athletes
Political beliefs 
Capitalism
Revenue and Marketing of Sports