Sometimes, the best ideas come from the best arguments. Often, this competition of ideas necessitates a meaningful and energetic engagement with one another that drives cooperation to find optimal solutions. Typically, the best solutions RISE to the top after iterative disagreements and heated critiques. That’s exactly how this lab emerged, by debating the value of sport and/or physical activity on health. The solution seemed clear: sport may be a better provider to improve overall health b/c it offers more of a multi-dimensional approach and perspective than physical activity alone. Athletes and sport participants are multi-faceted with multi-dynamic issues. Thus, serving this complex group requires multi-dimensional assessment and programming. This multi-dimensional approach requires diversity of thought, skill sets, and academic disciplines, which the Dept. of Health and Human Performance offers in abundance. Excellence in sport depends on this multi-dimensional and holistic nature, and our lab is the place where we get to make it happen!
The purpose of this lab is to understand and promote the impact of sport and its participants in healthy ways. We will do this through research, community partnerships, education dissemination, and the promotion of inclusion, especially the inclusion of the diversity of people, ideas, and academic disciplines. Thus, we aim to render sport (and its participants) “healthier” from a holistic, multi-dimensional perspective and through this aim, we will maximize and promote excellence in sport.