Approach to Research

My research investigates the nexus of sport and human development through inquiry-based qualitative methods that incorporate multiple stakeholder perspectives. When sport is designed and delivered properly, it can be a powerful tool to promote holistic development (e.g., intellectual, social, emotional, physical, moral) across the lifespan. Though college sport has significant potential to enhance both educational and student development outcomes, its efficacy in achieving these two outcomes remains limited for participants (Springer & Dixon, 2021).

Thus, the primary objective of my research is to use Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Model as a framework for studying college athlete development within the club sport and intercollegiate athletic contexts. My research seeks to understand the complex interplay between individual factors, immediate and broader environmental contexts, and time in shaping athletes' experiences and development. With a critical constructivist epistemology, a differential ontology, and a pragmatic methodology, I aim to explore the social constructions and power dynamics that influence athletes' experiences within a constantly evolving environment.

My research focuses on the following primary research questions, aligned with the components of the Bioecological Model:

Process: How do the interactions and experiences within club sport and intercollegiate athletics influence athletes' academic, athletic, and personal development?
Person: How do individual factors shape athletes' experiences, role conflicts, identity development, and adaptation within club sport and intercollegiate athletic contexts?
Context: How do various environmental contexts collectively influence athletes' experiences, development, and the balance between academic and athletic pursuits?
Time: How do historical events, changes in club sport or intercollegiate athletic policies, and the timing of individual experiences impact athletes' development and adaptation over time?

By utilizing the Bioecological Model as a guiding framework, my research contributes to a comprehensive understanding of college athlete development in club sport and intercollegiate athletics. I employ various qualitative research methods to explore the complex interactions between individual and contextual factors that shape athletes' experiences, inform policy decisions, and promote the development of evidence-based interventions to support athletes in their academic, athletic, and personal pursuits.