Nicole M. Lavoi, PhD, senior lecturer in the School of Kinesiology and co-director of the Tucker Center, doctoral candidate Anna Baeth, and former graduate student Matea Wasend, have published a chapter entitled “Exploring the Gender Divide in Current Day Sport Coaching” appearing in the edited book, “Professional Advances in Sports Coaching: Research and Practice” (Routledge).
An article in the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, “New documentary addresses sexism, racism in coaching“, highlights the Tucker Center’s new documentary with Twin Cities PBS, “GAME ON: Women Can Coach” and features interview commentary with Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi, Tucker Center co-director and School of Kinesiology senior lecturer. The article pays special notice to Minnesota Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Faith Johnson Patterson, who won eight state high school titles at two different Minneapolis schools.
Tucker Center research by School of Kinesiology senior lecturer and co-director of the Tucker Center, Nicole M. LaVoi, Ph.D., is cited in the Swimming World article, “Dawn Gerken Dill: When Your Coach Believes in You.” The article specifically cites the “Head Coaches of Women’s Collegiate Teams: A Comprehensive Report on NCAA Division-III Institutions 2017-18” report regarding the percentage of female head coaches in Division III swimming and the NEWMAC Conference, which includes MIT where Dill coaches.
Beth Lewis, Ph.D., professor and director of the School of Kinesiology, was interviewed on Minnesota Public Radio’s (MPR) “All Things Considered” regarding the federal government’s new physical activity guidelines. The segment discusses the guidelines which recommend, as they did last year, 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity.
Mary Jo Kane, Ph.D., director of the Tucker Center and professor in the School of Kinesiology, is mentioned in a Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder article, “Black Women Coaches in College Hoops Rare as Unicorns,” a piece on the Tucker Center’s recent Distinguished Lecture, “Why Women Leaders Matter: Challenges & Opportunities for Female Head Coaches in Collegiate Sports,” which featured U of M coaches Lindsay Whalen, Danielle O’Banion, and Kelly Roysland along with former U of M AD Joel Maturi.
An article in the Washington Post cites the research of Thomas Stoffregen, Ph.D., School of Kinesiology professor and director of the Affordance Perception-Action Laboratory. “What causes seasickness—and what to do about it” notes Stoffregen’s work on postural sway and the incidence of seasickness. Stoffregen’s research shows that “seasickness happens more frequently and to a greater degree in people whose bodies sway more—albeit, a tiny, imperceptible movement—even on land.”
Diane Wiese-Bjornstal, Ph.D., professor in the School of Kinesiology, was inducted as a Fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK) in a special ceremony culminating the recent annual meeting in Chicago. Becoming a Fellow in NAK is the highest recognition achieved by a scholar in Kinesiology. To be inducted, an individual must meet rigorous criteria for scientific research, professional scholarship, and service to the field. NAK is composed of national and international fellows who have made significant and sustained contributions to the field of kinesiology.
Here is a portion from her sponsors’ induction narrative: “Diane Wiese-Bjornstal is a distinguished scholar, mentor, and professional citizen. Her sustained line of programmatic research is in sports medicine psychology—the study of cognitive, social, and behavioral factors related to injuries. She collaborates with scholars in orthopedic surgery, family medicine, and athletic training, among others, to understand the complex issues surrounding injury processes. Her research questions are guided by theory, rigorous methods, and the interplay of social-behavioral and biophysical factors that influence injury. Her integrated model of response to sport injury was a paradigm changer, with nearly every article on injury psychology citing this model since its publication 20 years ago. Her unique niche bridges multiple disciplines, translates research to evidence-based best practices, and considers developmental differences. The quality and quantity of her articles establish her as an expert in the study of sports medicine psychology.”
To kick off honoring and celebrating their 25th anniversary, the Tucker Center today released the third edition of its Tucker Center Research Report, “Developing Physically Active Girls: An Evidence-based Multidisciplinary Approach.” The 240-page report connects research-based knowledge to strategies and practices which help ensure that every girl has ample opportunity to fully engage in sport and physical activity. The report examines two essential questions: 1) What does research tell us about critical factors that influence adolescent girls’ physical activity; and, 2) What are the outcomes that participation in sports and physical activity have on adolescent girls? The report, an executive summary, and the graphic, “Positive Model for Developing Physically Active Girls,” are all available on the Tucker Center’s website at www.tuckercenter.org.
A Cronkite News (Arizona PBS) article, “NCAA, Arizona universities look to address lack of women coaching women’s sports,” cites Tucker Center research, “Head Coaches of Women’s Collegiate Teams.” The article also quotes Amy Wilson, NCAA Director of Inclusion, who states, “I’m not saying that they [Athletic Directors] don’t hire women, … but there is research to show that they hire people that they are used to. I think women are still trying to enter a largely male-dominated system within the NCAA structure.”
A research report distributed by the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport and written by Nicole M. LaVoi, Ph.D., Tucker Center co-director and School of Kinesiology senior lecturer, is cited in an Outside Magazine article, “American Running Needs More Female Coaches.” The Tucker Center report, “Head Coaches of Women’s Collegiate Teams: A Comprehensive Report on NCAA Division-I Institutions, 2017-18,” part of the Women Coaches Report Card series, provides data showing the dearth of female track and field coaches.
Tom Stoffregen, Ph.D., professor in the School of Kinesiology and director of the Affordance Perception-Action Laboratory (APAL), is quoted in a Quartzy.com article, “We still don’t understand motion sickness, but it’s likely to get worse in the digital age.” Stoffregen’s research on postural imbalance is reviewed, along with several other researchers’ approaches, with attention to a prevalent, but unsubstantiated, theory regarding the cause of motion sickness.
Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi, co-director of the Tucker Center and School of Kinesiology senior lecturer, has published a “Shouts from the Stands” submission to SwimSwam.com: “8 Reasons Why Women Coaches Matter” is LaVoi’s response to the oft-received question Why do women in sport leadership positions matter, and is based in research for her Women Coaches Research Series & Report Cards.
The website Ozy.com has posted an article, “This Sports Reporter Sexism Needs to Go,” which quotes Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi, Tucker Center co-director and School of Kinesiology senior lecturer, saying “that 86–96 percent of all sports journalists are men.” The article addresses the question, How many sports reporters, male and female, actually played the sports they now cover?
The Tucker Center‘s most recent work is referenced in the SwimSwam.com article, “NCAA Swimming Lands ‘F’ Grade For Lack Of Women Coaching Female Teams.” The article, citing Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi‘s Women Coaches Research Series & Report Cards, details both Division I and Division III results.
The Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport has released a first-of-its-kind report, “Athletic Administration Best Practices of Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention of Female Collegiate Coaches.” Produced with support from the NCAA Office of Inclusion, the report is based on interviews with athletic directors at NCAA schools with positive track records of recruiting, hiring, and retaining female head coaches and provides a roadmap for athletic directors looking for tangible strategies to improve the representation of women on their coaching staff. The report was authored by Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi, co-director of the Tucker Center.
Nicole LaVoi, Ph.D., is the featured “Alumni Success Story” in the July 2018 edition of the St. Cloud Area School District 742 news blog. The feature follows LaVoi as a Tech High School graduate through her collegiate career to her current role as co-director with the Tucker Center and senior lecturer in the School of Kinesiology.
Nicole LaVoi, Ph.D., co-director of the Tucker Center and senior lecturer in the School of Kinesiology, is quoted in a Star Tribune piece, “WNBA 3.0: New generation of all-stars stands on shoulders of game’s earliest stalwarts.” LaVoi’s comments focus on the increasing visibility of female role models for up and coming athletes.
Nicole LaVoi, Ph.D., senior lecturer and co-director of the Tucker Center in the School of Kinesiology, will speak at the 2nd Annual Minnesota Wild Leadership Summit on Tuesday, July 10 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre and Xcel Energy Center. LaVoi’s talk, given to over 300 hockey captains and coaches representing 71 teams attending the Summit, will be “Building a Positive Team Culture.”
The Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport announces the recipients of the 2018 Tucker Center Internship, now celebrating its 10th year. This year Sarah Cummings (Marketing Communications senior at Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY) and Hannah Silva-Breen (BA in Psychology & Exercise Physiology, Gustavus Adolphus College, St Peter, MN) will be assisting Tucker Center leadership with projects including the 2018 Tucker Center Research Report, the WCRC All Division-I data write-up, a 5-year Coach Turnover report, a new TC/tptMN video documentary on women in sports leadership, and a coach tracking project in collaboration with the Alliance for Women Coaches. More information about these outstanding interns and the Tucker Center Internship, in general, is available at the Tucker Center website.
