The 38th Annual Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) conference took place in Orlando, Florida, on October 18-21, 2023, with members from across the globe participating. Over the course of four days, Laboratory for Sport Psychology and Performance Excellence (LSPPE) students, faculty, and alumni presented symposiums, panels, workshops, and posters.

LSPPE faculty member Dr. Barbara Meyer served as a panelist on a panel titled When Everything and Nothing Changes: Navigating Transitions between Olympic Cycles from a Systems Theory Perspective. Dr. Meyer, alongside panelists Alumnus Dr. Stacy Gnacinski, Penny Werthner, and Alumnus Dr. Courtney Hess, discussed their experiences of managing transitions within and between Olympic cycles at the athlete, coach, staff, and national sport organization levels.

LSPPE faculty member Dr. Monna Arvinen-Barrow was invited to serve as a guest panelist on a panel titled Adopting an Interprofessional Approach to Injured Athlete Care. The panel, which was led by Rachel Shinnick, also featured Dr. John McCarthy from Boston University. During the discussion, the panelists shared their insights on the important factors to consider when adopting an interprofessional approach to injured athlete care.

Panelists (left to right): Derek Zike, Mallori Girard, Deyja Enriquez, Yanai Sayag, Dr. Amanda Perkins-Ball

Doctoral candidate Derek Zike served as a panelist on a panel titled What Does an AASP That Integrates DEIBJ Look Like? Changes in Membership Demographics From 2017 to 2023 Emphasize the Need to Rethink Diversity and Inclusion in AASP Membership. Zike, alongside panelists Dr. Amanda Perkins-Ball, Deyja Enriquez, and Yanai Sayag, and moderator Mallori Girard, discussed AASP membership demographics from 2017 to 2023, highlighting the need for the DEIBJ Committees and avenues for advocacy work within and through the association on behalf of vulnerable groups. The panel also presented data on completed and continuing DEIBJ initiatives as well as plans for future committee and association efforts using a corporate social justice framework.

Doctoral student Anthony Magdaleno was named a winner of the 2023 AASP Conference Student Abstract Award. The AASP Foundation created this award so that students who would like to attend the AASP Conference to present their work may do so. Ten students were selected. The 2023 Award, sponsored by Routledge/Taylor & Francis, included a cash award.

Anthony Magdaleno

Alumnus Dr. Carly Wahl and faculty Dr. Barbara Meyer presented a workshop titled A New Tool to Optimize Athlete Recovery: Utilizing the Assessment of Recovery Activities for Athletes (ARAA) in Research and Practice. Workshop attendees learned how to (a) implement the ARAA within sport populations, (b) score items and interpret results of the ARAA, and (c) develop a potential intervention plan tailored to enhance individual athlete recovery.

Alumnus Dr. Courtney Hess presented a symposium titled Signature Interventions for Sustainable Performance Excellence: International Perspectives Across the Continuum of Mental Well-being and Mental Performance. The symposium outlined novel assessments and interventions for supporting athlete well-being and performance. Dr. Hess discussed the intersection of chronic pain and youth athlete identity. She provided education on chronic pain, reviewed a recent study that highlighted the prevalence of athletes among patients presenting to pain clinics, and overviewed potential interventions and opportunities for collaboration between healthcare and sport practitioners.

LSPPE members Derek Zike & Dr. Monna Arvinen-Barrow with other members of the JASPR Editorial Board

The AASP conference is also famous for its high-quality poster presentations. Fascinating posters were presented, and LSPPE students, faculty, and alumni contributed to the posters on hand.

LSPPE Poster Presentations

Bigley, M. & Ford, J. (October 2023). Athletes’ mental health as related to the perception of coaches.

Braun, L., Ouellet-Pizer, C., Menden, E., Ebersole, K. T., & Meyer, B. B. (October 2023). Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle: Adapting athlete mental skills workshops to firefighters. Click to view.

Darr, E. & Ford, J. (October 2023). Evaluating the effect of exercise on emotional health and cognitive function in neurodivergent individuals.

(Left to Right): First row: Derek Zike. Second row: Dr. Jess Ford, Dr. Monna Arvinen-Barrow, Michael Hansen

Ford, J. (October 2023). Building a sport psychology presence at a small, division III, liberal arts teaching college: Reflections on the process thus far. Click to view.

Ildefonso, K., & Arvinen-Barrow, M. (October 2023). Exploring the perceived psychosocial experiences of recreational runners with patellofemoral pain: A grounded theory approach. Click to view.

Magdaleno, A. & Meyer, B. B. (October 2023). Investigating differences in CMPCs’ stress, burnout, and occupational recovery when grouped by services provided and years of experience. Click to view.

Zike, D. M., & Arvinen-Barrow, M. (October 2023). Having, being, and living: Stories of disability by female athletes after spinal cord injury. Click to view.

Derek Zike

Landon Braun

For more information about the AASP Annual Conference, see the conference details by following this link.