Proposal to Establish a Sport Performance Institute
within the
School of Health, Physical Education and Leisure Services

This proposal calls for the establishment of a Sport Performance Institute within the School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services. Throughout the world, sport has played an important role in the development of cultures, the advancement of society, and the prestige afforded nations. Sport today has evolved into a multi-billion dollar business that involves the integration of art, science, and business in the training of athletes as well as in the marketing of sporting events. The complexity of this process presents enormous challenges to both athletes and coaches. More and more, scientific study is being brought to the forefront in the training of athletes, the preparation of coaches, and the delivery of sport competition. In addition, there is a continual need to ensure the delivery of safe, quality services to individual athletes as well as sport teams. The Sport Performance Institute at the University of Northern Iowa is designed to focus on sport performance issues that require a multidisciplinary approach to research and service.

• The Sport Performance Institute has the primary mission to integrate the scholarship of sport scientists with the applied knowledge of coaches and practitioners to help athletes reach their full performance potential. This collaboration of professionals provides a necessary partnership between theory and practice, as well as a means to advance the body of knowledge in sports performance and injury prevention.


• The Sport Performance Institute provides an infrastructure to support the work of faculty and professional staff who have an interest and expertise in the delivery of sport and the advancement of the underlying body of knowledge. In addition, non-university personnel would be recruited to provide special expertise in sport performance as needed. The Institute is designed to create unique partnerships between scientists, professionals, and coaches in order to promote evidence-based training and coaching methods that maximize an athlete’s potential. The Institute would be organized into three coordinated areas, each linked by a common purpose, yet operating under a central administration. The three coordinated areas include: Research and Academics, Science of Performance Enhancement, and Sports Medicine.


• Research and Academics is designed to support scholarship, academic training, and professional outreach services. This unit generates and disseminates new knowledge and as well as reviews contemporary aspects of sports performance reported in the literature. The research and academic outreach is inclusive of all who are interested in advancement of sport performance. UNI faculty and staff direct research projects, as well as host professional development opportunities through conferences, seminar and clinics.


• Science of Performance Enhancement is a service-based unit designed to address the needs of athletes and teams. Composition of this unit includes experts in the areas of Nutrition Science, Sport Psychology, Physical Conditioning, Exercise Physiology, and Biomechanics. In addition, coaches will contribute to the specific needs of their sport. This service provides a basis for individual training in power, endurance, and technique.


• The Sports Medicine unit is primarily concerned with the health of the athlete in practice and competition. The chief focus of the unit is on the safety of sport performance and the prevention of sports injuries using the clinical expertise of athletic trainers, physicians, physical therapists, and massage therapists. Its contribution to the mission of the Institute lies in the ability to educate the athlete and coach in injury prevention issues.


• The Sport Performance Institute is housed within the School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services (HPELS) in the College of Education. Included within the School are the Division of Athletic Training and the Division of Physical Education. The Physical Education Division has a long and commendable tradition of preparing coaches for all levels of competition. The Athletic Training Division has an accredited athletic training academic program and recently partnered with area medical organizations in collaborative efforts pertaining to sports medicine. Scientific faculty and staff in these divisions have already established research agendas and service activities that support the mission of the Institute. The creation of the Institute serves to coordinate these efforts within a formal structure and links the disciplines with a central theme.


• The Institute will serve as a platform for research grant applications, continuing education initiatives, capital equipment requests, and partnerships in sport performance. Experiential learning opportunities will be offered to both graduate and undergraduates students in order to enhance their own abilities while contributing to research and service activities of the Institute. The Institute remains committed to render expert contributions to the physical education teacher preparation program.
  


• The proposed Institute could be established within the School of HPELS at this time using available resources and staff. In the future, for the Institute to fully achieve the vision outlined above, senior level leadership and moderate support staffing is desired.

Respectfully submitted by:

Kevin Finn, Ph.D.
Iradge Ahrabi-Fard, Ph.D