School kids celebrating with their coach on a sports field.

Advancing Youth Development Through Sport

The Sport Social Work Research Lab (SSW-RL) explores the role sport and recreation play in shaping youth development, mental health and community well-being. Grounded in interdisciplinary research and community engagement, the lab examines how sport can be leveraged as a tool for positive change—supporting individuals both on and off the field.

Through innovative, real-world research, the lab focuses on how young people develop critical life skills through sport, including communication, leadership and emotional regulation, and how those skills transfer into everyday life.

“As a leader in the field of sport social work, the lab advances research, education and outreach that strengthen athletes, families and communities, while redefining the role of sport as a vehicle for social impact.”

Dr. Tarkington Newman Director, Sport Social Work Research Lab

Gamechangers

The use of sport, recreation, and play as a social intervention to support healthy, holistic development.

Kimiecik, J., Kimiecik, C., Dunn, K., & Storey, I. (2026). The triad of positive experience: Play, an expressive self and feeling free are the natural connectors for building young people’s psychological well-being. The Journal of Positive Psychology [advanced online publication],1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2026.2619655

Newman, T., Lee, L., Santos, F., Ferreira, M., & Anderson-Butcher, D. (2025). Photo-based methods to illustrate the what-where-how of life skill transfer. Research on Social Work Practice [advanced online publication]. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315251342978

Moore, M., Blom, L., Califano, K., Hussey, K., Farello, A., Vasiloff, O., Gabler, T., & Sullivan, M. (2021). Redesigning a youth soccer program: Holistic development of athletes. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 38(4), 409-421. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-021-00770-z

Playmakers

The provision of behavioral and mental health services, resources, and supports within sport systems/settings.

Moore, M., Loken, L., Kelly, A., Dzimbiri, M. N., Bennett, P., & Judge, L. (2026). Behind the jersey: Exploring athletic identity and depression in college athletes. Journal of Athlete Development and Experience, 8(1), 1, 1-13. https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/jade/vol8/iss1/1

Moore, M., Newman, T., Beasley, L., Bates, S., Sullivan, D., Rosado, S., Hampton, M., Murphy, M., & Soske, A. (2025). Convergence: Sports, social work, and professional identity. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping [publication accepted].

Newman, T., Okamoto, K., Beasley, L., Kimiecik, C., Lee, L., Shute, L., Tarr, C., Magier, E., & Tucker, A. (2024). Sport social work: Unique opportunities, benefits, and barriers. Sport Social Work Journal, 5(1), 35-52. https://doi.org/10.33043/SSWJ.6qbzr7r

Trailblazers

Leveraging sport for social justice promotion.

Newman, T., Reynolds, J., Santos, F., Ferreira, M., Tarr, C., Turgeon, S., & Moore, M. (2025). The social work sport coach: New possibilities for a contemporary coaching pedagogy. Journal of Social Work [advanced online publication]. https://doi.org/10.1177/14680173251401778

Newman, T., Santos, F., Collins, K., Pierce, S., Kochanek, J., Mercier, V., & Lee, L. (2024). Social justice promotion in youth sport: Insights from current high school coaches. Sport Coaching Review, I29(2), 206-220. https://doi.org/10.1080/21640629.2024.2324633

Newman, T., Turgeon, S., Moore, M., Bean., C., Lee, L., Knuettel, M., & Osmers Rahill, C. (2023). The dual pandemic: COVID-19, systemic racism, and college student-athlete mental health. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 21(1), 156-173. http://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2022.2026997

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