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In March 2022, swimmer Lia Thomas became the first transgender athlete to win a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I individual title. The current study analyzed popular online media coverage of Thomas during the month of the NCAA championships. Conservative-oriented media set the agenda by publishing a disproportionate number of articles about Thomas, frequently framing her performance as (a) illegitimate and (b) enabled by activists who “silence” their opponents. All media outlets often framed Thomas’ performance as (a) unprecedented, (b) a question of fairness as it relates to (1) science and policy and (2) concern for women’s rights, and (c) complex, while nonconservative media more frequently framed her performance as (a) a matter of LGBTQI+ rights and (b) an inspiration.

Scientists have a responsibility to engage with and inform the public about new challenges and discoveries that impact the health of society. However, most scientists do not have formal training in how to communicate scientific information to nonscientists. In this paper, I describe how the Department of Kinesiology and Integrative Physiology at Michigan Technological University incorporated science communication into its undergraduate and graduate curriculum. I also discuss the impact, benefits, and lessons learned from this initiative. My hope is that this paper will inspire other kinesiology programs to provide distinct opportunities for their students to develop science communication skills so that they can better connect with the public and world around them.

Creating opportunities for undergraduate students’ personal and professional development including advocacy for social justice is a relevant topic for kinesiology faculty and administrators. Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach to promote self-awareness, behavior change, and social justice in kinesiology, the purpose of this article is to share and discuss high-impact practices and strategies to infuse ethical leadership, inclusive excellence, and community engagement within the kinesiology curriculum. Principles from kinesiology, public health, sport psychology, leadership studies, pedagogy, and human resources are integrated to help kinesiology faculty facilitate and enhance students’ future professional practices. Frameworks for behavior change for social justice in kinesiology include the decolonizing kinesiology ethics, inclusive excellence, stages of change, and effective communication. Readers are encouraged to “take back to their departments” practices and strategies that can be further modified and integrated into their own kinesiology curriculum.

The purpose of this paper is to share how the American Kinesiology Association’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee envisioned, planned, and created an opportunity to show how inclusive excellence can be implemented as a strategy for transformation and change. This was achieved by listening to and intentionally responding with positive outcomes to students who voice their lived experiences in an institution of higher education. The Viewpoints on Inclusive Student Experiences (VOISES) model of student/faculty engagement is explained, along with reflections from two faculty members who participated in VOISES panels—one as an audience member and the other as a panel moderator. The discussion includes suggestions for incorporating student voices generally and the VOISES model specifically as part of a comprehensive diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy.

Reducing lower-limb injuries in netball, particularly anterior cruciate ligament injuries, is a priority. The Accident Compensation Corporation (a no-fault national insurance system) partnered with Netball New Zealand to create the “NetballSmart” injury prevention program. Targeted research informed the successful implementation, dissemination, and adoption of the injury prevention program. Research included a nationwide epidemiological study, video analysis investigating netball injury risk maneuvers, and intervention studies exploring the effectiveness of injury prevention program warm-up resources on physical capability in youth netball. An identified spike in ankle-knee injury incidence of school-age netball players at season start and prior to tournaments along with a high overall prevalence within these ages led to the creation of age-specific educational workshops and resources focused on effective preparation, skill transition, strengthening, and balance. Observational video analysis highlighted behaviors that potentially increased the risk of anterior cruciate ligament injury and a progressive landing skills program was developed. The NetballSmart Dynamic Warm-up and Power Warm-up significantly improved player physical capability. Consequently, time to perform the Power Warm-up before all games at a national intermediate school tournament was incorporated into competition-time, reducing workload by 25%. A targeted social media and ambassador endorsement plan increased performance of the NetballSmart Dynamic Warm-up/Power Warm-up by 14% prior to games and 15% before trainings nationally. Accident Compensation Corporation injury data between 2018 and 2022 showed a 6,050 (32%) reduction of all body site and a 2,968 (33%) decrease of combined ankle-knee injury claims. Similarly, by 2021 there was a 11% decrease in fractures/dislocations, a 13% decrease in soft tissue injuries, and a 9% decrease in anterior cruciate ligament surgical repairs. During this delivery period, Accident Compensation Corporation reported that the whole of life returns on investment was NZD$4.10, for every dollar funded to the NetballSmart Injury Prevention Programme.

The School of Kinesiology (KINE) at Auburn University (AU) has demonstrated exemplary commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, earning the 2024 American Kinesiology Association’s Inclusive Excellence Award. This article describes the strategic planning and actions taken by AU KINE over more than a decade to promote inclusive excellence by enhancing diversity and fostering inclusion. The article discusses how AU KINE overcame challenges, such as misconceptions about diversity initiatives, and how the unit continues to evolve, including developing an inclusive Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Throughout the process, AU KINE has aligned its diversity and inclusion mission and goals with the broader institution. The authors aim to demystify the process of creating a more diverse and inclusive kinesiology department and offer insights for other programs seeking to enhance their diversity and inclusion efforts. AU KINE’s success demonstrates the transformative power of strategic, sustained initiatives to promote inclusive excellence in kinesiology.

The 2024 American Kinesiology Association Undergraduate Education Network session included a keynote address titled “Preparing Future Change Agents: A Commitment to Social Justice.” From my lived experience, I learned much from being marginalized as a female athlete. Through reflecting on these experiences and my formal education, the question asked was, What were those pivotal experiences that developed attitudes and values toward all-consuming social justice? Besides having parents who reinforced that one can do anything they set their mind to do, living across the country and learning the value of diversity and having educationally impactful experiences in the “world classroom” had a huge impact on my valuing diversity. From my formal educational experiences, I remember few lecture-type classes. Content knowledge is important, but the more impactful classes and experiences were experiential and hands-on. The following are my reflections and recommendations for preparing future change agents.

Physical education (PE) has a unique opportunity in not only supporting children with disabilities but also their parents’ physical-activity knowledge and support behaviors. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic literature review was to synthesize published studies regarding parent perspectives toward physical education (PE) for their children with disabilities. A total of 19 articles met inclusion criteria. Three themes emerged: (a) parents’ understanding of adapted PE (A/PE), (b) parents’ expectations of A/PE teachers, and (c) parents’ undeveloped relationships with A/PE teachers. There exists a disconnection between parent expectations and PE teachers’ abilities to accommodate their children and develop lines of communication. Additionally, parental value toward PE was often lower compared with other areas of need for their children. Future research suggests exploring teacher perspectives in understanding the relationships with parents. Furthermore, exploring the origins of parental values for PE and its impact on their perspectives warrants further investigation.

This research explores why racialized queer and gay men work out prior to Pride events in Pride Toronto and Fierté Montréal. The findings show that muscular aesthetics are a type of gay social capital, and participants acknowledge that this may also increase undesired attention and limitations because of their racialized bodies. Participants voice the paradox of the “unspoken rule,” which derives from ideas of authenticity and superficiality. To be one’s most genuine self, racialized queer and gay men must achieve a high physical bodily aesthetic but may lose identity and agency. Yet, they transform their bodies as a daily dedication to their own well-being. Most seem to be aware of the contradictions and tensions in developing a muscled body, which is a personal journey each of them went through to find their own understanding and meaning.