Kinesiology Review (KR) has been in existence since 2012. Over that period of time, 29 issues have been published, and included in those issues have been some 270 essays dealing with all the fields that make up kinesiology. True to the mission of the journal, the essays are highly sophisticated reviews and critical assessments of issues pertaining to such diverse yet interrelated subdisciplinary areas as motor control, exercise physiology, psychology, history, philosophy, sociology, pedagogy, epidemiology, athletic training, biomechanics, and motor development. Some of the essays emanated from regular submissions and special issues, while others derive from the annual meeting of the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK) and the yearly leadership workshops organized by the American Kinesiology Association (AKA). Examples of the diverse nature of the essays can perhaps be best gleaned from the special issues that have ranged from such topics as “Concussion Management in Sport” and “Multicultural Issues in Physical Activity and Sport” to “Present Status and Future Directions of Motor Development and Motor Control” and “Reflections on Kinesiology: Past, Present, and Future.”
The success of KR is largely attributable to the efforts of founding Editor in Chief Jane E. Clark and her successor, Maureen (Mo) Weiss. Both of them guided the journal with great care during their tenures, expertly shepherding essays through the external review process, working closely with the executive and editorial board members, keeping members of both AKA and NAK abreast of the status of the journal, and tirelessly promoting and marketing the journal to its various constituencies. All of us in kinesiology owe both of them a debt of gratitude for what they have done on behalf of KR.
My intent as I transition into the role of editor in chief is to follow closely the lead of Jane and Mo while also thinking of ways to increase the visibility of KR and make it even more impactful. Unfortunately, I do not have a magic wand and understand full well it will take much effort on my part to realize these goals. I am up for the challenge, however. At this point, I believe it is essential to continue to publish special issues on topics that will hold interest for our readers. Implicit in this call, and in line with the mission of KR, is that these issues approach topics in a multidimensional rather than unidimensional fashion. In addition to special issues, I would like to attract contributors who represent not only a variety of disciplinary areas but also the different professional ranks commonly associated with academia. In essence, I would like to see more essays submitted by individuals who more evenly cut across the assistant, associate, and full professor levels of instruction. Finally, I would like people to know how truly unique KR is as a refereed scholarly journal. It is an influential scholarly outlet based on the premise that the continued success of kinesiology as a profession is dependent on bridging the gap between research and practice and thinking holistically rather than fashioning artificial disciplinary boundaries that stifle rather than elevate the status of the field.
David K. Wiggins, KR Editor-in-Chief
