UK sport psychology program to host AASP Midwest Regional Conference
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 26, 2025) — The Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) Midwest Sport and Exercise Psychology Symposium will meet March 13-15 on the University of Kentucky campus. The Sport and Exercise Psychology program in the UK College of Education Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion will host the event.
During the symposium, workshops, presentations and networking opportunities will focus on professional issues and students will have opportunities to present their work in the sport psychology field.
Ethan Kross, Ph.D., and Craig Skinner will deliver keynote remarks on Thursday, March 13. Kross is author of the upcoming book, “Shift: Managing Your Emotions – So They Don’t Manage You.” Skinner is the winningest head coach in Kentucky Volleyball history. The pair will discuss building and sustaining championship culture.
“We look forward to introducing members of the AASP Midwest region to Lexington and the University of Kentucky campus,” said Marc Cormier, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, director of the sport and exercise psychology graduate program and a 2024 AASP Fellow. “The conference is a great opportunity for students and professionals to share their work, learn from others and network with the Midwest region.”
AASP membership includes students, professionals in fields related to sport psychology and affiliates. The organization focuses on the advancement and application of excellence in mental performance and mental health and cultivates an inclusive field of Certified Mental Performance Consultants® (CMPC), licensed mental health professionals, educators and researchers.
The UK Sport and Exercise Psychology master’s program was established in 2018 and since its implementation, students have gained valuable certification hours in elite sport environments while increasing UK student-athletes’ access to sport and performance psychology. In addition to directing the graduate program, Cormier serves as director of counseling and performance psychology services for UK Athletics and supervises graduate interns within UK Athletics. Among various other community partners, the program has close connections with the Lexington Sporting Club’s USL League One (men’s), USL Super League (women’s) professional teams, and LSC’s youth academy, focusing on mental performance and player wellness.
The AASP Midwest Sport and Exercise Psychology Symposium is taking place as UK launches an undergraduate certificate in Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology. The 15-hour certificate gives undergraduate students a unique opportunity to explore the mental factors that influence performance. The certificate’s coursework includes an introduction to counseling skills and a look at the psychology and sociology of physical activity and sport. Students pursuing the certificate will gain foundational knowledge that can enhance their readiness for diverse careers or advanced studies in the field.
“The broad foundation of knowledge offered in this certificate is not typically available at the undergraduate level,” said Ashley Samson, Ph.D., director of the undergraduate certificate and a professor of sport psychology in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion.
Registration for the AASP Midwest Sport and Exercise Psychology Symposium is open now. For updates, follow @UKSportPsych on X or contact Cormier at marc.cormier@uky.edu.
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