Health and Human Performance
Laboratory for Athlete Development Research
Led by Christopher McLeod · Sport Management
What we study
The lab studies athlete labor markets and development, focusing on unrealistic expectations and work conditions. Students conduct research on athlete employment and development through field studies and collaborations with leagues.
- Project
- 1
- Papers
- 5
Current projects
Is Unrealistic Optimism Good or Bad?
A project funded by the National Science Foundation examining unrealistic expectations in athlete labor markets.
Summaries are written by AI in plain language from public symposium abstracts and may be imperfect.
Recent papers, explained
- Do Teams Value Generalized Training? Performance, Draft Position, and Compensation in Professional Baseball
2026 · Journal of Sport Management
Shows that high school track athletes perform better in baseball, despite specialization.
- Inspirational Labor and the Affective Economy of Women’s Soccer Fandom
2026 · Sociology of Sport Journal
Studies how women’s soccer fans feel inspired by players, linking emotions to team success.
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- An Exploration of College Athletes' Action to Change the Eyes of Texas. A Chronological Case Study
2026 · Journal of issues in intercollegiate athletics
Looks at how UT athletes and students protested racial inequality, despite school resistance.
- Labor supply in the sport industry: a review of existing models and extension in sport
2026 · Managing Sport and Leisure
Explains why sports workers take multiple jobs or work long hours, using a new model.
- A Critical Examination of Outcomes for College Graduates Working in the U.S. Spectator Sport Industry
2026 · Sport Management Education Journal
Finds that college graduates in sports jobs often earn less than expected.
Plain-language summaries are AI-written and reviewed by us; check the paper for details.
How to reach out
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