Sport & Exercise Psychology Laboratory


Dr. Mary Fry and a laboratory member are engaged in discussion at a table with paper documents splayed about
a male subject is wearing a wrist and finger harness connected to a computer while he and a researcher gaze at a computer screen
a female subject is wearing a piece of respiration measurement equipment while a researcher off in the distance observes a computer

Lab details

Mission

To 1) provide training to coaches and professionals working in sport and physical activity settings on how to create task-involving and caring climates, and 2) deliver physical activity/positive life skills and mental skills training programming to participants of all ages.

Focus

To conduct high quality, cutting edge, and theoretically sound research examining how optimal motivational climates created within sport and physical activity settings lead to participant’s positive physical, social, and psychological well-being.

Vision

To create a world where every person has access to sport and physical activity settings where they can experience joyful movement.

Available Services:

The KU Sport & Exercise Psychology Lab offers the following services to coaches, teams, individual athletes, and a wide variety of physical activity and health professionals:

  • Mental Skills Training
  • Team Building Workshops
  • Team Climate Interventions
  • Assessments of Athletes/Coaches/Participants’ Sports and Physical Activity Experiences (e.g., surveys tapping into the team environment and participants’ enjoyment, effort, commitment, quality of relationships with peers, and numerous outcomes)

Interested parties can contact Dr. Mary Fry via email for more information at mfry@ku.edu.

Opportunities for Students & Fellow Researchers:

Current Projects:

  • Strong Girls After School Project [Collaboration with WIN for KC]
  • Basketball Climate Intervention
  • Climate Intervention in Biology Lab Courses
  • Senior Adults’ Experiences in Group Exercise Classes
  • Collegiate Athletes’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • USA Swimmers’ Motivational Responses
  • Intervention with Children with Congenital Heart Disease
  • Intervention to Train Biology Instructors

Available Services:

The KU Sport & Exercise Psychology Lab offers the following services to coaches, teams, individual athletes, and a wide variety of physical activity and health professionals:

  • Mental Skills Training
  • Team Building Workshops
  • Team Climate Interventions
  • Assessments of Athletes/Coaches/Participants’ Sports and Physical Activity Experiences (e.g., surveys tapping into the team environment and participants’ enjoyment, effort, commitment, quality of relationships with peers, and numerous outcomes)

Interested parties can contact Dr. Mary Fry via email for more information at mfry@ku.edu.

Opportunities for Students & Fellow Researchers:

Current Projects:

  • Strong Girls After School Project [Collaboration with WIN for KC]
  • Basketball Climate Intervention
  • Climate Intervention in Biology Lab Courses
  • Senior Adults’ Experiences in Group Exercise Classes
  • Collegiate Athletes’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  • USA Swimmers’ Motivational Responses
  • Intervention with Children with Congenital Heart Disease
  • Intervention to Train Biology Instructors

Lab Members

Alumni