Dr. Jon Welty Peachey gives inspirational 2023 Mawson Scholar lecture
Is using sport for social change a myth or reality? That was the focus of the lecture by Dr. Jon Welty Peachey, the 2023 Mawson Scholar Series featured speaker.
Dr. Welty Peachey posited that sport has been used for development throughout history. That was the intent of the original Olympic games. It was the roots in programs designed for returning World War I veterans. The United Nations along with over 1,000 organizations use sport for development. The definition that Dr. Welty Peachey used for Sport for Development is, “using sport to exert a positive influence on public health, the socialization of children, youths and adults, the social inclusion of the disadvantaged, economic development of regions and states and fostering intercultural exchange and conflict resolution.”
Dr. Welty Peachey’s research looked beyond the X’s and O’s. He asked, “Can sports be used to make society a better place.” He looked at how programs are developed. Are they developed to have positive outcomes? How do you evaluate the programs over the long term? How do they impact the individual vs social change?
Dr. Welty Peachey said using sport to help bring about social change is a reality. It has been used and is being used to help make desired changes in society. He used Street Soccer USA as an example. Street Soccer USA paired soccer with people who are experiencing homelessness. A 15-year study showed Street Soccer USA assisted in building community and enhanced social networks. It created hope and a positive outlook on life, created an outward focus of trusting and helping others, enhanced self-esteem, self-confidence, and leadership abilities.
Dr. Welty Peachey added that using sport does not guarantee immediate success, it may take time to achieve the goals set. He said one of the keys to success is developing personal relationships. Dr. Jon Welty Peachey was also a guest lecturer for the Sports Facilities and Event Management class. Dr. Welty Peachey is the Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Sport Management and Leadership at Gordon College. He is the 7th Mawson Scholar to visit the University of Kansas.
The Mawson Scholar Speaker Series was established by Dr. Marlene Mawson as an annual event, designed to bring a prominent sport management scholar and presenter to KU each fall. Mawson was a professor and administrator at KU for 22 years. Mawson was inducted into the KU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009 for her contributions to women’s athletics, which are detailed in her book “Mawson’s Mission: Launching Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Kansas.” The Mawson Scholar Speaker Series is sponsored by the KU Sport Management program which is part of the Department of Health Sport & Exercise Sciences, housed within the School of Education & Human Sciences.
