Research Interests
Dr. Woolf’s research focuses on the role of sport in human development and augmentation. In particular, he is interested in the nexus between sport and health and how the management of sport may promote positive, and prevent negative, health outcomes. In his research, he strives to understand the issues that enable sport to be a positive transformative experience that promotes health and avoids negative behaviors such as the use and abuse of drugs. To achieve this, he adopts a critical perspective to explore and challenge the assumptions that pervade sport, with the goal to recommend policies and practices that better enable sport to deliver on its promise as a true benefit to society. His primary research focus is on the management of performance-enhancing drugs, or doping, in sport. In addition, he also examines sport development and how the design and implementation of programs affect the experience of participants and aids developmental health outcomes. His work has been previously supported by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Additional Campus Affiliations
Assistant Professor, Recreation, Sport and Tourism
Assistant Professor, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Assistant Professor, European Union Center
Recent Publications
Janarthanan, R., Woolf, J., Bloodworth, A., & Petróczi, A. (Accepted/In press). Environment as a vulnerability factor for doping: a qualitative examination of Indian track and field athletes’ hurdles to compete clean. Sport Management Review. https://doi.org/10.1080/14413523.2024.2394254
Simms, J., Trad, A. M., Richards, K. A., & Woolf, J. (2024). Examining Strategies for Undergraduate Student Volunteer Engagement and Management in a Community-Based Sport-for-Development Program. Recreational Sports Journal, 48(1), 75-84. https://doi.org/10.1177/15588661241236407
Simms, J., Trad, A. M., Woolf, J., & Richards, K. A. (2024). Volunteering in an After School Program as a Socialization, Social and Emotional Learning Experience for College Students. Quest, 76(2), 190-206. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2023.2276470
Woolf, J., Chen, G., Haugen, M., & Welty Peachey, J. (2024). Role Conflict of Chinese Student-Athletes: Distinct Challenges They Face and Implications for Collegiate Sport Administrators. Journal of Global Sport Management, 9(1), 113-131. https://doi.org/10.1080/24704067.2022.2062030
Horne, E., Woolf, J., & Green, C. (2022). Relationship dynamics between parents and coaches: are they failing young athletes? Managing Sport and Leisure, 27(3), 224-240. https://doi.org/10.1080/23750472.2020.1779114