SPPARC Current Students
Chris Coady
Hometown: Flatrock, Newfoundland and Labrador
Bachelor of Kinesiology (Honours), Memorial University of Newfoundland
Master of Science (Kinesiology), Memorial Univeristy of Newfoundland
PhD in Kinesiology, specialization in Sport and Exercise Psychology (in progress), University of Windsor
Research Interests:
- Psychological Skills training
- Sports Officials Mental Health
- Psychology of Sport Officiating
About Me:
As a former Canadian national team athlete and current varsity athlete, sport has always been a central part of my life. This passion led me to pursue a degree in kinesiology, where I was first exposed to research in the field. Toward the end of my national team career, I developed a deep interest in psychological performance, recognizing the lack of sport psychology support throughout my athletic journey. My research interests blend the sport psychology knowledge I lacked as an athlete with a desire to support a key actor in sport—sport officials. Often overlooked, sport officials play a critical role in maintaining the integrity of competition. My work aims to enhance their performance and experiences, ultimately contributing to a stronger sporting culture in Canada. I am excited and grateful to continue my academic journey in the SPPARC lab at the University of Windsor, working to improve the experiences and performance of sport officials through my research.
Contact: coadyc@uwindsor.ca
Samantha D’Agostino
Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario
Academic Background:
Bachelor of Arts (BA), Psychology and Community Health Promotion, Daemen College
MHK in Applied Human Performance, specialization in Sport and Exercise Psychology, University of Windsor
PhD in Kinesiology, specialization in Sport and Exercise Psychology (in progress), University of Windsor
Research Interests:
- Psychological resilience in athletes
- Psychological skills training
- Efficacy and evaluation of interventions
- Quantitative research methods
About Me:
Sport is a foundational part of who I am and has been a great influence on my academic interests in sport and exercise psychology. As a competitive athlete, it wasn’t until later in my career where I noticed how little I had learned about sport psychology. Whilst being a collegiate athlete and completing my undergraduate degree in psychology, I spent years searching for links between what I was learning in classes and how I could apply them to my sport to enhance both personal and team performances. Therefore, I find my research interests laying within understanding various psychological factors that affect an athlete’s mental and physical performance, alongside identifying how we can best support athlete development through effective, evidence-based interventions.
Academic Achievements:
OGS Recipient (2021-2022, (2023-2024)
SSHRC CGS-M (2022-2023)
Outstanding Graduate Research Award – Master’s for Applied Human Performance (2023)
AASP Seed Grant Recipient (2023)
Scholarly Activities:
Ely, F. O., Paré, M., D’Agostino, S., & Munroe-Chandler, K. J. (2023). The sequence of basic mental skills: A guide for psychological skills training. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 14(1), 40-50. https://doi.org/10.1080/21520704.2022.2104978
D’Agostino, S.A., Ely, F.O., Paré, M.A., & Munroe-Chandler, K.J. (2022). What’s the lineup? The selection and sequencing of mental skills for a PST program. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 44(S1), S72. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2022-0071
D’Agostino, S. A., Ely, F. O., Paré, M. A., & Munroe-Chandler, K. J. (2023). A knowledge translation tool? Exploring the effectiveness of an infographic to disseminate information on psychological skills training. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 45(S1), S73. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2023-0077.
Contact: dagosti2@uwindsor.ca
Ashley Flemington
Hometown: Burlington, Ontario
Academic background:
B.Sc. Honours in Kinesiology, Queen’s University
M.Sc. in Kinesiology, McMaster University
PhD in sport and exercise psychology (in progress), University of Windsor
Research interests:
- Athlete leadership
- Leadership development
- Group dynamics
About me:
I was drawn to the field of sport psychology through my experiences as an athlete, a sport coach, and a strength and conditioning coach. Throughout my experiences I have been a part of teams that succeed, surpassed expectations, and those that fell short. What always interested me was the variety of personalities and leadership structures that took place, and I wanted to better understand why this happens and how it impacts a team. As I pursue my PhD, I am excited to learn more about these relationships and how we can improve the performance and experiences of young athletes.
Scholarly Activities:
Brown, D. M. Y., Graham, J. D., Innes, K. I., Harris, S., Flemington, A., & Bray, S. R. (2020). Effects of Prior Cognitive Exertion on Physical Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 50, 497-529. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01204-8
Ely, F. O., Munroe-Chandler, K. J., & Flemington, A. (2023). Online psychological skills training programs: A systematic review of program websites. Journal for Advancing Sport Psychology in Research, 3(2), 33-52. https://doi.org/10.55743/000022
Flemington, A., Loughead, T. M., & Desrosiers, M. (2023). Assessing athlete leadership and cohesion using a social network analysis approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1050385
Flemington, A., Harris, S., & Bray, S.R. (2023). Effects of mental fatigue and attentional focus on muscular endurance performance. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2023.2251030
Flemington, A., Loughead, T. M., & Sutherland, C. A. (2023). An intervention using self-determination theory in the education of strength and conditioning coaches. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 45(S1), S77-S78. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2023-0077
Contact: flemin41@uwindsor.ca
Darcee Hall
Hometown: Delia, Alberta
Bachelor of Arts Psychology (Honours)
Master of Science in Kinesiology and Health Studies, specialization in Sport and Exercise Psychology (in progress), University of Windsor
- Psychological Skills Training
- Athlete Mental Health
- Exercise Mental Health
My passion for sport and exercise psychology stems from a lifelong involvement in competitive sports. I participated in a variety of sports such as baseball, volleyball, rugby, and hockey where I have had the fortune of being a varsity athlete on the women's lancer hockey team. Throughout my time as a varsity athlete, I have completed an undergraduate degree in psychology which has sparked a passion in finding ways to link my education with my experiences as an athlete. Additionally, my time as an athlete has led me to a passion in learning how to enhance not only performance but the athlete experience for individuals and teams through different domains of sport.
Contact: hall12f@uwindsor.ca
Megan Kalbfleisch
Hometown: Mount Pearl, Newfoundland
Academic Background:
Bachelor of Human Kinetics (BHK), University of Windsor
Master of Arts in Kinesiology (MA), Western University
PhD Student in Kinesiology, Specialization in Sport and Exercise Psychology (in progress), University of Windsor
Research Interests:
- Team psychological safety
- Coach and athlete leadership
- Group dynamics
About me:
For as long as I can remember, sport has been part of my life. I played a variety of sports at multiple levels; however, I fell in love with volleyball in high school and continued this journey as a varsity athlete at the University of Windsor during my undergrad. Over the course of my athletic career, sport psychology played a big role in my life, and I developed a passion for understanding how group dynamics and leadership can contribute to team sports. Through the SPPARC lab, I have been able to work with varsity and club level athletes on leadership development and have started working towards understanding team psychological safety in sport. In my free time you can find me coaching high-performance club and varsity volleyball, and spending time outdoors with my friends!
Scholarly Activities:
Loughead, T. M., Kalbfleisch, M. E., Sheppard, M. B., Munroe-Chandler, K. J., & Bloom, G. A. (July 17, 2024). Using the head coach and team leaders in a season long team building intervention. European Federation for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (FEPSAC). Innsbruck, Austria.
Loughead, T. M., Sheppard, M. B., Munroe-Chandler, K. J., Bloom, G. A., & Kalbfleisch, M. E. (2023, October 27). On the road to the development of an athlete leadership development program: Establishing the validity of a shared athlete leadership inventory. Sport Canada Research Initiative (SIRC) Conference, Ottawa.
Grimes, A., Kalbfleisch, M., Shepperdson, S., & Mattiello, S. (2022). Stakeholder Consensus Panel on Disability Sport Event Volunteer Training (Oral Presentation). Canadian Disability Participation Project (CDPP). January 2022.
Misener, L., & Kalbfleisch, M. E. (2022, June). Developing Quality Inclusive and Accessible Training for Parasport Event Volunteers. Presented at the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Conference, Atlantaa.
Contact: kalbflem@uwindsor.ca
Melissa Paré
Hometown: LaSalle, Ontario
Academic Background:
HBSc in Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University
MKin, specialization in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University
PhD in Kinesiology, specialization in Sport and Exercise Psychology (in progress), University of Windsor
Research Interests:
- Psychology of sport injury and rehabilitation
- Psychological skills training
- Mental health and exercise
- Athlete retirement and transitions
Academic Achievements:
Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) Recipient (2022-23; 2023-24)
Women in Research: Feature Researcher– Human Kinetics Representative
About Me:
My interests in sport and exercise psychology stem from my experiences as a varsity basketball player. Throughout my career, I sustained numerous severe injuries and was fascinated by the psychology of injury and rehabilitation. Specifically, my research interests revolve around psychological responses to injury and rehabilitation, and how athletic therapists can use psychological skills training to help injured athletes. Additional research interests include the influence of exercise on university student mental health. From an applied perspective, I have experience as a mental performance coach at the university, college, and youth level. In my spare time, I enjoy coaching youth basketball, bird watching, and walking my dog.
Scholarly Activities:
Paré, M. A., Muir, I. L., Munroe-Chandler, K. J. (2023). Mental health and exercise: University students’ insight into the UWorkItOut UWin program. International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher Education, 7(2), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/24711616.2022.2081826
Ely, F. O., Paré, M. A., D’Agostino, S. A., & Munroe-Chandler, K. J. (2023). The Mental Skills Pathway: A guide for sequencing psychological skills training. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 14(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/21520704.2022.2104978
Tracey, J., Russell, H., & Paré, M. (2019). Reactions to concussion rehabilitation: Amy Parent, a freshman basketball player. In M. Arvinen-Barrow & D. Clement (Eds.), the psychology of sport injury and performance injury: An interprofessional case-based approach (pp. 62-79). New York: Routledge.
Paré, M. A., Munroe-Chandler, K. J., & Loughead, T. M. (2024, July 17). Examining the predictors of psychology skills use in athletic therapy: A theory of planned behaviour. European Federation of Sport Psychology Congress. Innsbruck, Austria.
Paré, M. A., & Munroe-Chandler, K. J. (2023, October 20). What Are Athletic Therapists Learning in School? An Analysis of Sport Psychology Course Descriptions at Canadian Athletic Therapy Association Accredited Institutions. Association of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), Orlando, FL, United States of America.
Paré, M. A., Muir, I., Munroe-Chandler, K., Loughead, T., & Sutherland, C. (2023). Lessons learned when we RE-AIM our focus: Assessment of the UWorkItOut UWin program. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 45(S1), S103. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2023-0077.
Contact: pare41@uwindsor.ca
Mackenna Schiavo
Academic Background:
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Windsor
Master of Science in Kinesiology and Health Studies, specialization in Sport and Exercise Psychology (in progress), University of Windsor
Research Interests:
- Group Dynamics
- Athlete Leadership
- Cohesion
About Me:
My passion for sport began as soon as I could walk. I grew up playing sports like soccer, volleyball, track and field, and karate. I competitively trained as a dancer for 7 years and began instructing in 2017. Throughout my dance career, there were several instances when sport psychology was fundamental for both me and my team. My interest in sport psychology began when I started my undergraduate degree at the University of Windsor. The sport psychology courses I took heightened my interest for research and ultimately motivated me to pursue a master’s degree. My current research lies in the realm of shared athlete leadership. More specifically, it aims to bridge the gap in understanding how personality traits are related to athlete leadership. In my spare time, you will find me spending time with friends and family (especially my dogs), going to the movies, or traveling.
Contact: schiavo1@uwindsor.ca
Mason Sheppard
Hometown: Burlington, Ontario
Academic Background:
Honours Bachelor of Human Kinetics (BHK), University of Windsor
Master of Human Kinetics: Sport and Exercise Psychology (MHK), University of Windsor
PhD Student in Kinesiology, Specialization in Sport and Exercise Psychology (in progress), University of Windsor
Research Interests:
- Athlete leadership
- Shared athlete leadership
- Leadership development
- Group dynamics
About Me:
My interest in sport and exercise psychology stems from my past experiences playing and coaching a variety of sports, including ice hockey, volleyball, baseball and squash. These experiences motivated me to pursue an undergraduate degree in Human Kinetics. After taking Dr. Chandler and Dr. Loughead’s undergrad classes, I completed my MHK in the SPPARC lab. I wanted to continue my Ph.D in the SPPARC lab in order to work with varsity teams and continue researching athlete leadership, leadership development and group dynamics principles.
Academic Achievements:
OGS Recipient (2022-2023, 2023-2024, 2024-2025)
Outstanding Graduate Research Award – Master's for Applied Human Performance (2022)
Scholarly Activities:
Loughead, T. M., Kalbfleisch, M. E., Sheppard, M. B., Munroe-Chandler, K. J., & Bloom, G. A. (2024, July 15-19). Using a head coach and team leaders in a season long team building intervention [Conference Presentation]. European Federation of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC), Innsbruck, Austria.
Loughead, T. M., & Sheppard, M. B. (2023, October 9-13). An athlete leadership development program with an ice hockey team: Lessons learned over 2+ seasons. Presented at the 4th Higher Performance Leadership Forum: Perspective on Positive Leadership, Burghausen, Germany.
Loughead, T. M., Sheppard, M. B., & Hirsch, K. E. (2022). All athletes can lead in their own way. Frontiers for Young Minds. https://doi:10.3389/frym.2022.686407
Sheppard, M. B., Kalbfleisch, M. E., Loughead, T. M. (2023, June 1-3). Examining the predictive validity of the Shared Professional Leadership Inventory for Teams: Testing the athlete leadership-cohesion relationship. [Poster Presentation]. North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA), Toronto, ON, Canada. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2023-0077
Sheppard, M. B., & Loughead, T. M. (2024, July 15-19). Shared athlete leadership & teamwork; Two peas in a pod? [Conference Presentation]. European Federation of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC), Innsbruck, Austria.
Sheppard, M. B., & Loughead, T. M. (2023, March 25-26). Implementation of a leadership development program with a varsity hockey team: A proposed action research study [Conference presentation]. Eastern Canada Sport and Exercise Psychology Symposium (ESCEPS), Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
Sheppard, M. B., Loughead, T. M., & Munroe-Chandler, K, J. (2022, July 11-15). Examining the psychometric properties of a shared leadership inventory for the study of athlete leadership. [Conference presentation]. European Federation of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC), Padova, Italy.
Sheppard, M. B., Loughead, T. M., Munroe-Chandler, K, J. & Bloom, G. A. (2023, June 1-3). Assessing the factorial validity of the Shared Professional Leadership Inventory for Teams. [Poster Presentation]. North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA), Toronto, ON. Canada. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2023-0077
Contact: shepp113@uwindsor.ca
Jack Wright
Bachelor of Arts, Honours Specialization in Psychology from King's University College at Western
Post-graduate Certificate, Sport and Event Marketing from Fanshawe College
Research Interests:
- Imagery Training for Athletes
- Positive Psychology in Sports
- Psychological Interventions for high-performance athletes
About Me:
Throughout my life, I have been very fortunate to participate in sport, not only as an athlete, but also as a coach. Growing up, it was common to see me participating in sports, from hockey and baseball, to football, tennis, and basketball. Consequently, I associate sports with my personal identity and place value in the good that athletics provide, including mental well-being. Ultimately, my goal is to merge my two passions, sports and psychology. That is why I wanted to join the SPPARC lab, as it gave me the opportunity to advance the research literature in sport psychology and pursue a career in this area.
Contact: wright74@uwindsor.ca