Associate Professor
College of Education, Psychology and Social Work
Associate Professor Sam Elliott specialises in the fields of sport parenting, participation and retention, and psychosocial outcomes in youth sport. His work spans sport sociology, sport psychology, and sport coaching. He has presented his work internationally in Australia, China, the UK, Canada, and the US.
His research covers three main areas: (1) research on parental involvement on youth sport psychosocial outcomes (including psychological abuse, the impact of parental education, and parent-club interactions); (2) Research on mental health and youth sport, and; (3) research on participation, retention, dropout, and reengagement (including the psychological, environmental, and social factors which impact sport continuation behaviour).
Sam is the Co-Deputy Director of the Flinders University Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing, HDR advisor for Active Communities and Social Impact, and coordinator of the Graduate Certificate in Sports Coaching. He is also an active member of the Sport, Health, Activity, Performance and Exercise (SHAPE) Research Centre.
Sam’s honours and awards include the prestigious Australian Institute of Policy & Science SA Young Tall Poppy Science Award (2022), the Flinders VC Award for Early Career Research, the World Congress on Science and Football Best Research Paper by Code (AFL) Award, and the Universities Australia Award for the ‘Pitch it Clever’ competition.
Sam is the creator and co-host of Beyond the Club, Australia’s leading science communication podcast for community sport. He is also the convenor of the 2023 National Youth Sport Conference to be held in Adelaide, Australia.
2011 Bachelor of Education Honours (1A)
Honours
Research Awards
Teaching Awards
Invited committee member, BLISS Science and Innovation (South Australia) (2020)
Invited committee member, BSHPA Academic Programs CEPSW representative (2018-2020)
Invited member, ACHPER National Academic Reference Group (2017-present)
Invited member, Australian Sports Commission's PGAG Advisory Group (2016-17)
Invited member, Flinders Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing (2020-present)
Invited member, Sport, Health, Activity, Performance and Exercise (SHAPE) Research Centre (2014-present)
Society of Medical and Biological Engineering Award SA - OCT 2018
Journal Editor
Grants reviewer
Invited reviewer
Journals
Professional associations
Listen now:
2022 7News Monkey see, monkey do - PhD enterprise announcement
2019 Radio 2GB Sydney interview_the rising popularity of AFLW
2019 Universities Australia Pitch it Clever video
2018 7News High Performance Program
2018 FFA Aldi Miniroos sport parenting resource_parental feedback
2018 FFA Aldi MiniRoos sport parenting resource_match day behaviour
2018 FFA Aldi MiniRoos sport parenting resource_volunteering
2016 SANFL State Women's Talent Search
2015 9News Elite Development & Combine Testing Program
2015 ABC National report: Kids in sport
2015 TEN News report: Parents in sport
2015 Play By The Rules article
2014 9News report: SHAPE-SAFC Elite Development Academy Program