AASP Newsletter - March 2021

Jorge Ballesteros	Kerry Guest

Happy 2021 to everyone! As your student representatives, we are excited about the upcoming year and continued growth within AASP! In accordance with the strategic plan and the AASP mission, we aim to reignite the Mentorship Match program this year. There have been several inquiries about this program, so we are making final preparations and hope to begin by mid-2021. Additionally, we hope to continue sharing information about potential career opportunities for students. We will continue to provide resources on working remotely and offer spaces to continue fruitful conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion. If you have thoughts or suggestions, please contact us. Below are some additional updates and resources that may be of interest to you related to your AASP student membership. 

Student Delegates

Our dedicated new group of 18 student delegates is working hard to develop content and resources that are of interest to student members and contribute to larger organizational needs. We will notify you about upcoming events and resources as they are developed. Furthermore, we wanted to highlight some of the notable events from last year. Our Science to Practice Initiative hosted a webinar in the fall, and our Social Justice Initiative hosted a student-led Social Justice Forum. These are just a few examples of the great achievements from 2020, and we are hoping to build upon them for this upcoming year. If you have suggestions, consider reaching out to us, contacting an initiative chair, or becoming an AASP student delegate.

AASP 2021 Annual Conference 

Start planning for the 36th AASP Annual Conference! We are planning to have a hybrid format this upcoming year which will be held October 6-9, 2021 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, Nevada. Once abstracts have been reviewed and accepted, authors will be able to choose if they want to attend in-person or provide their presentation online. Should circumstances change, the conference will be held virtually in its entirety. The conference provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn more about the field, build professional networks with other students, and connect with other professionals in the field. There will also be several student-focused programming events and workshops. Stay tuned for further conference updates. 

Resources for Students

As part of your AASP membership, there are several resources that are available to you! Your membership includes full-text access to the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology, and Journal for Advancing Sport Psychology in Research to help you stay current on the latest empirical developments in the field. 

If you are in the process of looking for graduate training opportunities, AASP's Directory for Graduate Programs in Sport Psychology is a resource which includes information on over 100 graduate training programs in sport, exercise, and performance psychology. This can help you identify programs of interest and determine which may be best aligned with your interests and career goals. Additionally, the Student Development Committee offers several video resources for graduate students, including advice for choosing the right graduate program. 

Getting Involved in AASP

Become a conference abstract reviewer! This is a great way to learn more about the evaluation process and it is a wonderful service to your organization. To become a reviewer, log in to your AASP member portal and change your status in the “Reviewer Profile” page to “Yes, I can review abstracts for AASP 2021!” If you have questions, please reach out and we would be happy to help you get set up. 

Regional conferences are great opportunities to network with other members of the organization and can provide a cost-effective conference experience for students. Learn more about upcoming regional conferences and find their websites on the AASP Events Center. While many of the conferences were postponed due to the pandemic 2020, we hope you will take advantage of the virtual and hybrid formats in 2021. Please sign up to attend for a great networking opportunity. 

Finally, please explore the different committees that are offered through the Association. This could be a great way to get involved within a student role and learn even more.

Please contact Jorge or Kerry at studentrep@appliedsportpsych.org if you want to get involved in AASP, have any questions about your membership, or have ideas about improving the student experience within AASP. We are excited to continue working to represent your needs and create new opportunities for student members. We look forward to seeing you all at the Annual Conference!