Mission and Vision
Our mission is to become a sustainable model for grassroots social impact by harnessing the power of sport.
The University of Denver’s Kinesiology & Sports Studies (KINE) Program expects to be Colorado’s higher education center for sports and public good by improving coaching experiences across the state.
Our Team
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Brian Gearity, PhD
Dr. Brian Gearity joined DU in September 2014 to create and launch the Master of Arts in Sport Coaching program. Known colloquially as Dr. G or Coach, since then, he has created and launched 24-credit Graduate Certificates in Strength and Conditioning (S&C) and Fitness Coaching, and 16-credit specialized graduate certificates in S&C and the Psychology of Coaching. He also created and launched the Kinesiology and Sport Studies minor (in 2021) and major (in 2023) at DU.
As a scholar, Dr. Gearity co-edited Coach Education and Development in Sport: Instructional Strategies and co-authored Understanding Strength and Conditioning as Sport Coaching: Bridging the Biophysical, Pedagogical and Sociocultural Foundations of Practice. He is Editor-in-Chief for the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s practitioner journal NSCA Coach and Associate Editor-in-Chief of Strength & Conditioning Journal. He serves on the editorial board of International Sport Coaching Journal, Sport Coaching Review, and Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise, and Health.
Dr. Gearity is also a former high school, collegiate, and professional strength and conditioning coach and has coached numerous youth sports, but most recently middle school tackle football.
In 2023, Dr. Gearity was promoted to full Professor and named Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of GSPP and became an alumnus of DU by earning his MBA from Daniels College of Business.
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Beau Houston, PhD
Dr. Beau Manierre Houston is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Denver in the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Studies, where she oversees the State of Sports Colorado Research Lab at DU and teaches courses focused on sports administration, policy, and governance. She also leads as Executive Director for The Athletes’ Atelier, a future focused counterspace for marginalized student-athletes. The Sports Equity & Community Project Manager apprenticeship program she designed is the first sport-based apprenticeship in the state of Colorado. She holds a doctoral degree in Education Leadership, Research, and Policy from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, specializing in the social and cultural context of education and sport. Her current research projects explore the psychomotor abilities, creativity, and leadership in Black female interscholastic student-athletes. She is a former Division I All-American student-athlete at the University of Alabama, where she earned her Master’s degree in Sports Administration before supporting student-athletes through academic services at the University of South Carolina, leading men’s and women’s teams at Southern University, and teaching and coaching nationally ranked sprinters and hurdlers at the United States Air Force Academy.
Student Legacy
Project Based Internship
University of Denver undergraduate students benefit from the paid State of Sport Colorado 10-week project-based internship (PBI). Short-term, professional projects offer students valuable introductory career-related professional experiences, opportunities to demonstrate skills, support in career exploration, as well as meaningful opportunities to build their professional network. Students completing the PBI work no more than 10 hours per week using a hybrid model where they benefit from independent work time and guided mentorship on a regular basis to meet project goals. This internship is designed especially for first- and second-year students interested in a career in sport governance, public policy, or sport management.
Students work closely with the DU KINE Post-Doctoral Fellow to collect necessary data, manage partnerships metrics, and coordinate with internal/external stakeholders. The intern(s) are responsible for supporting sports policy and governance research, including federal and state policies, drafting communications, assisting with data analysis, creating data visualizations, and supporting the successful implementation of SOSCO initiatives.
Students are evaluated quarterly pursuant to project milestones and completion, including identifying strengths and limitations of their knowledge, skills, and attitude. Additionally, interns will receive guidance towards their next professional opportunity.
Current Interns
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Events and Community Engagement Intern (Winter 2025)
Lizbeth Diaz is a second-year student at the University of Denver, majoring in Kinesiology and Sports Studies, with minors in Psychology and Biology. Additionally, she is an intern with The State of Sport Colorado (SOSCO). She aspires to pursue a career in physical therapy and to effect positive change in the world of sport. This ambition closely aligns with the mission of SOSCO, which aims to foster positive change in sports throughout the state. By engaging in this initiative, she is learning how she can contribute to change in my future career while actively participating in supporting change today.
