Dr. Wiersma joined the faculty in the Department of Kinesiology in 2001. He received his masters and doctorate degrees from Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts and his bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. He is the co-director of the Center for the Advancement of Responsible Youth Sport, and is a co-investigator in the College of Health and Human Development’s Center for the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles and Obesity Prevention He serves as the Sport Psychology consultant on the High Performance Network of the United States Swimming Sports Medicine and Science Network, working with developmental and elite swimmers on psychological skills training, biofeedback, and competitive preparation. He is currently serving as the Measurement and Evaluation section editor for the Research Quarterly in Exercise and Sport and on the review board of several journals. In his spare time he trains and competes as a Master’s swimmer at the National level, enjoys photography, surfing, and backpacking, and volunteers in the Child Life department at the Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

Applied sport psychology consultation with competitive swimmers; reformation of youth sports programs to better serve the needs of young participants; psycho-social aspects of youth sport programs; youth sport enjoyment and motivation; youth sports coaching and parental education; efforts to prevent childhood obesity; psychometric properties of affective scales.

Phenomenological study of the psychology of big-wave surfers; physical activity promotion in Pacific Islander youth; testing and implementation of a nationwide Youth Sport Rating Scale; continued sport psychology consulting with elite and developmental swimmers.

KNES 202: Introduction to Kinesiology
KNES 380: History and Philosophy of Human Movement
KNES 410: Issues in Youth Sports
KNES 510: Research Methods in Kinesiology

Recent Publications:

Neric, F. B., Beam, B. C., Brown, L. E., & Wiersma, L. D. (in press). Comparison of swim recovery and muscle stimulation on lactate removal following sprint swimming. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

Wiersma, L. D., & Fifer, A. M. (2008). ‘The schedule has been tough but we think it’s worth it’: The joys, challenges, and perspectives of youth sport parents. Journal of Leisure Research, 40(4), 505-530.

Wiersma, L. D., & Sherman, C. P. (2008). The responsible use of youth fitness testing to enhance student motivation, enjoyment, and performance. [A psychological perspective] Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 12, 167-183. (invited article in Special Issue)

Rowe, D. A., Raedeke, T. D., Wiersma, L. D., & Mahar, M. T. (2007). Investigating the Youth Physical Activity Promotion Model: Internal structural and external validity evidence for a potential measurement model. Pediatric Exercise Science, In Press (November, 2007).

Rose, D. J., Lucchese, N., & Wiersma, L. D. (2006). Development of a multidimensional balance scale for Use with functionally dependent older Adults. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 87(4), 1478-1485.

Neric, F. B., Beam, W., Brown L. E., & Wiersma, L. D. (2006). The effects of electrical stimulation and submaximal swimming on blood lactate following a maximal effort 200 yard frontcrawl. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38, 5S.

Wiersma, L. D., & Sherman, C. P. (2005). Volunteer youth sport coaches’ perspectives of coaching
education/certification and parental codes of conduct. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 76(3),  
 324-338.

Wiersma. L. D. (2005). Reformation or reclassification? A proposal for a rating system for youth sport programs. Quest, 57, 376-391.

Walk, S. R., & Wiersma, L. D. (2005). Construct validity of the Risk, Pain, and Injury Questionnaire.
Sociology of Sport Journal, 22(4), 433-446.

Wiersma, L. D., Varney-Freerks, T., Susser, J., & Jacobs, A. (2005). Sport psychology for swim coaches. United States Swimming Coaches Quarterly, 11(2), 3-8.

Zbogar, H., & Wiersma, L. D. (2004). Good sport/bad sport: How to foster positive participation among youth. Crosscurrents: The Journal of Addiction and Mental Health, 7(3), 17-18.

Pleban, L. A., & Wiersma, L. D. (2003). Speedball: The “oldest new game around”. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, 74(3), 23-28, 54.

Wiersma, L. D. (2001). Conceptualization and development of the Sources of Enjoyment in Youth Sport Questionnaire. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 5(3), 153-177.

Wiersma, L. D. (2000). Risks and benefits of youth sport specialization: Perspectives and recommendations. Pediatric Exercise Science, 12(1), 13-22.