SYP Advisory Board Members
Our Advisory Board Members are all experts in their fields, and committed to the mission and aims of the Strong Youth Project. Get to know them by reading their bios and watching their introduction videos below!
Matthew Seeley, PhD, ATC, SYP Co-director, Biomechanics
Matthew Seeley earned BS and MS degrees in Exercise Sciences from Utah State University. He earned a PhD in Exercise Sciences, with an emphasis in biomechanics, from the University of Kentucky. He has taught courses and conducted research in the BYU Exercise Sciences Department since 2006. His research has primarily focused upon factors that affect knee cartilage health, including lower-extremity movement biomechanics and knee joint biochemistry. Dr. Seeley is also passionate about improving youth sport experiences, for all participants; Dr. Seeley believes that a positive sport experience for youth can contribute to joint health and overall wellness for youth, and a stronger society overall. Get to know Dr. Seeley in an introductory video here!
Justin Yee, BS, SYP Co-director, Youth Sports Coaching
Justin Yee earned a BS degree in Exercise Science from Brigham Young University. He served as a Police Officer for eight years. During his time in law enforcement he also coached high school and youth soccer teams. It was during this time that he became passionate about using sport and physical training to help youth develop positive character traits that could help them overcome life’s obstacles. Justin owned and operated a CrossFit gym for over ten years and started a youth non-profit that provided physical training to underserved youth. Justin believes that participation in youth sports needs to focus on character development and is committed to providing resources for athletes, coaches, and parents.
Chad Hancock, PhD Exercise Physiology & Nutrition
Chad Hancock earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education-Exercise Physiology from Brigham Young University. He then went on to earn a PhD in Physiology with a focus on muscle physiology and energy metabolism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Following this, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis. Since 2008, Dr. Hancock has taught courses on general nutrition and sports nutrition in the Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science Department at BYU. His research has generally focused on how changes in energy demands and energy supply impact muscle metabolism, function, and overall health. Dr. Hancock firmly believes that maintaining a physically active lifestyle is critical to achieving and maintaining good health and wellbeing. Get to know Dr. Hancock in an introductory video here!
Ulrike Mitchell, PhD, PT Physical Therapy
Ulrike Mitchell earned a BS and MS degrees in Physical Therapy in Germany and at the University of St. Augustine, FL and a PhD in Exercise Sciences at Brigham Young University. She has been teaching advanced musculoskeletal anatomy and orthopedic impairment at BYU since 2008 and conducting research in the field of rehabilitation. She is passionate about anything related to health and believes that exercise is medicine. Watch a personal introduction of Dr. Mitchell here!
Sarah Coyne, PhD Developmental Psychology
Dr. Sarah M. Coyne is a professor of human development in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University. She received her BSc degree in Psychology from Utah State University, and her PhD in Psychology from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, England. Her research interests involve media, aggression, gender, mental health, and child development. Dr. Coyne has over 200 publications on these and other topics. She regularly speaks to families and teenagers about using media in positive ways. She has five children and lives in Utah.
Anthony Beutler, MD Sports Medicine
Dr. Beutler is an acclaimed international educator and researcher in sports medicine and musculoskeletal injury prevention. As a member of the JUMP-ACL Partnership and of the CHAMP Consortium, his study teams have received multiple national grants and awards for their ground-breaking work in injury prevention and injury prediction. Dr. Beutler has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, edited a sports medicine textbook, and successfully evoked deep slumber and copious drool from unsuspecting lecture attendees around the world. Dr. Beutler spends a lot of his free time thinking up exciting new things for the 25 Intermountain Healthcare sports medicine docs to do. If they won’t, then he makes his fellows do them instead. When not otherwise engaged in tyranny, Dr. Beutler enjoys basketball, bike-riding, waterskiing, and writing IRB proposals while jabbing sharp sticks into his eyes in his spare time.
Zack Beddoes, PhD Physical Education
Zack Beddoes received his BS and MA degrees from Brigham Young University and his PhD at the University of Texas at Austin. His research has primarily focused on supporting structures and team dynamics that facilitate collaboration, collective action, and bridgebuilding within physical education and sport contexts. Dr. Beddoes has extensive experience working with youth in a variety of coaching settings including football, basketball, baseball, and golf. He prepares physical education and coaching majors to guide young people in the process of living healthful, active, and fulfilling lifestyles. Dr. Beddoes believes in the potential of youth sports to better the lives of the rising generation when conducted in developmentally appropriate ways.
William Christensen, PhD Statistics
Dr. William F. Christensen is Professor of Statistics at Brigham Young University. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Statistics from BYU and his Ph.D. in Statistics from Iowa State University. His research interests include multivariate analysis, spatial and environmental statistics, and statistics applications in health, nutrition, and medicine. He is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and is a past recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Medal from the ASA’s Section on Statistics and the Environment and BYU’s University Professorship and Karl G. Maeser Excellence in Teaching Award. He is passionate about the proper use of research design and statistical analysis in order to identify tools for improving health and wellness.
Michael Larson, PhD Sports Psychology
Michael J. Larson, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology and the Neuroscience Center at Brigham Young University. He earned his MS and PhD in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Neuropsychology from the University of Florida. He runs a clinical service focusing on diagnosis and treatment of concussion and other neuropsychological disorders. He also works as a sports psychologist, consulting with the BYU Basketball Team as a member of their performance enhancement staff. Dr. Larson has published over 130 peer-reviewed manuscripts and is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Psychophysiology. Dr. Larson also coaches many of his children’s sports teams. He believes in the importance of positive youth sports experiences and the impact of youth sports experiences on psychological health and relationships. Get to know Dr. Larson in an introductory video here!
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Advisory Board
Matthew Seeley, PhD, ATC Co-director, Biomechanics; Introduction Video
Justin Yee, BS Co-director, Youth Sports Coaching; Introduction Video
Zack Beddoes, PhD Physical Education
Anthony Beutler, MD Sports Medicine
William Christensen, PhD Statistics
Sarah Coyne, PhD Developmental Psychology
Chad Hancock, PhD Exercise Physiology & Nutrition; Introduction Video
Devin Knighton, PhD Communications
Michael Larson, PhD Sports Psychology; Introduction Video
Ulrike Mitchell, PhD, PT Physical Therapy; Introduction Video
Jake Sorensen, PhD, CSCS Exercise Physiology, and Strength & Conditioning