Sam is an award-winning researcher and senior lecturer in Sport, Health and Physical Activity. He has published 36 peer-reviewed outputs and received over $500K in combined grants, tenders and consultancies. Sam is an active member of the Sport, Health, Activity, Performance and Exercise (SHAPE) Research Centre and invited reviewer for 15 international journals. He has published widely on parental involvement in youth sport and presented his work internationally in Australia, China, the UK, Canada and the US. Sam has received a number of prestigious awards including the VC Award for Early Career Research, the World Congress on Science and Football Best Research Paper by Code (AFL) Award, the Inclusion and Diversity in Sport Conference Champion of Inclusion Award, and the Universities Australia Award for the Pitch it clever competition. He is a thought leader and has won international awards for science and research communications. Sam has represented Flinders at the Australian Academy of Science Falling Walls Lab Australia and in the global-award winning series, Raising the bar.

Sam is a highly sought after speaker and consultant and has worked with Sport Australia, Football Federation Australia, the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (SA) and the Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Between 2019-2020, he received the Vice Chancellor's Award for Innovation in Teaching and two College Excellence in Teaching Awards for leadership and scholarship. Sam also supervises PhD and Honours students in his Children and Youth Sport Research (CHAYSR) lab.

Current research projects

• A multi-sport investigation of parent engagement practices in youth sport
• The sport research podcast
• Understanding parent and coach relationships in youth sport
• Umpires' perspectives about parental behaviour in youth sport
• Youth sport clubs and mental health