Sports fan or not, athletics are an integral part of American culture. From big business to societal issues, sports and the athletes, coaches and fans are at the center of many conversations.
Dr. Missy Hernandez, the director of interdisciplinary studies (IDST) and assistant professor of kinesiology at UNG, designed two new courses to expand the interdisciplinary studies program, highlight timely sports issues and draw from her area of expertise.
Hernandez teaches Women in Sports online this semester, and The Big Business of Youth Sports will be offered in the spring semester.
“The ultimate goal was to provide IDST students with online course options, but now that I started teaching them, I have enjoyed bringing light to the many issues that exist in the world of sports,” said Hernandez.
The courses are capped at 24 students and have consistently filled each semester, according to Hernandez. She said Women in Sports covers a range of topics, with sexism in athletics and the inclusion of transgender athletes sparking the most discussion. The Big Business of Youth Sports often centers on discussions about Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) policies and how socioeconomic status affects access to teams and leagues.
Hernandez noted that these issues are especially relevant in the 2025–2026 academic year, because of the current sports controversies. She pointed to the persistence of unequal media coverage between male and female athletes, as well as the rapid growth of NIL deals. NIL has transformed the college landscape, which has effects leading down to youth sport’s multi-billion-dollar industry, according to Hernandez. She says this is because of the fundamental transition sports has gone through.
Looking ahead, Hernandez said she hopes students leave her classes with more than just knowledge of sports issues. “I hope students complete the course with the ability to critically examine issues in sport from multiple perspectives, while also recognizing how these issues may influence the children they teach, coach or raise in the future.”