sarah

Sarah Eikleberry, PhD

Assistant Chair, Kinesiology | Associate Professor


Dr. Eikleberry's research and teaching intersect at sport studies and sport history and focus on the structures and ideologies that influence access and experiences in sport and physical activity settings.

Read Dr. Eikleberry's CV (pdf)

See Courses Taught


Education and Training


  • PhD, MS, University of Iowa, Health and Sport Studies
  • University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Sport Studies Institute, International Summer School
  • BA, North Central College, Naperville, Illinois; Health and Physical Education
  • AA, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois; Liberal Arts

Highlights and Published Work


Eikleberry, SJ. (2019). "Imagining Football Fandom in the United States: The Home of the Free or Another Example of Manufactured Belonging?" in Gerald R. Gems and Gertrude Pfister Eds. Touchdown: An American Obsession (Great Barrington: Berkshire Publishing, 2019): 131-146.

Eikleberry, SJ. (2018). "Rearing Race Relations at the Des Moines Young Women's Christian Association, 1918-1948." Annals of Iowa 77(2018): 290-329.

Eikleberry, S.J. (2017). John M. Shippen Jr.: Testing the Front Nine of American Golf. In Gems, G. R. (Ed.), Before Jackie Robinson: The transcendant role of Black sporting pioneers. Lincoln: University of Nebraska.

Eikleberry, S.J. (2014). "More than Milk and Cookies: Revisiting the College Play Day," Journal of Sport History. 42 (2014):467-486.

Eikleberry, S. J. (2012). [Review of the book Active Bodies: A History of Women's Physical Education in Twentieth Century America]. Journal of Sport History. Volume 41, Number 1, Spring 2014. pp. 186-187.

Eikleberry, S.J. (2011). A "chief" year for the "Iowa braves": Native American (mis)appropriation at the University of Iowa and the brief gridiron career of W. Mayes McLain. The Annals of Iowa, 70(2), 111-113.

Eikleberry, S. J. (2008). [Review of the book Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America]. Journal of Sport History. 34 (2008): 186-187.

Other Selected Publications

Eikleberry, S.J. (October 2014). "Safe Zones, An Exercise in Heterosexist Privilege." 11th Annual Ambrosians Working for Social Justice Conference (Oct. 2014); St. Ambrose University, Davenport, IA.
Eikleberry, S.J. (May 2014). "The 'Right Kind' of Competition for the Wrong Kind of Women: Providing Recreation for Business Girls in the 1920s." 42nd North American Society for the History of Sport Conference (May 2014); Hotel Colorado: Glenwood Springs, CO.
Eikleberry, S.J. (2013, May). More than milk and cookies: disrupting narratives of the play day. Paper presented at the North American Society for the History of Sport Conference, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Eikleberry, S.J. (2013, April). Warding off "stoops and bumps": fashioning women's physical education during times of strife, 1930-1945" 15th Paper presented at Annual James F. Jakobsen Graduate Conference, Iowa City, IA.
Eikleberry, S.J. (2013, Oct.). "Safeguarding nice girls": crisis, separatism, and professionalization in women's physical education, 1917-1925. Paper presented at the Community College Humanities Association Regional Conference, Iowa City, IA.
Eikleberry, S.J. (2011, November). Stuck in the middle with Sam Bradford: OU's accidental hero and convenient truth. Paper presented at North American Society for the Sociology of Sport Conference, Minneapolis, MN.
Eikleberry, S.J. (2001, April). In memory it's all roses: UI athletic and fan relations, 1982-1985. Paper presented at the University of Iowa Graduate Research Awards Ceremony, Iowa City, IA.
Eikleberry, S.J. (2010, May). Reading the hawkeye: semiotics of state identity. Paper presented at the North American Society for the History of Sport Conference, Orlando, FL.
Eikleberry, S.J. (2009). The University of Iowa enters the black and "golden age": putting both cleats in "Big-Time" athletics. Paper presented at the North American Society for the History of Sport Conference, Asheville, NC.
Eikleberry, S.J. (2009, April). Cliques, caddies, and color lines at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Paper presented at Annual James F. Jakobsen Graduate Conference, Iowa City, IA.
Eikleberry, S.J. (2007, November). Murderball: representations of disability. Sociology of Sport Conference, Pittsburg, PA.
Eikleberry, S.J. & Gems, G.R. (2004, October). Lara Croft: a deconstruction. Popular Culture Association of the South Conference, New Orleans, LA.


More About Dr. Eikleberry

Courses Taught

KIN 216 Exercise and Sport Psychology
KIN 292 Practicum in Sport Management (Hybrid)
KIN 335 Sport and Society
KIN 355 Finance for Sport Organizations (web-based)
KIN 363 The Law in Sport, Physical Education, Exercise Science, and Leisure
KIN 419 Internship in Sport Management
KIN 165 Developmental Physical Education
KIN 210 Games, Rhythms, Stunts and Tumbling
KIN 219 Aerobic Development and Strength Training
KIN 224 Foundation and History of Physical Education
KIN 270 School and Community Health
KIN 273 Women in Sport
KIN 302 Health and Physical Education Concepts
KIN 309 Elementary Methods of Health and Physical Education
KIN 310 Physical Education For Special Populations
KIN WI-340 Nutrition Concepts (Lecture & Online)
KIN 371 Materials and Practicum of Secondary Health Education
EDUC 433, 434 Student Teaching (Supervision

Grants Awarded

"Rearing Respectability in Black Des Moines: African American Efforts to Earmark Childhood, 1910 1950," 2018-19 Baecke Endowment for the Humanities Faculty Research Grant; St, Ambrose University; Davenport, IA. ($988)

"LGBTQ on Campus: Creating Cultural Competency Through Electronic Safe Zone Training," 2016 Rev. Joseph E. Kokjohn, PhD, Endowment for Catholic Peace and Justice; St. Ambrose University; Davenport, IA. ($4,950)

Eikleberry, S.J. "Eyes Right" in Des Moines: Rearing Respectability at the Blue Triangle YWCA, 1919-1947" 2013/14 Research Grant for Authors; State Historical Society of Iowa; Iowa City, IA.

Professional Memberships

North American Society for Sport History

North American Society for the Sociology of Sport

SHAPE America

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