I am Jennifer L. Etnier, Ph.D., associate professor of Kinesiology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.  I have been involved in sport since I was very young and have chosen a career that allows me to stay involved in sport through my work with athletes, parents, and coaches. 

I started playing soccer when I was 7 years old and played on boys’ soccer teams all the way through high school. In high school, I was a starter on the boys’ varsity soccer team during my junior and senior years.  I also played varsity softball and varsity basketball for three years during high school.  In college, I played for the University of Tennessee and was the captain of the team and sweeper for three years.  I had the opportunity to play semi-professional soccer for a short time and still play soccer in adult co-ed leagues.  I haven’t yet found a sport or game that I don’t like, though, and I also play or have played tennis, ping pong, racquetball, volleyball, golf, ultimate Frisbee, and flag football, and I sail, snow ski, water ski, and windsurf.

I have taught a number of sports either as an instructor at UNC-Chapel Hill or as a coach. I taught soccer, tennis, and bowling (okay, that was a stretch) at UNC-Chapel Hill and have coached soccer at the youth level and as a volunteer assistant coach at Wake Forest University. 

I have been a member of the United States Soccer Federation Coaching Education Staff for approximately 10 years and have given seminars at the National Coaching Schools regularly during that time.  I also present regularly at the national meetings of the American College of Sports Medicine and the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity.

I am a mother of 3 young children – my daughter turned 5 on Christmas Day 2009 and by twin boys turned 3 on December 11 2009.  Life is fun and busy at our house!