Faculty Spotlight: Gretchen Oliver

1. What is your role in the College of Education?

I am a professor in the School of Kinesiology and the director of the Sports Medicine and Movement Lab. I work in the specialty of sports medicine and performance enhancement within baseball and softball athletes. 

2. What does the Sports Medicine and Movement Lab (SMML) do?

The SMML is known nationally and internationally for our work, specifically in softball research. Hands down, we are the forefront leaders. The SMML is recognized for its exceptional ability to bridge the gap between laboratory research and practical application in softball and baseball biomechanics. I have been honored to speak about our methodologies at international conferences, focusing on our effective strategies for translating laboratory findings into real-world scenarios. Various researchers, academic institutions, and Major League Baseball (MLB) organizations have sought our expertise in this area, as the ability to translate research findings is often a critical challenge in biomechanical studies. Feedback from these stakeholders indicates that SMML stands out for its proficiency in research publication and data translation. 

3. What is the coolest part of your job?

Ultimately, the most gratifying part of my job, in addition to witnessing my students' successes, is the invaluable support I receive from the School of Kinesiology. Overall, I want my PhDs to achieve more than I could imagine. My goal is to make sure they are better every day, moving forward and advancing every year. Each day, I advocate passionately for my PhD students and support their achievements. I take comfort in knowing that the School of Kinesiology stands behind our efforts, recognizing our commitment to growth and advancement. 

4. Can you briefly explain your motto — be better tomorrow — and how our faculty/staff can apply that in our work?

I took on this motto as I know not every day is a good day. However, every day I strive to be my best. I am thankful for how I was raised, in that if you are going to do anything, you do it to your best. Don’t waste time if you are not going to take pride in what you are doing. If you do not take pride in your work and strive to be better, why are you doing it? So I do my best today and I look forward to tomorrow in being my best, because approaching the day with my best effort, the possibilities are unlimited. 

5. What is a fun fact about yourself?

I’m from Stuttgart, Arkansas, the duck and rice capital of the world. However, besides that, I grew up on a grain farm (rice, soybeans, wheat etc). I love the dirt; one cannot have enough dirt. Growing up on the farm allowed me to gain an affinity for hunting. Though I love bird hunting, I do hold the accolade as ‘Little Sharp Shooter’ for 22 rifle target shooting. Unfortunately, I did not win first place; my sister won first and I got second. First place got a huge trophy. There is something to be said for only one winner, and everyone else needs to go back home and practice because there is ONLY one winner. Second place received a replica Budweiser beer can radio. I was four years old and my sister was five, so it was quite cool, and Daddy was so proud of our competitive accomplishments. The bummer was that Momma did not let me hold my ‘trophy’ (replica Budweiser beer can) for our picture in the local newspaper. Got to love Momma always looking out for me.