Department

Kinesiology

Education

• B.S. Health Promotion  Montana State University  2010
• M.S. Exercise Science  California University of Pennsylvania  2016
• Ph.D Health Behavior  Indiana University  2022

Background

• Project Management Professional (PMP) - Project Management Institute
• Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) - National Strength & Conditioning Association
• Certified Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-EP) - American College of Sports Medicine
• Certified Health & Wellness Coach (CHWC) - Wellcoaches School of Coaching
• Research Coordinator (2021-2022), IU School of Public Health, (PI: Kawata, K., NIH-NINDS R01NS113950-01A1, 5 year $2,856,478). A longitudinal study of subconcussive head impacts and progressive neuronal dysfunction in adolescent athletes.
• Competitive Edge Program Coordinator/Supervisor (2015-2019), The Summit Medical Fitness Center, Kalispell Regional Healthcare. Adult strength training program; youth training academy; health and human performance laboratory; high school athletic training services.

Scholarly Interest

Dr. Kercher's work focuses on changing the world by bridging the gap between public health, youth sport management, and exercise science. He has three primary concentrations:

• multi-level physical activity-based interventions utilizing sport-based youth development in under-resourced middle school children,
• diversity, equity, and inclusion, and
• sport governance.

Selected Popular Press

• Nike (re: physical activity expertise)
• CNN.com:(re: Kercher et al., 2022)
• American Academy of Pediatrics Blog:(re: Kercher et al., 2022)
• Physician's Weekly:(re: Kercher et al., 2022)
• The Hill:(re: Kercher et al., 2022 ? U.S. adult willingness to allow tackle football)
• NBCNews.com:(re: health & fitness expertise)

Awarded Projects

• Indiana Department of Health. Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity. Hoosier Sport: Developing and Implementing a Sustainable Campus-Community Partnership in Rural Indiana. May 2023 − Sep 2024.
• 2023 CITL Summer Instructional Development Fellowship. Introduction to Sport-based Youth Development.
• Office of Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) Award for Research Methods Collaboration. Hoosier Sport Research Team and IU Center for Survey Research collaboration.

Selected Publications

Articles

Kercher, KA, Steinfeldt JA, Macy JT, Ejima K, & Kawata K (2020). Subconcussive head impact exposure differences between drill intensities in U.S. high school football. PLoS ONE, 15(8), e0237800. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0237800.

Kercher (Martinez) VM, Kercher, KA, Bennion T, Yates BA, Feito Y, Alexander C, & Miguel A (2021). Fitness trends from around the globe. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 25(1), 20-31. doi:10.1249/FIT.0000000000000639.

Macy JT, Kercher, KA, Steinfeldt JA, & Kawata K (2021). Fewer US adolescents playing football and public health: A review of measures to improve safety and an analysis of gaps in the literature. Public Health Reports. Sep-Oct;136(5):562-574. doi:10.1177/0033354920976553.

Kercher (Martinez) VM, Kercher, KA, Bennion T, Levy P, Alexander C, Amaral PC, & Romero-Cabellero A (2022). Fitness trends from around the globe. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 26(1), 21-37. doi:10.1249/FIT.0000000000000737.

Kercher (Martinez) VM, Burton D, Pickering MA, & Kercher, KA (2022). Profiling physical activity motivation based on reasons for exercise: A cluster analysis approach. Psychological Reports. Aug 13:332941221119413. doi:10.1177/00332941221119413.

Kercher, KA, Macy JT, & Washington M (2022). An institutional examination of U.S. adults' willingness to allow teenage boys to play tackle football. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. doi:10.7752/jpes.2022.10311.

Kercher, KA, Macy JT, Seo DC, & Steinfeldt JA. (2022). Factors associated with U.S. adults' willingness to allow teenagers to play tackle football. PLoS One. Sep 7;17(9):e0273229. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0273229.

Kercher, KA, Macy JT, Steinfeldt JA, Seo DC, & Kawata K (2022). Drill intensity and head impact exposure in adolescent football. Pediatrics. Nov 1;150(5):e2022057725. doi:10.1542/peds.2022-057725.

Ford, C, Kercher (Martinez), VM, Kercher, KA (2023). The 3 E's: Keys to empowering women in the weightroom. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal. 27(3):p 14-19, 5/6 2023. DOI: 10.1249/FIT.0000000000000862. **Selected as Feature Article.

Zuidema, TR, Bazarian, JJ, Kercher, KA, Mannix, R, Kraft, RH, Newman, SD, Ejima, K, Rettke, DJ, Macy, JT, Steinfeldt, JA, Kawata, K (2023). Longitudinal association of clinical and biochemical biomarkers with head impact exposure in adolescent football. JAMA Network Open. 6(5):e2316601. DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.16601.

Kercher, KA, Steinfeldt, JA, Rettke, DJ, Zuidema, TR, Walker, MJ, Kercher, VM, Silveyra, P, Seo, DC, Macy, JT, Hulvershorn, LA, & Kawata, K (2023). Association between head impact exposure, psychological need satisfaction, and indicators of mental health among U.S. high school tackle football players. Journal of Adolescent Health. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.11.247