U of A Student Named to National Board Focusing on Sport and Recreation Law

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John Malmo

A University of Arkansas doctoral student in the recreation and sport management program has been selected as the student representative for the Sport and Recreation Law Association for 2015-16. As a student representative, John Malmo will bring student issues before the board and vote on matters involving different transactions of SRLA business.

As a member of SRLA's Board of Directors, he represents graduate and undergraduate members who are studying or have an interest in areas including sport law, physical education and leisure services. Malmo also assists in organizing and planning the annual SRLA Conference.

The conference is an event that provides quality peer-reviewed scholarship in the area of sport and recreation law, Malmo said. Next year's conference will take place in New Orleans in late February. Many other benefits come out of the conference. Students and professionals have the opportunity to engage, network and interact with one another.

The purpose of SRLA is to further the study and dissemination of information regarding legal aspects of sport and recreation, according to its website. The association addresses legal aspects of sport and recreation within both the public and private sectors.  SRLA is a law association, and Malmo said he could envision himself obtaining a Juris Doctor in order to better understand the law and its effects on sport and recreational matters.

Malmo is a graduate assistant at the U of A. He recently gave a presentation on his research as part of the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation Research Seminar Series. Malmo's research mainly focuses on martial arts because this sport has been a fixture in his life for 36 years. He said he is also interested in matters relating to motivation, risk management, gender issues and pedagogy. Malmo is working on several research projects involving various aspects of the martial arts.