Assistant Professor, Sport Management
Dr. Haley Baxter (She/Her) is a Teaching-Intensive Assistant Professor in the Department of Sport Management at Brock University. A passionate educator, she specializes in experiential, community-engaged teaching that connects students with real-world sport organizations and fosters professional skill development. Dr. Baxter’s teaching emphasizes inclusive sport practices, volunteer engagement, leadership development, and the social impact of sport, and she is known for creating supportive, high-engagement learning environments.
Her research focuses on advancing gender equity in sport and strengthening volunteer capacity in community sport systems. She studies pathways that encourage girls and women to pursue coaching and officiating roles, as well as organizational strategies that enhance volunteer belonging, retention, and well-being. Dr. Baxter’s work has been published in leading sport management journals and has informed practice within local and international sport organizations.
Across her teaching, research, and service, Dr. Baxter is committed to improving sport experiences and supporting the next generation of sport management professionals.
Outside of her academic work, Dr. Baxter enjoys staying active through hockey and soccer, volunteering as a hockey coach, and spending quality time with her family and friends.
Volunteer engagement and retention
Gender equity in sport
Pathways for women and girl sport volunteers
Community sport
Baxter, H., Kappelides, P., & Hoye, R. (2021). Female volunteer coaches in community sport: A scoping review and research agenda. Journal of Amateur Sport, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.17161/jas.v7i1.13774
Baxter, H., Kappelides, P., & Hoye, R. (2023). Female volunteer community sport officials: A scoping review and research agenda. European Sport Management Quarterly, 23(2), 429–446.
Baxter, H., Misener, K., Kappelides, P., & Williamson, L. (2020). Virtual volunteering in community sport. Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC).
Baxter, H., & Misener, K. E. (2022). Retaining volunteer coaches in child and youth sport. In Routledge handbook of coaching children in sport (pp. 412–420). Routledge.
Hoye, R., Kappelides, P., & Baxter, H. (2025). The experiences of women coaches in community sport. Sports Coaching Review, 1–21.
Kappelides, P., Baxter, H., & Hoye, R. (2022). COVID-19 and sport volunteering. In Routledge Handbook of Sport and COVID‑19 (pp. 307–317). Routledge.
Misener, K. E., Morrison, K. A., & Baxter, H. (2022). Community sport trends and future opportunities. In A research agenda for sport management (pp. 167–184). Edward Elgar.
North American Society for Sport Management
European Association for Sport Management
Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action
Sport Management Internship Project/ Sport Management Internship
Professional Engagement for the Sport Industry
Sport and Organizational Theory
Advanced Analysis of Sport Management Ethics
Dr. Baxter is accepting applications from students interested in completing a thesis based master’s under co-supervision with another faculty member in Sport Management. She welcomes students whose proposed research aligns with one or more of the following areas:
- Volunteer engagement and retention
- Gender equity in sport
- Pathways for women and girl sport volunteers
- Community sport systems
Interested candidates are encouraged to review Dr. Baxter’s academic publications and identify a potential area of study that complements both her expertise and that of another faculty member in the department.
Please note that supervision availability is dependent on the interests and capacity of both faculty members involved.
Prospective students are invited to reach out to discuss potential supervision opportunities and research fit.
Dr. Baxter is accepting applications for undergraduate student research opportunities (SPMA 3P99 and SPMA 4P99). Students interested in pursuing an independent study or project are encouraged to reach out to discuss potential opportunities and shared research interests.
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