Kevin Becker

Dr. Kevin Becker is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, affiliated with the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. His research focuses on motor skill learning, attentional focus mechanisms, and applications in both clinical rehabilitation and high-performance sports contexts.

• PhD in Kinesiology and Sport Studies (Sport Psychology/Motor Behavior), University of Tennessee
• MS in Kinesiology (Psychology of Sport/Physical Activity), Illinois State University
• BS in Physical Education/School Health Education, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

Dr. Becker's research examines how different attentional focus strategies (internal, external, holistic) affect motor learning and performance across varied populations, including children, individuals with visual impairments, and stroke survivors. His work investigates task difficulty, variability, and practice structures while exploring applications in clinical settings and elite athletics.

Key research trends from his publications include attentional focus optimization in sports (badminton, soccer, golf), biomechanical analysis of motor performance, postural control mechanisms, and fatigue assessment in neurological populations. Recent work (2024-2025) expands into balance strategies, holistic attentional models, and fatigue measurement tool validation.

He teaches courses related to sport psychology supervision and has been affiliated with the Biomechanics/Sports Medicine Laboratory. Dr. Becker's career includes academic appointments at Texas Women's University (2014-2022) before joining the University of Tennessee in 2022.