Dr. Steve Estes is a professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Middle Tennessee State University. Dr. Estes did his undergraduate and masters studies in kinesiology (both in sociocultural sport) at San Diego State University, and received the doctorate from The Ohio State University with an emphasis sport culture. After completing the doctorate Dr. Estes taught at California State University - Fullerton, State University of New York - Cortland, East Carolina University, and Missouri Western State University before coming to Middle Tennessee State University. His administrative appointments include Director of the Center for Technology in Education at Cortland, Department Chair at East Carolina University and Middle Tennessee State University, and Dean of the College of Professional Studies at Missouri Western State University. He has also served twice as President of the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education, Faculty Senate Chair at SUNY Cortland, and as the keynote speaker at academic and professional conferences in his specialty areas.  

Dr. Estes’ studies in kinesiology began with his career as an athlete. He was a rower in college at San Diego State University, and trained and competed for United States National Rowing Teams through 1987. Career highlights include two national championships in the elite eight-oared shell, and seventh place at the 1982 World Rowing Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland.  He remains active in rowing, competing at the masters level and is assisting the novice rowing team at the US Miliatary Academy at West Point in Spring 2020.

Dr. Estes’ research interests include the relationship of mind and body in sport and physical activity, philosophy of science in physical activity studies, postmodern sport, and the processes of leader development. He is an author or co-author of four textbooks in kinesiology, and numerous articles on leadership in kinesiology and the military. Dr. Estes coordinated the Leadership Symposium at the Educator Visit for the ROTC Leader Training Course at Ft. Knox, Kentucky from 2009 through 2012, and he continues to study leader development processes in ROTC. His most recent article, “Characteristics of Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Leader Development,” was published as Land Warfare Paper No. 111 by the Association of the United States Army.  His studies in military leadership led to a commission in the Tennessee State Guard, where he currently serves as the Public Affairs Officer, Headquarters, Headquarters Company in Nashville, Tennessee.  

Dr. Estes is married to Dr. Betty Block, also a professor of kinesiology at Texas A&M - Commerce. They have three daughters, Nan, Katherine, and Erin.

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Selected Publicatons

Books:

Estes, S. (In press).  Leading and building teams in kinesiology.  Dubuque, Iowa:  Kendall Hunt.

Estes, S. (2006).  Kinesiology in the postmodern world.  Dubuque, Iowa:  Kendall-Hunt.   Mechikoff, R., and Estes, S.

(2006). A History and Philosophy of Sport and Physical Education.  4th. Ed.  New York:  McGraw-Hill.  

Estes, S., and Mechikoff, R. (1999).  Knowing Human Movement.  Needham Heights, MA:  Allyn and Bacon.

Articles and Book Chapters

(In Press).  Lawson, H., and Estes, S.  Collective Action for Learning, Improvement and Redesign. In Journal of Teaching in Physical Education.  Special Issue:  21^st Century Physical Education in the United States.

(2020).  Estes, S.  Training for leadership in the 21st century:  It's all about the group.  In Bridges no blockades:  Transcending university politics.  Gotham, Maine:  Myers Education Press.

(2016).  Estes, S., Miller, J., and Majure, M.  Characteristics of Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Leader Development.  Land Warfare Paper No. 111.  Institute of Land Warfare, (https://www.ausa.org/publications/institute-of-land-warfare)

(2016).  Feingold, R., and Estes, S.  The Politics, Roles, and Future of Professional Societies,  Quest.  68(3), 284-291.  

(2016).  Estes, S., and Germain, J. Professional Academic Societies: Stewards of the Future.  Quest.  68(3), 292-305  

(2015).  Estes, S.  The National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education:  An Academic Society for the 21st Century.  Quest.  67(2), 108-117.  

(2015).  Block, B., Tietjen-Smith, T., and Estes, S.  Thinking pluralistically:  Dynamic decision making in kinesiology.  Quest. 67(1), 93-105.  

(2011).  Block, B., Estes, S.  Supercomplexity in Higher Education Kinesiology. Quest, 63(2), 179-96.

(2010).  Edwards, M., Alderman, D., Estes, S. An Appraisal of Stock Car Racing’s Economic and Geographic Development in North America: NASCAR as Flexible Accumulation. International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing.  8(1/2), 160-79.

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Invited Presentations:

(2020).  Estes, S.  (2020).  Building teams and leading in the New York Guard.  Commander’s Brief, New York Guard Annual Drill.  Peekskill, New York, 1 February.

(2019).  Leading and Building Teams in America's State Defense Forces.  Leadership Forum, Annual Conference of the State Guard Association of the United States.  Gulf Shores, Mississippi, November 9.

(2007).  2nd Elwood Craig Davis Lecture. Kinesiology in the Postmodern World. Annual Conference of the Western Society for Kinesiology and Wellness.  Reno, Nevada, October 11. Estes, S.

(2003).  Twenty-Third Dudley Allen Sargent Commemorative Lecture:  Knowledge and the Professoriate in Physical Education in Higher Education. Annual Conference of the National Association for Physical Education in Higher Education, Long Beach, California.  January 18.   

(2000). The evolving Uundergraduate teacher preparation major.  Academy Speaker Presentation, Texas Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.  Dallas, Texas, December 1.  

Presentations: 

(2015).  Intercollegiate athletics and the kinesiology department:  Navigating the politics of intercollegiate athletics.  Annual Conference of the College Sport Research Institute.  Columbia, South Carolina, April 21.

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President's Award - National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE)            

Fellow #12, National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE)            

NAKHE 2005 Distinguished Service Award            

Dudley A. Sargent Lecturer, 2003 National Conference, NAKHE            

1990 Arthur G. Broten Young Scholar            

Olympic Trials, Double Scull, 1984                               

1982 World Rowing Championships, 7th, Lightweight Eight            

1982 U.S. National Champion Elite Eight, Elite Lightweight Eight

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