UK Future of Sport Summit explores how technology is making sports smarter

How is technology transforming the way athletes train, compete and recover?  

That question will take center stage at the Future of Sport Institute’s Sports Tech Summit, set for Monday, March 2, at the University of Kentucky. Hosted by the UK College of Education and UK College of Design, the event will explore how innovation is reshaping sport at every level. 

With the theme, “Smarter Sport: Wearables, Training and Game Day Intelligence,” the summit will bring together experts to discuss how technology is transforming sports on the field, in training and in the culture around it, with panelists including: 

• Nick Robinson, Meta’s global marketing and brand leader, on how wearables move from a major launch to everyday adoption through storytelling, partnerships and community; 

• Ty Bryant, UK football defensive back and Molly Berezowitz, UK volleyball defensive specialist, on how athletes use data and technology in day-to-day training to improve performance and reduce injury risk; and 

• Stephen Gillette, UK Football assistant director of scouting and analytics, on how scouting and analytics shape preparation and game-day decisions. 

“Technology is changing sport from the inside out,” said Kwame Agyemang, Ph.D., director of the UK Future of Sport Institute. “Wearables are changing how people interact with sport; technology is refining how athletes train and stay healthy and analytics is influencing decisions in the moment. Our summit connects those dots to spotlight where sport is headed.” 

“For students preparing for careers in and around sport, the summit is designed to broaden what they think is possible,” said Agyemang, the George and Betty Blanda Endowed Professor in Sport Leadership in the UK College of Education Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion. “A lot of students picture the traditional paths like coaching, athletic training, sport marketing or working in a front office. But sport is also being shaped by sport-adjacent companies like Meta, and there are real opportunities to work in sport through technology, product and storytelling.” 

Agyemang added that the field has changed quickly. 

“Who would have thought 10 years ago that roles like Nick’s and Stephen’s would be so central to sport, or that athletes like Ty and Molly would rely on data as much as they do now,” he said. “That’s where things are headed, and we’re only going to see more innovation. The networking huddle with Nick is one way we’re helping students see those paths up close.” 

UK College of Design Associate Professor Jonathan Mills, chair of the Department of Product Design, said this year’s focus on wearables, performance analytics and game-day intelligence gives design students a firsthand look at how design and technology intersect in the sport industry. 

“As sport becomes more data-driven and technology-focused, designers play a critical role in shaping how these tools look, feel and function,” Mills said.  

The summit is noon Monday, March 2, in the David Biagi Forum of the Gray Design Building, located at 349 Scott St. Registration is open to UK faculty, staff and students. 

The Future of Sport Institute, based in the UK College of Education Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, is a unique hub bringing together academics, students, industry leaders and brands to shape the future of sport and society. The institute is dedicated to empowering sport industry stakeholders’ ability to adapt and thrive in a fast-changing technological world through innovative research, education, collaborations and community partnerships. 

This story originally ran in UKNow here.