Ryan’s essay, “Untangling the Differences between Live and Filmed Sport, or Why are Sports Movies Bad?” was selected for the R. Scott Kretchmar Student Essay Award by the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport (IAPS). A three-member IAPS panel grants the award to an essay of outstanding quality addressing any philosophical issue arising in sport or a related area. Ryan will present his essay at the Annual Meeting of IAPS.

Ryan Murtha is a PhD student in the Physical Culture & Sport Studies program. Originally from Philadelphia, he majored in economics and history as an undergrad before coming to Texas to get his master’s in Sport Management. He then stayed to pursue his doctorate. Ryan has written on the legal issues at the intersection of sport and the first amendment, and his work has appeared on popular sites like Slate and Deadspin. Ryan’s academic interests include the role of sport in identity and community building, the history of sports writing, and Irish sport history.