Latest News

Bobby Waugh, elementary physical education teacher and unified bocce coach, spent time on Capitol Hill this month speaking to members of Congress and advocating for the Special Olympics and unified sports.

Waugh, PETE master’s graduate, strives to improve the lives of students with special needs and create partnerships for athletes through the power of inclusion. Unified bocce pairs students with and without special needs, allowing students to earn a high school letter and form bonds practicing and competing together.

West Virginia University is hosting a National Eating Disorder Awareness walk for the first time in the state of West Virginia. The NEDA walk, which will help raise funds and awareness for individuals struggling with eating disorders, will kick off national eating disorder awareness week on Sunday, February 26 at the Student Recreation Center. Check in time is at 11 a.m.; the event is free and open to the public.

Audrey Gunther, walk coordinator, works with the student organization WVU Project Heal to focus on fighting the stigma on eating disorders across campus and the state of West Virginia. “Project Heal is an international non-profit organization that has similar goals with NEDA. Like NEDA, Project Heal works to destigmatize eating disorders, raise awareness and fundraise for treatment,” Gunther said.

An upcoming WVU Science on Tap presentation will feature Sam Zizzi, professor, CPASS Sport and Exercise Psychology, Wednesday, March 15, 7 p.m. at the Morgantown Brewing Company.

Zizzi will focus on The Zen of Sport Performance, featuring how mindfulness supports improved athletic performance. Zizzi has worked with athletes at many levels and will share a selection of stories over a cold brew.

Vincent Stilger, WVU athletic training program director, HSD, ATC has earned the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) 2017 Service Award. The Athletic Trainer Service Award (ATSA) recognizes NATA members for contributions as a volunteer at the local and state levels. 

Stilger has served as the WVU undergraduate athletic training program director and associate professor at CPASS since 1994. He helps during the fall season with the WVU football team as an athletic trainer. Stilger is a Board of Certification Athletic Trainer and a member of NATA, WVATA. Stilger earned his Master of Science and bachelor’s degrees from Indiana State University  

The College of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences Dean’s Student Advisory Board has recently recognized Nick Davidson, sport management graduate student, as the most valuable board member for the month of January. Davidson currently serves as the programming chair for the board.

The programming committee seeks to increase cross-disciplinary communications and events within the college. As head of this committee, Davidson’s current focus is finding ways to get CPASS students involved with the college beyond the classroom.

The College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences athletic  coaching education program has partnered with West Virginia University Club Sports for the third year in a row. This unique arrangement allows graduate assistant strength coaches to provide physical training to sports club participants. Both ACE students and club sports athletes have benefited from the collaboration. 

Prior to this program, a lack of resources left club teams to provide their own strength and conditioning training. Athletes receive a higher level of coaching originally only offered to competitive teams.

CPASS will host Shellie Pfohl, president and CEO of SafeSport, March 31, 2017 at 12 p.m. in CPASS room G08. The virtual guest lecture featuring SafeSport’s leadership plan for ethical responsibility in sport is hosted by the CPASS Russell “Bud” Bolton Center for Sports Ethics. The talk is free and open to the public.

Pfohl has worked as executive director of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition after being appointed by President Obama in 2010. Pfohl also led the council’s efforts in support of support First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Initiative, working to solve the childhood obesity epidemic within the United States.