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Dean  Dana Brooks will retire from the  College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences June 30, 2019, after more than four decades as a passionate Mountaineer committed to promoting diversity and student success at  West Virginia University. Upon Brooks’ retirement, professor of  Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology  and interim associate dean  Jack Watson will serve as interim dean of the College.

Brooks began his WVU career as a graduate teaching assistant in the 1970s. His subsequent positions, which involved progressively increasing leadership responsibilities, included instructor, minority recruitment and retention coordinator, acting graduate coordinator, acting chairperson and associate dean.

The love of sports is often a motivator for many focusing on careers in the sports management industry. Autry Parker Brantley – Detroit, Michigan native – considered a decision between striving to be a college student-athlete or helping them reach their goals.

Brantley received his bachelor’s degree in sport management in 2005 from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. After years of entrepreneurship efforts in Florida and Nevada, coaching college basketball in Ohio, and teaching to coach high school basketball in Michigan, he decided to join the Mountaineer family. He earned his master’s degree in sport management in 2012. 

When most people think of the Virgin Islands they envision clear blue water, white sandy beaches, tropical weather and stunning views. Melisa Efe experienced the Virgin Islands from a different angle.

Efe, sport and exercise psychology major, volunteers with All Hands and Hearts, an organization that helps communities effected by natural disasters. After Hurricane Irma and Maria in 2017, the U.S. Virgin Islands suffered severe flooding, wind damage and was left with mountains of debris. All Hands and Hearts sent a Rapid Response team to help with the damage following the storms. The relief continues. Efe traveled to St John over 2018 winter break to support recovery efforts.

A West Virginia University-hosted event will provide unprecedented access to renowned professionals in the fields of strength and conditioning and sport science. The second annual workshop will feature speakers typically found on national platforms on Saturday, April 13 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the WVU Erickson Alumni Center. Attendees will have an exclusive look at the new applied sport science center located at the WVU Human Performance Innovation Center.

“This is an incredible opportunity for coaches and strength coaches in the state and surrounding area. We will truly have some of the world leaders in the field of strength and conditioning and sport science attending and presenting at this year’s state clinic,” Guy Hornsby , WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences athletic coaching education teaching assistant professor, explained.

Finding career motivation comes in different places and times. Paul Downey discovered his vision during a special topics class with a focus on sport psychology.

“Upon learning about sport psychology and student-services, I knew that I wanted to work with top level student-athletes to help them achieve their goals,” said Downey

Kacey DiGiacinto was named to the Vice Chancellor’s Leadership Academy (VCLA) at Elizabeth City State University for fall 2018. Since her appointment, she has helped to engage university faculty in leadership activities across campus, with improvements in academic results.

According to Interim Provost Farrah Ward, the Leadership Academy provides DiGiacinto and co-award recipient Juliet Boykins, with an opportunity to explore their leadership potential and to advance their understanding of interdepartmental collaborations.

As a high school junior, Howard Ticker combined his passion for sports with an interest in business to guide his college selection process. Growing up, he had followed Mountaineer football, paying special attention to the Pat White Era, (former WVU quarterback who played all four seasons, 2005-2008, with the Mountaineers, becoming the first QB to finish 4-0 in bowl games, including two BCS wins in the 2006 Sugar and 2008 Fiesta Bowls).

Meanwhile, he liked the proximity from his home in Maryland to Morgantown. It was then that Ticker decided to attend West Virginia University to study sport management.

A group of 24 College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences students hit the road to Indianapolis, IN for a multifaceted field trip, featuring a panel discussion, professional football practice facility visit hosted by a WVU graduate, and tips for career development. 

The action-packed day, coordinated by the CPASS Office of Student Success and WVU Career Services, started with a tour of the Pacers facility at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. 

From learning in the class room to applying knowledge on the field, the WVU athletic coaching education program helps undergraduates acquire skills to compete in the coaching profession.

David Ferraro, assistant coach with the Wesley men’s lacrosse program, Dover, Delaware, says his athletic coaching degree from the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences helped him prepare for this position.

Hundreds of people interested in applied sport science, strength and conditioning and long-term athlete development gathered at the International Coaching and Sport Science College Conference this past December 2018 at East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.

College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences representation at the conference included graduate students Michael Derasmo, Jarric Haskins, Billy Cedar, Michael Schlund, Matt Anti, Connor Olson, Nicholas Berchock, Kanchana Venkatesh, Mike DeLong, undergraduate student Anthony Geeza and Abigail Tice, exercise physiology graduate student. Dr. Guy Hornsby, teaching assistant professor, athletic coaching education, joined the students on the trip.

West Virginia University is home to about 28,000 students from all over the world. After earning undergraduate to graduate level degrees, WVU Mountaineers show their pride from around the globe. 

Julio Nakasato is one international student who is proud to be a Mountaineer, approximately 2,100 miles away in Panama. After earning his sport management master's degree (2016), Nakasato worked for Under Armour as a marketing manager in Peru and will now head to Panama as Under Armour’s Latin American brand marketing running manager.

Mt. Vernon, NY native Jared Bartee has found a new home in Washington state, working for the Seattle Mariners in client sales and service associates. The College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences 2017 graduate earned two minors in business administration and communications to go along with his sports management major.

"With CPASS I was able to study in a great sport management program that is one of the top programs in the country. All while at a top D1 sports school, whose connections with the local minor league team helped me secure my first internship working in sports.," Bartee said.

The cultural stigma related to mental illness and those seeking mental health services is pervasive. According to Robert Hilliard, College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology doctoral student, such negative viewpoints pose barriers across race, status, occupation, gender, country of origin and other variables.  

Hilliard has received a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Graduate Student Research Grant to conduct research on key topics by introducing new studies to the field. The grant is offered annually to graduate students studying NCAA student-athletes in the broad areas of well-being and sport participation. Hilliard’s research is titled Stigma, Attitudes, and Intentions to Seek Mental Health Services in Student-Athletes. 

Join us as we explore the past semester and look ahead to the New Year. Learn more about how faculty, students, staff, alumni and donors share the same passion, determination and hope to build the future of the College and offer opportunities for current and prospective students.  

Provost Joyce McConnell visited with CPASS faculty and staff this fall to discuss the future of the College. The provost explained that WVU will work toward updating the overall University strategic plan. The University’s strategic plan will play a major role in the future of the college, as it will help to identify the focus of WVU moving forward. The Provost stated that the destiny of CPASS starts with the faculty, staff, alumni and students. 

West Virginia University graduate André Schneider credits the holistic approach he learned as a master’s student in helping him succeed as a coach. The Brazil native had little time to evaluate and modify the U15 Team of Porto Vitoria in the beginning of October.

“It was only two and a half months. The biggest challenge the coaching staff (Hugo Gava, fitness coach, and Rafael Pinheiro, goalkeeper's coach) and I faced was, in such a short period of time, change the play style of the team, and have them playing a possession, yet aggressive, style of soccer,” he explained.