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Maryland native Erik Schwarz says his internship experiences as a West Virginia University sport management student convinced him to take the Division I Athletics path.

“I was a student football equipment manager for five years. During my last year of school, I did an internship with the football administrator. Working with the Mountaineer football team from 1988-1992 was unbelievable experience,” Schwarz explained.  

The National Athletic Trainers' Association has announced that West Virginia native Marisa Brunett will serve as its new vice president as of this summer.

Brunett has served on the NATA board since 2016. She says her new responsibilities as vice president is an honor.  

Dr. R. Scott Kretchmar, one of the top sport philosophers in the country, will visit campus on October 10, 2018 at 7 p.m. to discuss improving youth sport. The Bolton Center for Sports Ethics will host the lecture at the Evansdale Crossing building (EVC-E 414). This event is free and open to the public.

In his upcoming lecture, Kretchmar will discuss the value of youth sports.

In the world of sports teams and major events, many people forget about the office jobs that surround the team and help ensure success.

Casey Hudson, 2018 Sports Management master’s graduate, found himself learning the the behind-the-scenes business of a major league soccer team, the Columbus Crew. Hudson is currently responsible inside sales and manages around 1,000 accounts.  

A Japanese group will visit the West Virginia University campus this fall to promote cultural understanding and international learning experiences within the field of physical education teacher education.

The partnership is part of the new Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program designed as a complementary strategy to ongoing study abroad efforts within the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences. While COIL projects typically develop online relationships only, this effort combines an online alliance with a physical, face-to-face meeting component.

Two fresh faces have joined the Office of Student Success at WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences this fall. Betsy Robbinsand Evan Banasick, WVU graduate student, are adding their expertise to the college.

Robbins grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan, cheering on the Chicago Cubs. She earned a BA in photography and English and an MSEd in special education, both from Purdue University. After graduation, she moved to Boulder, Colorado for three years before making her next mountain move to Morgantown, West Virginia. Robbins is excited to join the Mountaineer Family.

The College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, in partnership with WVU Campus Recreation, will celebrate the spirit of sport, friendship and inclusiveness by hosting the 4th Annual Diversity Cup Five vs. Five Coed Soccer Tournament.

The tournament, commemorating Diversity Week 2018, is scheduled on Saturday, September 29 and Sunday, September 30 on the turf fields located between the CPASS building and Towers on the Evansdale Campus. Registration is free and open to all WVU undergraduate and graduate students enrolled during the fall semester.

A WVU sport and exercise graduate assistant was one of 10 people recognized by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and the AASP Foundation in their 2018 award cycle.

Sport and Exercise Psychology doctorate student Zenzi Huysmans, from the Kingdom of eSwatini in southern Africa, was awarded the Distinguished Doctoral Student Practice Award.

A passion for sport and exercise psychology began because of a young faculty member’s early involvement as a competitive figure skater and, then, as captain of the Penn State women’s ice hockey club.

These experiences as a former athlete have led Dana Voelker, West Virginia University College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, to study and promote the psychosocial well-being and performance of child, adolescent and young adult athletes and exercisers. Her work has often been recognized in the field. 

West Virginia University will host The Long-Term Athlete Development Playground on September 15 at the WVU Evansdale Residential Complex, Morgantown, WV. The workshop, opening at 9 a.m., will focus on growing and improving the quality of physical sport activity for current and future youth programs in schools, recreational clubs and private programs.

Coaches, physical activity teachers, sport club directors and recreation leaders may attend.

Forging connections is important in any industry, but for sport and exercise psychology doctoral student Carra Johnson, WVU outdid itself.

Through a partnership with the New York Mets, Johnson spent June through September working hands-on with the minor league affiliates.  

CPASS faculty are continuing an international partnership to build the capacity of sport and sport related businesses within Zimbabwe. Executives and Board of Directors of the Sport Leadership Institute of Zimbabwe (SLIZ) see the collaboration as a way to improve the quality of life and sport opportunities in their country.

During a visit to the WVU campus this past spring, much of Maradza Mhiribidi and Clara Mukononyanga’s time involved the design and expansion of professional development and short courses related to sport management, athletic coaching, physical education teacher education and sport and exercise psychology disciplines. Long range efforts will incorporate creating a certificate program from a mobile or online platform.

What better way to introduce children to science, technology, engineering and math than through sports and exercise? During this summer’s WVU National Youth Sports Program, the Mountaineer Area RoboticS team, (MARS) stopped by to share their passion about competitive robotics and mental skills. 

Eleven MARS volunteers visited NYSP to promote interest in STEM education. They incorporated their knowledge about robotics in NYSP activities, engaging the campers through active learning. 

Jamie Hall’s time playing under head soccer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown translated into a passion for student-athlete development. At West Virginia University, she blends her enthusiasm for sponsorship and donor work with the creation of interactive, student-athlete focused fan activities throughout the year.

An SEP faculty member blended a worldwide group of experts in a publication highlighting mindful, joyful living.

Sam Zizzi, Dr. Pat Fehl Endowed Professor, along with  Mark B. Andersen, an adjunct professor at Halmstad University in Sweden, published “Being Mindful in Sport and Exercise Psychology: Pathways for Practitioners and Students.”