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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.”

For Zenzi Huysmans, her education is much more than attending class and completing internships. 

Huysmans, who was born in the Kingdom of eSwatini in southern Africa, earned a dual degree in psychology and biological anthropology from Duke University.

Even though Kyle Wilson is one of the most well-known athletic trainers in the country, his initial journey into the industry was not smooth sailing. 

Wilson, BS ’82, Secondary Education with an emphasis in athletic training, WVU, M.A.Ed ’84, minor in psychology, Nicholls State (Louisiana), received his share of rejection letters.

In the fall, CPASS will add a new faculty member to the Physical Education Teacher Education program.

Jeremy Yeats will join West Virginia University after a six-year stint as an assistant professor and two years as the graduate coordinator of the Coaching master’s program at Adams State University, Alamosa, Colorado.

Minor League Baseball prioritizes the ballpark experience.

Enhancing the ballpark experience is in WVU graduate Vince Marcucci’s job description. Marcucci serves as director of corporate and community affairs for the New York Yankees’ Double-A affiliate, the Trenton Thunder.

For Melinda Grant, everything she does is a labor of love.

Grant, who graduated from WVU CPASS twice, first with a B.S. in Physical Education Teacher Education in 1976 and then a master’s in PETE in 1978, found that one way she could give back to CPASS was to donate her time and effort.

When JT Mellendick was pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Coaching Education, he couldn’t imagine being far from the field.

“During undergrad, I interned with the [WVU] baseball staff at Pro Performance in Morgantown,” Mellendick said. “During that internship, I worked with several high school athletes that went on to play Division I baseball and that really prepared me for working with baseball student-athletes.”

On any given Washington Husky game day, John Terry is at the stadium.

He parks his vehicle in the lot before the fans arrive and leaves hours after the parking lots clear and the fanbase goes home.

Black, green and gold: the colors Keith Ricci grew up wearing.

Ricci, who was raised 90 minutes from TD Garden, Boston, knew from a young age that he wanted to surround himself with Boston sports. When he graduated from WVU CPASS in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Sport Management, he set out to begin his career in the industry.