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It’s no secret that West Virginia currently ranks as one of the highest states for obesity prevalence. Partners from multiple organizations around the state, including faculty and staff from West Virginia University, believe that a key component to tackling this problem is to empower communities to take charge of their health – thus forming Take Back Our Health WV.

Take Back Our Health WV, a community-based project that aims to improve the health of West Virginians by increasing access to healthy foods and physical activity opportunities where West Virginians live, work, learn, play and pray.

The Steelcase Active Learning Center will officially open at West Virginia University, Thursday, October 31, 3 p.m. in the Health and Education building, Evansdale campus. The center was funded by Steelcase Education and is valued at $67,000.

According to the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences’ faculty, it ideally suits courses that emphasize collaborating and cooperative learning approaches. “The overarching goal here remains our increased capacity to engage students more actively in their own learning and to move toward interactive pedagogical approaches that better serve today’s learners,” Sean Bulger, professor, physical education and kinesiology, and associate dean for graduate and online education said.

While many people pursue a career in athletics to enhance their own skills, some get involved to develop the skills of others. Raymond Kryzak, an Athletic Coaching Education master’s student at West Virginia University, spends his time outside of the classroom as a soccer coach in the Morgantown area. Originally from Charleston, W.Va., he chose to further his education with CPASS after accepting a business manager role with the TopSoccer program within Mountaineer United Soccer Club.

TopSoccer is a community-based training program for athletes with intellectual, emotional and or physical disabilities. Kryzak’s involvement includes coaching and teaching soccer to children with various disabilities in a safe, encouraging environment. “It is a way for them to get physical activity and the opportunity to play, which they deserve,” he said.

West Virginia University fosters inclusion and diversity on campus. The Mountaineer community represents numerous faces, each one unique and special. Behind every face is a story. For three years, students have joined together to honor the University’s diversity and find common ground through the love of soccer.

The College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences hosted the 5th Annual Diversity Cup Tournament, September 28-29. The CPASS Sport Management Club, WVU Athletics and the WVU Recreation Center partnered with CPASS to celebrate diversity, friendship and inclusion.

The West Virginia University Alumni Association will welcome many familiar faces to campus this fall during 2019 Homecoming ceremonies, as the University celebrates accomplishments of alumni around the globe. The Alumni Association will recognize Dana Brooks, former College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences dean, as the 2019 recipient of the Paul B. “Buck” Martin award.

The Alumni Association is honoring Brooks for his efforts to preserve, maintain and promote the traditions of WVU. Buck Martin served as president of the Alumni Association and was former editor of The Martinsburg Journal and noted WVU historian.

While the physical nature of sport appeals to many people, there are underlying aspects of the science and preparation that most people never consider. As the newly announced assistant athletic director for applied health and performance science for Penn State Athletics department, Josh Nelson knows the power and importance of science in sport first-hand. Hailing from Independence, Va., Nelson has had a long journey within the field of health and sport sciences in preparation for this role. 

CPASS master’s student and instructor Marla Gladstone plans to analyze opposing factors and how they have influenced history and sport by bringing real-life experience into the classroom.

The idea behind PET 101: Games in American culture course is to evaluate and discover how sport has influenced history and how history has influenced sport. Instead of taking stories and examples straight from a textbook, Gladstone’s desired plan of action is to bring different guest speakers into the classroom, to give a more biographical, human perspective.

As the West Virginia University Mountaineer football team opened their 2019-2020 season on August 31 against FCS powerhouse James Madison, fans could feel the excitement in the air. However, even before kick-off, fans were treated to Gold and Blue-style entertainment, with a focus on family fun.

The College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences partnered with WVU Athletics and USA Football to host Youth Sports and Spirit Day during pre-game activities held at the Caperton Indoor Facility, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The festivities took place during the Chick-fil-A Kids Zone event and were organized by Kristen Dieffenbach, athletic coaching education associate professor, with the help of graduate assistants Christina Villalon and Maggie Roberts. They estimate that 150-200 kids took part in event’s first year.

Starting a business may seem like a struggle, maybe nearly impossible, but that is not the case for West Virginia University graduate Stephanie Filbey. Originally from Alloway, New Jersey, Filbey completed her personal trainer internship with the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, where she worked with her first client. The internship eventually lead to her starting her own business in Morgantown, called Summit Wellness.

Filbey, BS 2017, Exercise Physiology, did not develop a passion for health, wellness and fitness until her junior year of college, but for much of her life, she had been involved in sports year-round. However, that quickly changed when she arrived at WVU. When the activity stopped, and the poor food choices started, Filbey was stuck in a rut like other college students experience.

The College recently caught up with CPASS alumni and students, to learn more about their experiences in Major League Baseball. We asked about their typical day, career goals, WVU mentors and advice for anyone wanting to get into the sports industry. See their responses, below, to learn how their Mountaineer experiences have helped them succeed and where they see themselves in five years.