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Healthcare innovators from across West Virginia will gather next month in an attempt to prevent and reverse West Virginia’s soaring rates of chronic disease. Sam Zizzi, Pat Fehl Endowed Professor, sport and exercise psychology with CPASS, will share insight and research at Try This for Healthcare Professionals Conference, June 1-3 at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, West Virginia.

The conference will offer practical strategies for engaging patients and communities in movement, food and stress management. Topics include reversing diabetes, approaches to childhood obesity and dietary approaches for opioid dependence.

Recent studies have established the connection between physical activity in the classroom and academic performance. Now, new research by a West Virginia University faculty member identifies the importance of removing barriers and providing training for teachers to ensure success of movement in the classroom.

The study, published in Teaching and Teacher Education, one of the top research journals in the field of teacher education, may help to improve teacher preparation at the university level. James Hannon, CPASS professor and assistant dean of academic affairs and research, says the study points to the importance of providing teacher support.

The College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences has joined forces with WVU Extension Service to develop a program that encourages quality time between fathers and their children at local Monongalia Elementary schools.

Known as iFather, program organizers kicked off spring sessions at Skyview Elementary in March and have since held events at neighboring Ridgedale, Cheat Lake, Mountainview and Brookhaven schools.

Gonzalo Bravo, CPASS associate professor, was recognized at the West Virginia University Second Annual Scholarship Celebration. The event, organized by the Office of the Provost, honored WVU faculty who produced a major piece of scholarship work during the 2016 academic year.

CPASS Dean Dana Brooks and Sport Sciences Department Chair Jack Watson joined President E. Gordon Gee and Provost Joyce McConnell earlier this spring to honor award recipients at the Wise Downtown Library.  

Kristoph Cain, Physical Education Teacher Education junior, grew up in Berlin, Germany. Family ties to Morgantown and a passion for teaching and sports inspired Cain to return to West Virginia and pursue a degree at WVU.   

Cain was born in Morgantown in 1995; however, he grew up in Berlin. He made the decision to return to Morgantown for his college career following a year off to work and decide on a field of study.

An ongoing research collaboration to develop teaching and research models brings a global perspective to WVU. Luis Miguel Garcia-Lopez, associate professor at the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain, is on campus until April 30 in an effort to expand his lines of research with Stephen Harvey, associate professor, CPASS physical education teacher education.

During his one-month stay, Garcia-Lopez will observe PETE classes and conduct a research presentation. His research interests focus around pedagogical models, including game centered teaching, cooperative learning, sport education and, most recently, teaching social and personal responsibility in working with disaffected youth.

West Virginia University Coaches Club will hold the first Backyard Olympics on April 23, 2017 from 1-4 p.m. in the upper courts of the Student Rec Center.

Teams of two will play several sports-based activities and earn points based on participation, single wins and series wins. Games will include volleyball, tug of war, human bowling, cornhole, hacky sack, washers and more.

Marc Cormier, SEP doctoral graduate, has joined the University of Kentucky as assistant professor to develop and coordinate a sport and exercise psychology program.

Aside from teaching and conducting research, Cormier will act as director and coordinator of the new SEP master’s program at the University of Kentucky. Cormier has been working to develop the program during the past two years.

A visiting scholar in sport and exercise psychology will spend the next two years at West Virginia University. EunJoo Ha, from South Korea, will study at WVU through December 2018 during her SEP post-doc to receive more experience and training before pursuing a career within her field.

EunJoo earned a doctorate degree in physical education with a major in sports psychology in August 2016 from Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea.

Steven Ware, 28-year-old physical education teacher education student, won the 132 lb. division at the Midwestern Regionals for the National Collegiate Boxing Association in March. He has participated in several state and national tournaments, giving him the chance to challenge himself against fighters from across the United States.

During the championship, Ware fought against a skilled opponent from the US Naval Academy. “It was a great opportunity to test myself against someone of his caliber and I am very happy that I was able to successfully represent WVU Boxing,” he said.