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For many students, summer break means a break from the rigors of academia. But the past two summers have been anything but ordinary for Elizabeth Deering, a freshman majoring in Sport Management. Her summers have been marked by adventure, nature, and a transition from being a camper to a counselor at Camp Hidden Meadows in Bartow, W.Va.

Major: Sport Management (M.S.)

The College of Applied Human Sciences, in partnership with the Sport Management program, will celebrate the spirit of sport, friendship and inclusiveness by hosting the 7th Annual Diversity Cup Four vs. Four Coed Soccer Tournament. For more information, to register and view tournament rules visit the College of Applied Human Sciences Diversity Cup webpage.

The pool play tournament is scheduled on Saturday, October 14 and Sunday, October 15 on the turf fields located between the Applied Human Sciences Building and the Student Recreation Center on the Evansdale Campus.

As West Virginia’s childhood obesity rates continue to rank among the highest in the nation, groups at West Virginia University are taking decisive action to encourage physical activity and healthy eating through the West Virginia Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Communities (CARDIAC) Project.

CARDIAC school-based screenings performed in 26 West Virginia counties during the 2022–23 school year found 32 percent of kindergarteners, 40 percent of second graders and 49.6 percent of fifth graders were either overweight or obese (according to Centers for Disease Control parameters). Evidence for the risk of pre-diabetes was found in 3.2 percent of kindergarteners, 5.6 percent of second graders and 8 percent of fifth graders.

The Center for Applied Coaching and Sport Sciences at WVU is collaborating with Mountaineer Athletics to host the fourth annual Youth Sports Day, Saturday, Sept. 9, as the West Virginia Mountaineers take on the Duquesne Dukes. Youth Sports Day is proudly sponsored by UScellular.

Youth Sports Day serves as an opportunity to provide the community with information about quality youth sport programs, the importance of sport sampling for developing the athletic skills and fitness youth need to participate in sports programs, Kristen Dieffenbach, professor of coaching and performance science in the College of Applied Human Sciences said.

"We are focused on encouraging lifetime engagement in sport and recreation activities," Dieffenbach added. "The Youth Sport Day provides WVU students studying coaching and sport sciences with an opportunity to engage with kids and families in the community and share best practices in supporting youth sport engagement," Dieffenbach added.

"We are thrilled to be a part of this exciting, local community event helping support skill development and promote physical activity," Nakeita Stewart, director of sales for UScellular, said.

All Youth Sports Day participants will receive discounted game tickets along with group seating to experience the excitement together. Tickets start at $40 each. The first 500 kids to sign up will receive an exclusive WVU Youth Sports Day T-Shirt courtesy of UScellular.

Youth athletes will receive an invitation to join in exclusive pregame activities in the Caperton Indoor Practice Facility, adjacent to the southwest gate of Milan Puskar Stadium. Coaches, family and friends are welcome to join at the same discounted rate.

To purchase tickets to the event, CLICK HERE. Check in starts at 3 p.m. with pregame activities starting at 3:30 p.m. and concluding at 5:30 p.m. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.

Parents or guardians must sign a waiver at the check in table for their child to participate. Participants may pick up T-shirts at the registration table starting at 3 p.m. For more details, contact Alexa Miley at 304-293-8424 or email alexa.miley@mail.wvu.edu.

The West Virginia University campus is invited to celebrate the start of the academic year with the College of Applied Human Sciences on Thursday, September 7, 3-5 p.m. at the Evansdale recreation fields. All students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend.

The fair will feature free snacks, drinks, games, prizes, music, and more. Students will be able to meet college faculty and staff, including a meet and greet with Dean Autumn Cyprès, and learn more about various clubs and organizations on campus. 

The Center for ActiveWV in the West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences is pleased to announce the receipt of a $768,000 grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's High Obesity Program. The grant, awarded under a five-year cooperative agreement, will support the growth of CAHS's existing HOP grant and the implementation of the Be Wild, Be Wonderful, Be Healthy: Expanded program.

The Be Wild, Be Wonderful, Be Healthy: Expanded program aims to enhance the capacity and partnerships of CAHS in developing and implementing targeted approaches to improve access to healthy foods and physical activity opportunities for residents in eight counties across three distinct geographical regions of West Virginia. These counties include Clay, Braxton, Calhoun, Logan, Boone, Lincoln, Summers, and Monroe.

The Center for ActiveWV in the West Virginia University College of Applied Human Sciences received $390,000 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the first year of a five-year cooperative agreement for its WV Healthy Schools in Action project. The initiative, which aims to address the pressing health challenges faced by West Virginia schools and students, is anticipated to have $1.95 million in funding over five years.

The WV Healthy Schools in Action project aims to develop targeted approaches that enhance physical activity, healthy dietary behaviors, and self-management of chronic health conditions among underserved students statewide, with a special focus on Mercer County. By implementing comprehensive knowledge and capacity-building strategies aligned with the "Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child" framework, the project seeks to improve school health policies, practices, programs, and services that promote healthy behaviors and health equity practices.

Ian Gentile, Vice President of Hockey Operations with the United States Hockey League completed his master's degree online from West Virginia University in sport management in 2020 while working full-time.

After over a decade working his way up the ranks in the Chicago Blackhawks organization, a stint that included three Stanley Cup championships, he served as the Director of High Performance and National teams for USA football for 14 months before returning to the rink in his current position. Read more about his current role, his career journey and the impact WVU has had on him, as well as advice for students aspiring to work in the sport industry.

Record-setting former West Virginia University gymnastics coach and long-time faculty member in the College of Physical Activity and Sports Science Linda Burdette-Good died unexpectedly in Hilton Head, South Carolina, on June 6, family members have confirmed.

A native of Parkersburg, W.Va., Burdette-Good joined the Mountaineer athletic department following a one-year coaching stint at Fairmont State. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from WVU and served as a faculty member in CPASS from 1974-2009. In retirement, she continued to volunteer her time as a member of the WVU Sports Hall of Fame selection committee.

The College of Applied Human Sciences recognized four faculty members – Rawn Boulden, Patrick Hairston, Erin Jordan and Erin McHenry-Sorber – for outstanding work in the 2022-23 academic year at its all-college assembly on May 10.

Rawn Boulden was the recipient of the 2023 CAHS Outstanding Researcher Award. The award acknowledges a faculty member whose research has made significant contributions to one’s discipline in the past year. In the past year, Boulden’s work investigated issues of school counseling in rural areas, with special emphasis on Appalachia and culturally sustaining school counseling practices. His research portfolio included six peer-reviewed journal articles published or appearing in the press during the award period.