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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.

In early 2014, Mark E. Mitchell, a Pocahontas County native and 1979 graduate of the WVU School of Business and Economics, called his daughter Anne to pitch an idea. He wanted to start a trout lodge business out of his childhood home along the banks of Knapps Creek. And he wanted Anne, a 2012 CPASS graduate, and her partner Mark Hengemihle, also a WVU alum, to run it. 

Four years later, Anne and Mark H., both seasoned outdoor recreation professionals, have established Knapps Creek Trout Lodge within a unique, niche market in the West Virginia and outdoor recreation industry, reporting 30 percent growth in bookings, and developing special programs to support veterans and the local community. “It’s difficult, but fulfilling,” Anne says. “It’s a good feeling to try to add to the West Virginia economy. The scenic landscape that supports fishing is one of our greatest assets.”

Multiple outreach projects will have a lasting impact in the Morgantown community and beyond.  A New Jersey high school robotics team has developed a robot that enables kids with special needs in the CPASS Friday Adapted PE program to have greater access to fun physical activities.  A model grant that combines researchers from WVU and three other regional institutions will help community groups to provide health and wellness opportunities for individuals with disabilities. A continuing partnership with the National Inclusion Project expands physical activity environments for a diverse population within WVU Lifetime Activities.  

An on-line master of science program blends industry best practices and practical skills. A new major offers internships for real hands-on experience in the field, preparing graduates to lead physical activity programs in community, campus, commercial and resort settings. An innovative collaboration provides an opportunity to use applied sport science within a combination of service and research to help coaches and athletes better understand the training process.

Killeen Schlegel, program coordinator in the CPASS Office of Student Success, is one of four WVU academic advisers honored with the Nicholas Evans Award for Excellence in Advising. This annual award, established by the Office of the Provost, is given in honor of Dr. Nicholas Evans, a lifelong proponent of the importance of undergraduate advising at WVU. Each year two faculty and two staff are recognized for their work advising and mentoring students.

Schlegel was nominated by 10 coworkers, supervisors and students. Sean Bulger, supervisor for the CPASS Office of Student Success, says, “Students characterize Killeen as well-informed, organized, personable, proactive, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. The faculty say she is highly sought out by students based on the reputation for excellence that she has established.”