The doctoral program in kinesiology at Michigan State University ranks 6th in the nation, according to a recent report from the National Academy of Kinesiology (NAK). The NAK program review, now in its second iteration, accounts for measures of faculty contributions and student performance during the years 2005-2009. MSU’s 6th-place ranking reflects an assessment that… Read More »
In the November 2011 edition of Parenting magazine, Larry Lauer, MSU kinesiology research assistant and director of coaching education and development at the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports, shared the importance of good sportsmanship among young athletes. “Kids this age are still in the ‘all about me’ phase,” Lauer wrote. “They won’t naturally say ‘Good game’ to… Read More »
McKayla Hanson, a kinesiology senior at Michigan State University, has entered herself in the 2011 Ironman Triathlon — despite the fact that she only has one leg. Born with a rare form of bone cancer, Hanson had her right leg amputated when she was only seven years old. A traumatizing event at such a young age, Hanson said she had difficulty accepting that her leg… Read More »
In a New York Times opinion piece published on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011, writer David Bornstein raised several questions about the emphasized values of youth sports, and the coaching methods that go along with them. While Bornstein and several surveyed parents agree that sports should focus on teamwork, honesty, discipline and fair play, they also said that the sports instead promote competitiveness and… Read More »
In a recent study, MSU Kinesiology doctoral student Veronica Son and department chair Deborah Feltz have found that individuals are more motivated if they are working as part of a team, as opposed to focusing solely on themselves. Specifically, the researchers saw increased performance when the word “I” was replaced with “we” in self-talk motivational statements. “I believe in the power of ‘we,’” Son said.… Read More »
Aaron Scheidies, a 2004 graduate of Kinesiology from the Michigan State University College of Education, is one of two recipients of the 2011 Distinguished Young Alumni Award – and it’s no wonder why. Scheidies is a physical therapist, model, public speaker and triathlete who has only 10% of the vision of a fully sighted person. Despite being born with Stargardt disease – a condition that slowly… Read More »
Cognitive scientist Sian Beilock has devoted her career to the study of high-pressure situations, and how people – mainly students and athletes – respond to them. As a student and lacrosse player herself, Beilock was immediately drawn to the topic, and has since discovered ways to keep from choking under pressure. In one study, Beilock found that if athletes sing or… Read More »
Brian Tass, a 2001 kinesiology graduate from the MSU College of Education, has recently been selected as the new varsity head coach of the Novi High School boys’ basketball team. With six years of success as head coach at Waterford Kettering High School, Tass says he hopes to keep the Novi program running strong. “I think Novi basketball will look… Read More »
Researchers at Michigan State University have recently been awarded a $3.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to expand a pilot program that promotes fitness among middle school girls. The five-year program, called “Girls on the Move,” is lead by Lorraine Robbins of the MSU College of Nursing. Robbins is assisted by a team of MSU collaborative researchers, including Karin Pfeiffer, assistant professor of… Read More »
After 23 years of diligence and leadership as department chair of Kinesiology at the Michigan State University College of Education, Deborah Feltz has recently announced that she will step down from her position in August, and return to the college’s faculty. Feltz says she has considered leaving her post for the past year, and thinks about the decision in terms of her life goals. During her… Read More »
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