My undergraduate degree in Physical Education is from the University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
My Masters of Arts degree in Health Education, Counseling Psychology and Human Performance is from the Faculty of Education at Michigan State University. During my two and a half years in East Lansing, I was fortunate to receive research, teaching and coaching assistantships. The focus of my research at MSU was on cohesion and performance in Volleyball.
From University student to University professor the National Coaching Certification Program has continued to be an important part of my continuous learning and professional growth. Since 1993, I have been a fully certified Performance (Level 3) Coach in Volleyball and in 1999 I completed the Advanced Development certification in Beach Volleyball. I also have certifications as a Coach Developer – Learning Facilitator and Coach Evaluator for Volleyball. In fact, “My Locker” is full of accreditation’s from sports such as Football, Lacrosse, Team Handball and Wrestling, and many multi-sport modules. I also hold recent certifications such as “SAFE SPORT”, from the US Olympic Committee, and “TRUE SPORT”, from the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.
As my professional career has evolved, I have embraced lifelong learning. In addition to attending multiple conferences in North America in the fields of Applied Sport Psychology, Performance Psychology, and Sociology of Sport, I am continually looking for opportunities to gain a stronger global perspective. One of my most rewarding educational experiences have been attending the International Olympic Academy in Olympia Greece, and completing the Olympic Solidarity course. A second educational highlight has been leading a group of Canadian University students to Cuba in 2013 & 2015. In Cuba we were hosted by INDER the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation of Cuba, and completed a course: An approach to Physical Education and Sport in Cuba.
I have recently been recognized for my 30 years of service to Vancouver Island University. In my professional capacity as a full time professor in the Department of Kinesiology, I have the pleasure of teaching and learning every day. My workload encompasses a variety of courses in the social sciences sub-disciplines. Currently, I am teaching courses in:
- Leadership in Sport and Physical Activity
- Coaching Practicum
- Introduction to Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Inclusive and Adapted Sport and Physical Activity
- Sport and Society through Film
- The Olympic Games: Ancient and Modern
- Foundations of Canadian Sport and Physical Activity
- Sport Analysis Courses: Volleyball, Advanced Volleyball, Sand Volleyball
During my career at Vancouver Island University, I have frequently been involved in projects that enable my professional growth through scholarship, research and creative activity. This includes work in two distinct areas. The first is as a Counselling Sport Psychologist with an emphasis on developing mental performance skills for emerging elite and athletes, and the second is as a Coach Educator in the sport of Volleyball.
An example of a recently funded project was the development and delivery of modified coaching methodology during the Covid 19 pandemic. Please “click” on the left picture below to view this projects final report.
Often, I will combine these two categories and deliver presentations at local and regional Coaching Conferences. In 2023, I presented at the Vancouver Island Volleyball Coaches Symposium, on the topic of “Using a Team Performance Goal Setting Model for Outcome Success”. My presentation scheduled for the 2024 Symposium will be on “How to Build a Confident Athlete”.
Due to my strong interest in travel and the structure and implementation of Sport and Physical Activity around the World, I also lead student Study Abroad programs to various International locations. Over the years, I have lead student groups to locations such as: Toronto/New York/Caguas, Puerto Rico, – Lausanne, Switzerland/Turin, Italy, – San Pedro, Belize, and Havana, Cuba. Each course takes on a unique curriculum, however every course has given students a rich cultural and educational experience.
