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CO L L E G E O F K I N E S I O LO G Y M AG A Z I N E

2020

COACHING CUES Athlete Era: an app for athletes, parents and coaches.

MAKE Y UR MARK Your support unlocks a world of possibilities for USask students

Without you, many students would not have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and make their mark on the world. Through your donation to the Campaign for Students, you support much-needed scholarships and bursaries that give students an extra boost—easing their financial worries and allowing them to focus on their studies.

Thanks to donors like you, and your yearly gift, awards give students confidence that they are on the right track and their hard work is supported by their community.

Make your donation today, and open up a world of potential to a deserving student.

give.usask.ca/students

“I still remember the day I heard the news that I had received a scholarship. I got goosebumps and it instantly eased my mind. Scholarship support has allowed me to do so much more within the campus community!”

ROBERT DOWNEY, COLLEGE OF KINESIOLOGY

For more information, please phone University Relations at 306-966-5186 or toll-free at 1-800-699-1907. Email us at giving@usask.ca.

CONTENTS 4

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26

Dean's report

USask kinesiology researchers examine how diabetes affects bone strength

Hub supports kinesiology and Huskie student success

Dr. Chad London.

5 Editor

Alyssa Wiebe, Alumni and Communications Officer College of Kinesiology

KIN Year In Review

See how we've made progress on the goals of our Strategic Plan 2025.

Children with Type 1 diabetes (DM1) have a high risk of fracture, but experts don’t know why.

A new, inclusive space has opened, putting student success and support at the forefront.

Publication Date Fall 2020

Published by the College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan

18 A new look for recreation on campus USask Rec undergoes a branding refresh.

6 Kinesiology alumn officiates NHL Heritage Classic Brad Meier’s (BSPE'91) journey to the NHL.

10 Coaching Cues Athlete Era: an app for parents, coaches, and athletes.

13 Friend of the College Award Winner Read more on this year’s recipient, Dr. Bob Mirwald.

28 A sense of community

20 Finding her voice Adrianne Vangool (BSKI’08, MPT’10) relied on her experience as a student-athlete to get her through her most trying times as a business owner.

22 USask Rec supports northern communities

Many northern communities in Saskatchewan are surrounded by bodies of water, which leads to a rise in concern over water safety each year.

Shaina Lynden (BSKI'05) finds meaning through community-minded work.

30 New kinesiology course designed to adapt to teaching fitness remotely

A unique course for third year kinesiology students.

31 2019 All-Years Reunion Recap

Read more on the 2019 All-Years Reunion.

14 In memory of

Dr. Patricia Lawson.

24 A stickler for details Troy Parchman (BA’88, BSPE’88) is the equipment manager for the Chicago Blackhawks and the road to get to the National Hockey League (NHL) began at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).

Contact

College of Kinesiology University of Saskatchewan 87 Campus Drive Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B2 Phone: 306-966-1001

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DEAN'S REPORT

opportunities. We have responded with an optimistic approach that has allowed us to successfully prepare to offer our academic and recreation programs remotely for the Fall and Winter semesters.

In my role I have the privilege of overseeing all of the creativity, persistence and togetherness that has made for successful adaptations in the face of unimaginable circumstances. I have been inspired with the continued collective commitment of the college to provide education and research on the importance of physical activity, sport, and health. I know how much benefit our students have gained from the academic and lived experiences they have gained at the University of Saskatchewan.

What an inspiring year it has been for the College of Kinesiology!

From the opening of the Ron and Jane Graham Sport Science and Health Centre to the All-Years Alumni Gathering, we reconnected with one another in ways that currently are not possible because of COVID-19.

Much like others across the globe, our dayto-day operations in the college have been significantly disrupted as a result of the pandemic. Over the past few months, our college swiftly moved to a remote way of learning, working, and providing recreational

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While it is hard to believe how much has changed in such a short time, our daily commitment to deliver exceptional programs with high-quality instruction to our students remains the same. Our mission, to lead and inspire movement, health, and performance, exemplifies the importance of physical activity for our overall health and well-being, especially during a pandemic when barriers can get in the way of enhancing our health and well-being.

Although we had to unexpectedly close the Physical Activity Complex (PAC) for several months, we are excited to continue to reopening our programs in safe ways.

Faculty and student researchers have been welcomed back to the PAC to reconvene research activities. Staff from USask Rec

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have been creating unique recreational programming opportunities that allow us to deliver fitness in modified spaces and remotely.

To our alumni, we say thank you. Thank you for continuing to be there for our students in times of need. Whether through sharing your expertise, volunteer opportunities, financial contributions, or participation in our alumni programs, your value to the College of Kinesiology is substantial and will continue to be a crucial part of our strategic plan.

We invite you to join us for the inaugural offering of the Don Bailey Lecture Series in November 2020. This lecture series aims to improve the lives of Canadian’s by promoting the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and providing opportunities to invite innovative lecturers from across the globe to present on a broad range of topics across all that comprises kinesiology.

As we continue to navigate the pandemic, storytelling continues to be an important part of acknowledging the successful initiatives and achievements in our college. Our faculty, staff, students, and alumni continue to be leaders in physical activity, health, and performance and KINNECTION shares their stories.

I wish you all the best throughout these extraordinary times and offer my most sincere thanks for your ongoing support to the College of Kinesiology.

College of Kinesiology

2019-2020 YEAR IN REVIEW We worked hard last year to achieve the goals of our 5-year plan. Here is how we did it.

Develop Learners and Scholars

6% 85.1%

665

undergraduate students

43

graduate students

Impact of COVID-19 Provided emergency financial support

to over 25 kinesiology students impactd

by COVID-19.

undergraduate enrolment growth rate

Inclusive space

Enhanced inclusive spaces and environment in our recreation areas through staff training, updated guidelines and facility improvements.

student retention rate within Kinesiology

Commitment to Reconciliation 125 children from 7 communities participated

in the Youth Leadeship Through Sport partnership with Saskatoon Tribal Council.

Over 50

KIN courses were moved to remote delivery in the Winter and Spring terms.

Over 75 alumni attended the All-Years gathering.

available to incoming graduate students.

undergraduate program.

PHE Canada Award

training offered by HPC in preparation for the North American Indigenous Games in 2020.

79 cases of gloves 2 cases of disinfectant wipes 1 gallon of surface disinfectant 4 1L bottles of hand sanitizer to front line workers in Saskatchewan.

Multi-year funding packages now

63 self-declared Indigenous students in the Over 400 Indigenous athletes participated in

Proudly donated

Seek Discovery for Impact

Introduction to Indigenous Wellness (KIN 306.3)

approved as a required course in the kinesiology program.

Engage with Community

Griffiths Stadium Turf

revitalization project breaks ground with $3.14 million in funding from the Government of Saskatchewan.

Dr. Louise Humbert earned the R. Tait McKenzie Award, PHE Canada’s most prestigious award recognizing Canadians who have made a significant impact on physical and health education and who have served the profession over an extended period of time.

Launched a brand new

Strategic Research Plan 2025

277K

visitors to the PAC.

4 high impact

events for kinesiology students.

“A university education isn’t about who is the smartest, but rather who is dedicated to being a good student. It is such a wonderful experience that no one can take away from you.”

BRAD MEIER (BSPE’91)

ALUMNI STORY

Kinesiology alum officiates NHL Heritage Classic ALYSSA WIEBE

Many young hockey players dream of making it to the NHL as a child and for Brad Meier (BSPE’91), that was no different.

Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, Brad grew up south of the border watching his father play professional hockey. In 1976, when he was nine, his family moved to Saskatoon, where he played minor hockey and had the chance to suit up for a Junior B game. As he started his education at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), he also began officiating minor hockey, eventually working his way up to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.

“Officiating has always and continues to be my only job since the fall of 1998,” said Meier. “After I graduated from the College of Physical Education and then the College of Education, I was hired by the City of Saskatoon Fire Department where I was a full-time firefighter.”

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In 1989, Meier had a breakthrough in his officiating career that led to working in the Western Hockey League, giving him the opportunity to travel and work across Western Canada and the western United States. Good officials are hard to come by, but through his dedication, professionalism, and commitment to the game, Meier was soon offered professional opportunities to officiate in the West Coast Hockey League, the International Hockey League, and the American Hockey League, as well as getting involved with Hockey Canada. With his professional officiating career taking off, Meier retired from the Fire Department in 1998.

“My involvement with Hockey Canada led me to take on some assignments world-wide. I was fortunate to officiate the 1995 World Juniors, the 1996 World Championships, and the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan,” said Meier.

After being hired by the NHL in 1998, Meier earned opportunities to work the NHL All-Star Game in Montreal (2009), the Heritage Classic in Calgary (2011), the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia (2014), the Centennial Classic in Toronto (2017), the Stanley Cup final (2017), and most recently, the upcoming Heritage Classic hosted close to home in Regina (October 26, 2019). “I feel very honoured to be selected to work this game. Having grown up in Saskatchewan, cheering for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, it makes it special for sure,” expressed Meier.

With the Heritage Classic hosted by his home province, Meier is looking forward to having family and friends from Saskatchewan attend the game. While these special events can be a whirlwind of excitement and emotions, he won’t forget to take a step back and enjoy every moment.

While officiating has become his career and has led to some outstanding opportunities and experiences, Meier knows that there are also some less glamourous parts to the job.

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“It is a career choice for me so I can and do handle criticism, it’s part of my job,” said Meier, noting that it is important to remind players, coaches, parents and spectators at all levels that officials aren’t perfect but always strive to do their best, just like the players on the ice. “It’s a shame how many talented, younger officials do not pursue officiating to a higher level due to the level of verbal and sometimes physical abuse.”

As with any career, there are many ups and downs. For Meier, he notes three memorable highlights in his career; his first NHL game (1999), the gold medal game at the Sochi Olympics (2014), and last but not least, the Stanley Cup final (2017) when his wife and three children were able to attend. While he doesn’t necessarily have a favorite player to officiate, he would be remiss if he didn’t mention the excitement of being on the ice with dynamic players like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby.

But with the good, comes the bad. Meier said there are many unfortunate moments as an official, but the worst came last season when he tore his hamstring in November and missed seven weeks. Having never been hurt before, it was difficult to not be out on the ice.

Many NHL officials don’t have designated paths that lead them to the big leagues, but for Meier, he was quick to give credit to his physical education degree and to the University of Saskatchewan.

“I feel that my degree helped me learn discipline and dedication. The training that is required to continue in my career has also helped keep me healthy and for the most part injury-free,” said Meier. “I love the fact that the University of Saskatchewan is such a well-respected academic institute and I consider myself part of a proud alumni group.”

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ALUMNI ADVICE Dr. Marta Erlandson, PhD, Assistant Professor, (BSKI’05, MSC’07, PhD’11), lived an active life growing up and was always interested in physical activity, but really found her passion during a growth and development class during her undergraduate degree at USask.

Erlandson learned about the effects of physical activity and of physical inactivity, especially in kids.

“What we’re seeing now is a lot of sedentary behaviour and a lot of physical inactivity.

What I’m interested in is how that impacts not only their health now, but as they move forward what effect is that going to have on them as they age?”

Erlandson is currently an assistant professor in the College of Kinesiology at USask and is working on two main projects in the area of children’s health, as well as teaching three classes at the college.

One study she is working on involves children with congenital heart disease. The Children’s Healthy Heart Monitoring Program of Saskatchewan (CHAMPS) is working with children to learn about their overall health and provide them with a chronic disease management program.

“If an adult has a heart attack, they’re sent to cardiac rehab and they learn how to manage their new condition. Our kids who have congenital heart disease are basically sent out with no information on how to be physically active, what activities are safe, what foods they’re supposed to watch dietary-wise.

Dr. Marta Erlandson

So there’s no chronic disease management programs for them,” said Erlandson.

Erlandson is also working with children in schools to improve physical literacy.

“Just as you need to gain skills so you can read, write and do math, you need to gain skills so you can be physically active. This means not only developing the competence (learning how to run, jump, throw, kick and dribble) but also gaining confidence so you have the selfconfidence and the motivation to continue to be active throughout life.”

If you’re looking for ways to keep your kids active and healthy, Erlandson has five tips: Be active together Parents shouldn’t sit on the sidelines. Make physical activity a fun family event.

Start early Habits formed early can last a lifetime.

These skills and motivation to stay active are a major factor in keeping kids active into adulthood, as a child who is inactive will very likely be an inactive adult.

Erlandson said this is a big issue right now especially in Canada. In the last ParticipACTION report card, Canada received a D-minus in physical activity and an F in sedentary behaviour.

“The current generation that’s growing up is the first generation that has a shorter life expectancy than their parents do,” said

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Keep play fun Children won’t do something they don’t enjoy.

Don’t focus on rules, just encourage movement.

Turn off the TV The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children get no more than one to two hours of screen time a day (including TV, internet and video games).

Be a role model Children who regularly see their parents being active are more likely to do so themselves.

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Coaching Cues Athlete Era: an app for athletes, parents, and coaches

Photography: Gord Waldner

ALUMNI STORY SCOTT LARSON

USask graduates Corey Edington (BSKI’14, MCS’18), Andrew Leslie (BSKI’11, MSC’16) and Kent Walters (BSCRRM’15, BSC’18) are the people behind Athlete Era. Keeping kids active and developing skills they can use for the rest of their lives is the motivation behind Athlete Era. The trio develops mobile apps that make it easier for parent volunteers and teachers to coach sports.

The mobile learning apps provide an alternative educational solution to in-person clinics by allowing volunteer coaches to access detailed plans, drills and skill progressions through their mobile device during practice. The apps have already attracted interest from Football Canada and the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League .

Edington, co-founder of Athlete Era, said they were looking for a way “to keep people engaged in sports and physical activity for life so they can recognize the long-term health benefits of it.”

They realized the most effective way to achieve this was by making quality coaching education more accessible for parent volunteers.

The two-year-old company’s first product was Skill Lab, an app that offers 3D demonstration of basic skills like throwing a ball. Students then film themselves doing the movement and compare it with the demo to fix any deficiencies.

Edington said when they tested the app a year ago at Saskatoon YMCA summer camps it was a big hit.

“All these kids got significantly better,” Edington said, adding it cut down on instructors explaining the same coaching cues over and over.

“The instructor was better able to focus their time on children who were struggling with specific skills and give them more direct feedback.”

Even the children became teachers.

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“So the more you can help prepare that coach to make sure that all the kids have a positive experience playing that game, the more likely they are to come back year after year.

KENT WALTERS Photography: Gord Waldner

“We watched kids who were clearly not interested in sports who picked up an iPad and started using the app,” said Athlete Era’s software development lead Walters.

them more prepared, and in the end leads to the kids having a better experience.

“Minutes later, not only are they humming balls at the wall, but they are demonstrating proper techniques to other kids.”

Edington said there are more than 500 coaches Canada-wide who have already used the AQ Coach app and it is also being used as far away as the United Kingdom.

The Skill Lab app has received support from a number of school districts in Alberta, Ontario and Texas that are bringing the learning apps into their schools.

They have also collaborated with Football Canada and that work has evolved into the AQ Coach app.

AQ Coach has 3D demonstrations of football skills, pre-built season plans, practice plans and drills for coaches of varying experience.

And you can use it for either flag or tackle football.

The app is great for the grassroots level where volunteers often have little time and experience to get in-depth training.

Athlete Era’s survey of 25 flag football coaches who used the app last fall showed more than 90 per cent thought AQ Coach improved their coaching.

And now the Roughriders have come aboard. Athlete Era and the Riders have an agreement that will help get the app into the hands of minor football coaches across the province.

“Hopefully, the kids get the best coaching experience possible and an enjoyment of playing sports and to want to play next year,” Walters said.

“(With AQ Coach) when coaches are at the field 10 minutes before practice starts, they can go right in the app and see what they are doing today,” Edington said. “We also use 3D-animated content to deliver a more informative experience to the coach.”

Edington said an administrator in Regina told him the reason kids come back every year because they had a good coach.

And if someone is new to coaching they can go in and find a practice plan, he added.

“So the more you can help prepare that coach to make sure that all the kids have a positive experience playing that game, the more likely they are to come back year after year.”

All of these skills and training tips at the coach’s fingertips make

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College of Kinesiology

COLLEGE STORY

Friend of the College Award goes to DR. BOB MIRWALD

The first Friend of the College Award was presented in 1982.

This award is presented annually to recognize an individual, group of individuals or an organization that has made a noteworthy contribution to advance the College of Kinesiology such as; • Impacted students or participants in the program, • Increased engagement of alumni, friends or donors, • Improved the curriculum or program offering,

Left to right: Dave Hardy, Chief Athletics Officer, Huskie Athletics; Dr. Bob Mirwald, Friend of the College Award recipient; Dean Chad London, College of Kinesiology.

• Provided support to the program • And/or acted as an advocate for the College and its programs.

In 2002, Bob retired from the college but remained a close ally. Bob and his wife, Rita,

This year’s Friend of the College Award

continue to support Huskie Athletics and

winner is Dr. Bob Mirwald.

attend many college events. Their financial gifts have made impacts in both student-

As a student, Bob was a member of both

athletes and College of Kinesiology students’

the men’s Huskie Basketball and Football

lives through the Huskie Basketball Endowed

programs. His connection to the college continued to expand as a former Huskie Basketball coach, faculty member and providing colour commentary for Huskie Football. Bob was instrumental in the development of the initial stages of the Saskatchewan Growth and Development Study in 1963-1973 and again in 1998-

Scholarship, the Mirwald Graduate Travel Scholarship, Adopt-An-Athlete, Kinesiology Building & Equipment Fund, Huskie Football Awards, Don Bailey Lecture Series, Kinesiology Aboriginal Student Awards, Huskie Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams, Kinesiology Dean’s Fund, Sanderson Foundation, and many more.

1999. Bob served as dean of the College of Physical Education from 1986-1996 and was

Congratulations to Dr. Bob Mirwald.

responsible for developing the college’s children’s sport camps.

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In Memory of

Patricia Lawson KINESIOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS

It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Dr. Patricia Lawson (BA’50, Bed’53), former faculty member, coach and studentathlete here at the University of Saskatchewan.

As a student-athlete, she represented the university on 13 teams over four years including basketball, swimming, tennis, and track and field.

After her time as a student-athlete, she continued to pursue athletics, becoming a member of the Canadian women’s basketball team at the 1959 Pan American Games, a seven-time member of the Saskatchewan amateur golf team, and claimed Canadian titles in basketball, speed skating and golf.

Pat joined the Physical Education faculty at the University of Saskatchewan in 1956 where she was a teacher, coach, administrator and was appointed Women’s Athletic Director, a position she held until 1967. She continued on faculty until retirement in 1990. Pat also coached the Huskiette basketball team from 1956-1964 and again in 1967-68.

Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport which aspires to enhance the presence of girls and women at all levels and in all areas of sport – as athletes, participants, leaders, officials, coaches and trainers.

Pat earned inductions into the University of Saskatchewan Athletic Wall of Fame, the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame, and most recently, the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Patricia Lawson Trophy is awarded to the female rookie of the year in Huskie Athletics.

Pat will be greatly missed by the college, Huskie Athletics, and the University of Saskatchewan.

She was a founding member of the

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College of Kinesiology

Dr. Patricia Lawson (BA’50, Bed’53)

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COLLEGE RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

USask kinesiology and medicine researchers examine how diabetes affects bone strength Drs. Munier Nour and Saija Kontulainen collaborated on examining how diabetes affects bone strength.

ALYSSA WIEBE Children with Type 1 diabetes (DM1) have a high risk of fracture, but experts don’t know why. Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) are hoping to find the answer.

A research team, jointly led by Dr. Saija Kontulainen (PhD) of the College of Kinesiology and Dr. Munier Nour (MD) of the College of Medicine has focused their research on providing the first evidence of how bone strength develops in children with DM1 in comparison to their healthy peers. The team’s goal is to provide new data that will help explain why bone micro-architecture and strength in children and youth with DM1 differs from those children who do not have Type 1 diabetes.

“This information is fundamentally important to improve our understanding of underpinning reasons for bone fragility in Type 1 diabetes,” said Kontulainen. “Second, this information, along with the evidence of factors that can improve bone strength—such as specific exercises—will guide designs of new trials and evidence-based guidelines of diabetes care, including fracture prevention across the lifespan.”

Previous studies have reported bone issues, but no one has assessed if bone micro-architecture and strength was impaired. Finding this type of evidence could help to explain why children had more fractures already during growth, said Nour.

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“In recent years it has been identified that children and adults with Type 1 diabetes have impairments in bone strength and a higher risk of fracture,” said Nour, a pediatric endocrinologist. “The reason for this is poorly understood and requires evaluation. Here at the University of Saskatchewan, we are uniquely poised to non-invasively evaluate bone health, using state-of-the-art high-resolution bone imaging tools.”

For the past two years, the team has worked collaboratively, recruiting children and youth (ages 8-14) with DM1 from their cross-sectional study pool, local diabetes clinic, and summer camp, to collect baseline data and one-year follow-up measures.

The next step in the research project—funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, and College of Medicine Research Awards—will be to examine bone structure and density in fine detail using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computer tomography (HR-pQCT) scanning and computational engineering tools, in order to define bone strength.

They will also measure growth (height and body mass), assess maturity, muscle performance and image muscle properties, as well as document hormones and growth factors from blood samples taken in the clinic and monitor nutrition (with a questionnaire) and physical activity (using activity monitors).

College of Kinesiology

Over the next few years, they hope to be able to guide longer-term followup studies and interventions to optimize bone strength development and help prevent fractures in children with Type 1 diabetes.

Kontulainen earned her bachelor’s, master’s and PhD back home in Finland, before coming to Canada in 2003 to conduct her post-doc research at UBC. She said she then came to USask because of its renowned and unique longitudinal bone growth and development studies, and for the opportunity to learn from and work with experts and pioneers in the field such as Professor Emeritus Dr. Don Bailey (PhD), Professor Emeritus Dr.

Bob Faulkner (PhD) and fellow kinesiology researcher Dr. Adam BaxterJones (PhD).

“I have always loved to play team sports,” said Kontulainen, whose training in advanced imaging brought new expertise to this highly talented team and has helped contribute to their findings. “It is similarly inspirational, fun and powerful to work together in research teams with patient/family advisors, health-care providers and decision makers, trainees and scientists from different disciplines to create new evidence and solutions for problems we all care about.”

Set to begin in March, Chilibeck and a team of USask researchers have developed a 12-month program called Finding the Optimal Resistance Training Intensity for Your Bones—or FORTIFY Bones.

It consists of supervised exercise training with a focus on intensity levels.

Participants will be randomly placed into one of three groups. Two of the groups will focus on resistance training such as deadlifts and squats using free weights, ranging from high to moderate intensity.

VICTORIA DINH

USASK RESEARCHERS TEST OUT NEW EXERCISES TO HELP FORTIFY BONES A new study has a group of University of Saskatchewan (USask) researchers taking a look at how high intensity resistance exercises can help adults over the age of 50 who are suffering with bone issues such as osteoporosis.

“Ideally, you don’t want someone to be crippled the last 10 or 15 or 20 years of their life where they need constant care and medical attention,” said College of Kinesiology professor and co-investigator Dr. Phil Chilibeck (PhD).

He said the goal of the study is to help find new ways to maintain quality of life and independence in older adults, a growing segment of the provincial population.

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“Free weights are better than the machines because you require more stabilization,” Chilibeck said. “So, it’s just better for activating muscle and stimulating the bone.” The third group will participate in traditional programs generally prescribed to people at risk for osteoporosis or risk of fracture. It involves training such as yoga, working on postural control and balance.

“We’re looking at how these programs affect bone density but also how they affect your balance,” said Chilibeck. “For a fracture to occur you need weak bones, but you also need to fall … So, if you can prevent falls, you can also prevent the fractures, even if you have low bone density.”

According to Chilibeck, the study is predicting that all three exercise groups will see improvement, but they’re hoping to see the greatest development in the high intensity resistance exercise group.

“It’s surprising that there’s not a lot of research out there on this, like whether you can actually give someone a higher intensity program,” said Chilibeck. “That’s what we’re testing out and also to see if it’s safe to prescribe that type of exercise for someone that’s at risk for osteoporosis.”

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COLLEGE STORY

A new look for

recreation on campus ALYSSA WIEBE

Throughout the years, recreation and fitness services at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) have gone through many notable changes.

“USask Rec is a critical part of what the College of Kinesiology delivers in that we are able to connect the teaching and research with the delivery of recreation opportunities in ways that lead and inspire movement, health and performance,” said Dr. Chad London (PhD), dean of the College of Kinesiology.

Following on the heels of last fall’s opening of the magnificent Merlis Belsher Place multi-sport complex and refurbishing in the expansive Physical Activity Complex (PAC), the department also has a fresh new look, rebranded as USask Rec. “There was really nothing wrong with our old name (Recreation Services), but we felt it was time for us to incorporate the university name, refocus and provide a clear identity for the products and services offered through the college and the university,” said Paul Rogal, director of USask Rec. “We wanted to provide a single visual that will become very recognizable.”

The university welcomes thousands of members to its recreation and fitness facilities every month to help people stay active. With many of the patrons coming from the off-campus community, Rogal said it was important to incorporate USask into the formal name of the recreation and fitness department, while creating a look that was unified and recognizable.

Centred in the College of Kinesiology, Rogal said USask Rec is committed to being a leader in physical activity, sport and recreation programming on campus, and strives to provide the highest quality service and instruction.

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The rebrand began with a communications audit that identified key findings that led to the new visual identity for the department.

In that audit, it was clear there was a lack of consistency, with too many logos, colour palettes and social media channels, as well as an outdated website.

“We previously had a variety of logos for individual recreational program offerings that were quite dated and disconnected,” said London. “The opportunity to refresh our brand with a modern look in line with university branding was critical. The new logo and name are a compelling representation of the mandate of USask Rec to provide recreational opportunities to students, staff and faculty, as well as members of the broader Saskatoon community.”

Reaching out to that off-campus community is a renewed focus for USask Rec. Many are unaware that the PAC and education buildings offer two swimming pools, a triple gymnasium, four racquetball/squash courts, a 13,500 square-foot Fitness Centre, a 210-metre indoor jogging/walking track, a 40-foot climbing wall, a gymnastics multipurpose room and a dance studio, along with six outdoor tennis courts and three grass fields that are also open for community use, with a membership.

College of Kinesiology

“USask Rec is a critical part of what the College of Kinesiology delivers in that we are able to connect the teaching and research with the delivery of recreation opportunities in ways that lead and inspire movement, health and performance.”

DR. CHAD LONDON (PHD), DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF KINESIOLOGY

Students who participate in USask Rec programming also have access to the Griffiths Stadium football facility, four more grass fields, and Merlis Belsher Place. No other membership in Saskatoon offers that full spectrum of facilities and Rogal said the new USask Rec brand will also help promote all of the certified recreation and fitness programs that the university has to offer.

Along with the USask Rec brand rollout, a new website was launched in June, aligning closely with the university template to help users more easily access information and services.

Registration is now open for fall/winter programming. For more information, contact USask Rec at 306-966-1001 or visit rec.usask.ca.

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The ex-Huskie basketball and former Academic All-Canadian graduated from the College of Kinesiology in 2008 and the School of Rehabilitation in 2010. She was a double-athlete in 2004; excelling in both basketball and track and field.

She shifted focus to just track and field and completed her five years of eligibility as a champion pole vaulter.

On the heels of her remarkable success as a student-athlete, she started her business, Vangool Wellness, in 2013. She made it her mission to make physiotherapy and yoga accessible to all. By moulding the two practices together and integrating yoga and physiotherapy into one, Vangool found people healed faster. Her clients often became stronger than before, both physically and mentally.

Vangool. “But if you sprain your ankle or you need a hands-on assessment sometimes you just need a hands-on assessment.”

Vangool learned quickly how to ask her clients to self-describe injuries through video chats.

“It was a lot of description. Not the same as in person,” she laughs. “A lot of interesting camera angles. You do what you can. I was surprised how well it worked to be honest!”

“We want to treat the entire person and not just a part of the person,” said Vangool.

Remarkably, her client numbers stayed consistent.

Her passion for inclusion has taken her to different parts of the province to spread her wealth of knowledge. She has worked with the former Athabasca Health Authority to fly into communities in the far north like Fond du Lac, Uranium City and Stoney Rapids to teach and facilitate classes.

“It’s still nowhere what it was in February, but we were able to keep our lights on and pay our bills. I’m very grateful for that,” said Vangool.

“I was and am really passionate about making physio and yoga accessible,” said Vangool. “I think it’s one of the best systems to stay well.”

Vangool took a step back from working to start her family, but in 2019 she relaunched her businesses and opened up her very own integrated health clinic, Vangool Wellness.

The clinic is designed to be an inclusive and welcoming space focused on healing the entire body. Vangool and her team specialize in delivering services aimed at community building, which include chair yoga sessions, yoga classes for older women and postpartum physiotherapy and yoga classes. Since opening in September, Vangool saw enormous success in building her staff and clientele and the future looked bright.

But a world-wide pandemic had different plans.

On May 4, during Phase 1 of Saskatchewan’s reopening plan, Vangool Wellness could open their doors once again. Now, her team is back and dealing with the logistics of running a clinic in a COVID-19 world.

They are required to screen all clients prior to appointments and space out appointments to encourage physical distancing. They are extremely diligent with laundry services and thoroughly sanitize their spaces. All of this comes at an increased cost to Vangool’s bottom line which she chalks up to a testament of the times.

“I’m at that point where I know there is going to be ups and downs and I know I’ve been through a really hard time but you see your own resilience,” she said.

“We got through that and we can get through a lot of things.”

When the world shut down in March, Vangool found herself in what she describes as survival mode. As a seasoned entrepreneur, she knew how to work hard to figure things out for herself. The biggest challenge was being a new employer to a team of staff.

“All of a sudden I had to make sure that my employees were supported through all of this. I remember telling them that we are going to open again, please take care of yourselves. It was tough times, feeling a sense of responsibility for someone’s earnings. It’s an added stress.

“I had to lay off our salary and hourly employees,” said Vangool and after a pause added, “That was a tough day.”

Vangool said she has learned a lot of lessons as a business owner during a pandemic. One lesson she has taken away is a heightened confidence to lean into her personal and professional values, and prioritize what she feels is important.

“It has forced me to get laser focused on who we are as a company. What is important to us and what is just noise,” said Vangool. “That is what COVID has shifted for me as a business owner; not being afraid to be exactly who we are and understanding that we’re not for everybody but the people we are for, we can really help.”

After she closed the doors to the public and looked after her staff with regards to paper work with the Canada Revenue Agency, she was determined to make her business model work and continue providing her clients with services by any means possible.

Today, Vangool is focusing on the future and continuing to build on the values she holds so close to her heart. She is committed to hiring a more diverse workforce, and consciously growing her team.

“I knew that we could start offering tele-health. I knew the numbers and I knew what I was capable of and I knew the business would stay open. I knew that we could do that because we’re in a unique position to do that,” said Vangool.

She predicts that her clinic’s online presence is here to stay and will maintain online video rental options for the foreseeable future.

Vangool started posting her yoga classes online and making classes available for purchase. She worked with her online scheduling software to develop a tele-health booking option that was up to the Health Information Protection Act standards.

When asked how her time as a student-athlete helped her sift through these challenging times, Vangool said, “it was everything.” Her time as a physiotherapy student also prepared her and gave her the critical thinking skills to sift through the noise.

“That was a huge learning curve, just figuring out what we could offer and how we could navigate that,” said Vangool.

“It was an intense program and it taught me a lot in terms of time management and discernment; what needs to get done when and what is extra,” she said.

Another hurdle to jump through was the inability to assess patients.

Physiotherapy and the practice of yoga is a very intimate practice, traditionally requiring clients to be physically present in order to assess their injuries and movement.

“The yoga piece was a little easier because so much is guided movement,” said

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“During my time at university, you really practice the art of failing and getting up, especially in sport. Failing and getting up again is what gave me the confidence to know that when I am in a hard time, it isn’t going to last forever. [I know] I will figure it out.”

College of Kinesiology

ALUMNI STORY

Finding her

VOICE Adrianne Vangool (BSKI’08, MPT’10) relied on her experience as a student-athlete to get her through her most trying times as a business owner.

LESLIE-ANN SCHLOSSER

Photography: Gord Waldner

Kinesiology students Sabrina Lemke (left) and Mason Beaulieau (right) with aquatics co-ordinator Kim Jones. (Photo: Alyssa Wiebe)

COLLEGE STORY

USask Rec

supports northern communities with swimming and water safety courses ALYSSA WIEBE

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Many northern communities in Saskatchewan are surrounded by bodies of water, which leads to a rise in concern over water safety each year.

Since 2016, USask Rec has offered the Indigenous Swimming and Water Safety Program each summer in northern Saskatchewan, in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross.

The program began in Alberta in 2013, before branching out to Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, with plans to move further east this summer.

“This has a tremendous impact on our northern communities as it relates to Truth and Reconciliation,” said USask Rec Aquatics Co-ordinator Kim Jones. “The majority of Indigenous reserves are in, on, or around bodies of water.

The more we can do to impart the Prepare! Stay Safe! Survive model, the fewer drownings we will see in our northern communities.”

College of Kinesiology

The Canadian Red Cross employs one full-time staff member to continue the development of the program and ensure its continued success each year. The goals of the program are injury prevention, water safety, and preventing water fatalities, along with other preventable incidents. To accomplish these goals, participants teach swimming lessons, babysitter courses, stay safe, emergency and standard first-aid training, respect education, and assistant lifeguard courses.

The program has employed a total of 25 university students, with 24 attending the University of Saskatchewan (USask), focusing on the delivery of this program. Jones collaborates with the Red Cross to schedule and train all staff members and co-ordinate the logistics from week-to-week. Beginning in June and running until the end of August, staff members are housed at hotels, cabins, teacherages, or health-care accommodations in the communities. In a few occasions, participants also had the opportunity to participate in cultural camps.

This year, due to the global pandemic, the program will have a different look. Three staff have been retained to help deliver virtual programs, where possible. Although not ideal, it is important to keep the information around swimming and water safety front of mind heading into the summer.

“I GOT INVOLVED BECAUSE IT WAS GREAT OPPORTUNITY

College of Kinesiology student Jaimie Fiddler of Warman has been with the program for the past two years and continues to see the importance of bringing water safety training to northern communities.

“I got involved because it was great opportunity to be a positive role model to young Indigenous children and youth, and I love teaching swimming and working with children,” said Fiddler, a member of the Salt River First Nations Band in Northwest Territories.

“It is really important to teach children, at a young age, about water safety and learning how to swim, since they have so many lakes and swimming areas with no supervision.”

Fiddler sees herself as a role model because it allows children to see someone of a similar background in a leadership position— such as a swim instructor—and encourage them to become involved in water safety, swimming and learning to take a leadership role in their community.

“Being a role model in a community for younger generations is so important, especially in northern communities, and I am hoping children that interact with the instructors who visit will begin to take on that role for their siblings, friends, and even neighbours,” she said.

TO BE A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL TO YOUNG INDIGENOUS CHILDREN AND YOUTH, AND I LOVE TEACHING SWIMMING AND WORKING WITH CHILDREN.”

-JAIMIE FIDDLER, A MEMBER OF THE SALT WATER FIRST NATIONS BAND IN NORTHWEST TERRITOTIES

Kinesiology student Sabrina Lemke of Saskatoon has been with the program since 2017.

“The program with the Canadian Red Cross was an opportunity for me to become more invested in relationship-building with Indigenous communities, join an effort that creates connections and makes a difference, and to use my knowledge from kinesiology, lifeguarding, First Aid, and swimming to deliver programs that help to fill gaps in what is available to each community that brings us in.”

Starting out as an instructor for two years and taking over as the co-ordinator in Saskatchewan, Lemke has seen the impact it has had on the community.

“This program offers courses and opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to these communities, it encourages knowledge sharing, and it is intended to promote community-sustained programming that supports resiliency and safety.”

Another focus is to provide youth in Indigenous communities the opportunity to become instructors and lifeguards themselves, moving away from a dependency-based model to a community-driven self-sustained learning model.

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ALUMNI STORY

A stickler for details

KATIE BRICKMAN-YOUNG

Troy Parchman the unsung hero for Chicago Blackhawks.

The career that Troy Parchman has held for the past 25 years “just sort of happened.”

Parchman (BA’88, BSPE’88) is the equipment manager for the Chicago Blackhawks and the road to get to the National Hockey League (NHL) began at the University of Saskatchewan (USask).

“In a very rudimentary way, I was the equipment manager in high school,” said Parchman. “I was not one to play football, but I wanted to be around my friends … I was essentially a glorified water boy.”

When Parchman graduated high school in Moose Jaw, Sask., he didn’t know what we wanted to do.

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So, he applied to USask. At the time, Brian Towriss (BComm’78) was the Huskies football coach. His former high school coach, Dave Green, mentioned Parchman to Towriss. When he got accepted into USask, things quickly fell into place.

Juggling the roles with the Huskies and schooling taught Parchman a lot about himself.

“I think I had a strong work ethic to start with. It was debatable what the highest priority was, whether it was hockey, football, or my studies,” he said. “I was pretty proud of myself though, I never missed my classes. I had to learn to budget my time to get everything done.”

Parchman’s time at USask spanned six years, a degree in sociology and in physical education, with no real direction on what he was going to do after graduating.

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“When I graduated, I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” he said. “I thought I might go work in the Physical Education building.”

That summer, he got a call from fellow USask alumnus Dave King (BAPE’71, BEd’72, LLD’18), who was coaching the Canadian national team, who invited him to work a summer camp. They offered him a job after camp wrapped up.

“As a young guy, that was quite an experience, but also a big step because they were still some things I had to learn,” Parchman said. “For example, at USask, we didn’t have riveters. I learned how to use the riveter which hold the blades on the skate, to sharpen skates better, and how to pack enough stuff for a month on the road.”

He spent six years with Team Canada as their equipment manager, supporting the team and travelling the world for games.

“In those days, it was still amateurs. We would bring in all kinds of guys and some would play all year, or just a few games at a time,” he said. “It was a great experience.”

After the 1994 Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, Parchman was once again at a crossroads in his career.

In August, Parchman got an unexpected call. It was Paul Baxter from the Chicago Blackhawks. They had a late opening and needed to fill it before the season started.

“This was the middle of August. It was too late in the year to try and get someone from another team with camp three weeks away,” he said.

Parchman met with general manager Bob Pulford, head coach Darryl Sutter and assistant coach Rich Preston and was offered the job.

And it has worked out for the past 25 years, despite five general managers and 11 coaching personnel changes over that time.

“It’s hard to believe because it doesn’t feel like it has been that long,” said Parchman. “It doesn’t matter that I’ve been here 25 years, you still need to adapt. When a new coach or GM comes in, it’s not how we’ve done things in the past, it’s how they want to do things now.”

Most of the work is done before the players even arrive for the day, allowing them to assist with emergencies or other requests during practice.

“There are guys who’ve been in this league for decades and never win. So when we won the first one, I felt so blessed. Then, we won three and I still can’t believe it,” he said.

“They are all special in their own way.”

As Parchman continues his journey with the Blackhawks, he takes the good with the bad. He knows one day he will hang up the towel. But, after 25 years, he is still very much enjoying being a part of the game.

“It takes a special person to do what we do,” he said. “I know there will be a day where I physically won’t be able to do this. I am so grateful to have this opportunity and it wouldn’t be possible without the people that helped me along the way.”

“Every player is different and we try and understand their routines so we have their stuff taken care of ahead of time,” said Parchman. “It is neat dealing with 22 players and their personalities. We learn to work with them on what they like.”

“I didn’t know anybody, but someone vouched for me,” he said. “I met them on Friday, flew home, packed a bag, and started working on the Monday.”

To say his start with the Blackhawks was a whirlwind would be an understatement.

The NHL was headed into a four month lockout, the team had just moved into the United Center, and Parchman’s first task was to empty all the boxes and organize everything.

“We did training camp and then I had four months to get organized,” he said. “I came into this new situation, but trainer Lou Varga was a big help.”

With the unexpected situation of the lockout, Parchman lived in a hotel for a month, then stayed at the rink for a month before staying with one of the trainers.

With the Blackhawks, Parchman has seen the highs and lows of hockey. As a kid growing up in Moose Jaw, he played road hockey and always dreamed about winning a Stanley Cup. Not only was he able to experience that feeling, but the Blackhawks won three in a span of five years.

“Everything worked out in the end,” he said.

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Keeran Wagner and Chandra LePoudre are two members of the Student Support Team.

COLLEGE STORY

Hub supports Kinesiology and Huskies student success ALYSSA WIEBE

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The College of Kinesiology and Huskie Athletics have partnered to open an inclusive and safe space, putting student success and support at the forefront.

The Student Support Hub opened in the fall of 2019 in the Physical Activity Complex (PAC) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), giving kinesiology and Huskie student-athletes access to immediate support. Whether they are looking for academic advice, tutoring, mental health support, or sport-life balance, there are qualified professionals on-site dedicated to supporting them.

“As we considered the increasing need for a holistic approach to student and student-athlete support, the vision was to create a one-stop centre that provides students the supports they need in an accessible way,” said Dr. Chad London (PhD), dean of the College of Kinesiology and vice-chair of the Huskie Athletics Board of Trustees. “We renovated an under-utilized space in the PAC to construct the hub, and the team of staff supporting students are now housed there as the go-to place for assistance.”

“It is very important to us that our students are supported in every way,” said Keeran Wagner, manager of undergraduate student academic services in the College of Kinesiology. “By providing all of

College of Kinesiology

these supports in one central location, we allow students to have a supportive, personal experience.”

A priority in the college’s 2025 Strategic Plan is to enhance the undergraduate and graduate student experience by providing support services that enhance mental health, well-being and academic success. The hub is accessible for all kinesiology students in both undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as all Huskie student-athletes.

The college has experienced a 10.2 per cent growth in enrolment in the last year. As part of its 2025 Strategic Plan, that growth rate will continue year-to-year, opening an extra 50 seats annually. By 2025, the college expects its undergraduate program to be educating more than 800 students.

“Student-athletes have many additional and unique pressures to juggle, which can make their university experience much more stressful and challenging,” said LePoudre. “In addition to the demands of their academic program, they are keeping up intensive training schedules, travelling regularly for competition, managing expectations from coaches, teammates, and themselves in relation to their sport performance and coping with the emotional ups and downs that come with the winning and losing in sports, both as individuals and as a team.”

“It is important that our students know they are valued and supported by the college,” said Wagner. “We want them to have a safe space to go to, regardless if it’s for personal, mental health, wellness, or academic support.”

With three full-time staff currently overseeing the student support hub, they are a one-stop shop for students. As the college continues to grow, so will the student support team. With plans to hire another part-time academic advisor in spring 2020, it will allow for more support to help students reach their full potential in the classroom and beyond. One unique part of the hub is access to mental health and wellness services.

At the end of the day, the goal is to ensure students receive as much support as possible to aid in their academic success.

“Student success depends on having the right balance of supports available,” explained Chandra LePoudre, student support coordinator for the College of Kinesiology and Huskie Athletics. “The hub provides a safe, confidential space where students can drop in and access resources on various campus activities, events, and initiatives, in addition to getting academic advice and mental health support. There is a level of anonymity in coming to the space that is removed from both the Dean’s Office and the faculty offices.”

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NAOMI ZUREVINSKI

ALUMNI STORY

A sense of

COMMUNITY

Shaina Lynden (BSKI’05) finds meaning through community-minded work.

Shaina Lynden’s (BSKI’05) career has been fuelled by her passion to create community through local opportunities, an interest she says developed during her time at the University of Saskatchewan.

the lights were dimmed. She placed the candles in front of him and everyone cheered and raised their water bottles to his efforts. I watched him riding like crazy in the front row and I started completely sobbing.”

“At USask, I was given so many opportunities to create what I wanted to be a part of,” Lynden says. “Without knowing it at the time, USask allowed me to start dabbling in community initiatives and causes I was passionate about, which is something that would build my entrepreneurial journey later on.”

In that moment, Lynden was moved and knew that this was something she needed to pursue.

While at USask, Lynden played with the Huskie women’s basketball team, was involved with the Huskie Athletic Council and co-created KIN Life, a program through the College of Kinesiology that provides experiential learning opportunities for students.

Lynden’s love of being involved didn’t stop there, and today, she is a police officer with the Saskatoon Police Service, the co-owner of Ryde YXE indoor cycling studios, a Lululemon Ambassador, a member of Yellow Quill First Nation and a mom of five.

After graduating, she applied to the police service and has since worked in various sectors, including patrol, school resources, and the traffic sector, conducting hit-and-run investigations.

“When I think back, I honestly don’t know what prompted my interest in policing, but the second I decided to look into it, I knew that there was nothing else for me,” she said. “It was like, ‘This is it, this is the only way.’ I loved that it was never the same day twice and I would have the ability to really dive into working with and for the community.”

Lynden says there have been two moments in her life where something career-wise just clicked. The first was policing, and the second came with Ryde.

“Nearing the 10-year mark in my policing career, I started to feel like I was just scraping the surface of my own potential with what I was able to do for the community. My husband is a police officer, too and we have always been business-minded, but we were both settled into our careers. It’s not like I wanted to quit policing, but I knew I needed something else and I didn’t know what that looked like.”

The inspiration for the next steps came during a visit to Calgary, when a family friend invited Lynden and her husband to a spin class. Lynden was already an avid indoor cyclist, but had never experienced the community environment of a boutique studio.

“The real lightbulb came for me from attending her class. That day, Sheldon Kennedy was also attending the class. He’s a former hockey player, an author and a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, who went on to eventually form the Calgary and Area Child Advocacy Centre, where police officers investigating childhood abuse of all kinds work out of.”

At the time, Lynden was a school resource officer with the police service, working with at-risk kids in the Saskatoon community.

“Sheldon was giving children a voice who sometimes could not speak for themselves. I was moved by what he was creating and the community that he had found in the spin studio. At the class, my friend took a moment to remove her pillar candles from the stage and acknowledge Sheldon while

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With no business degree or experience, Lynden says it took a lot of creativity to make Ryde happen. She also approached a long-time friend to partner with her, and the first location opened in February 2016 on Broadway Avenue, with a second location opening January 2018 in City Park. Lynden also teaches classes each week, too.

“Ryde has become a place that has combined all of my passions. It’s athletic, motivating and rewarding, and it can feel like a form of therapy when you need it to. The bike has an ability to give each person exactly what they need, while at the same time uniting us as we support each other and our community.”

One of the pillars of Ryde is giving back and each week they have a Ryde for Change on Friday night, with 100 per cent of the profit going to different causes. They also do other fundraising events throughout the year, like Ryde the Hangar for STARS Air Ambulance, which is a joint fundraising initiative between four Saskatchewan cycling studios that has raised more than $500,000 in the past three years.

Lynden says her policing career and Ryde combined are “all of [her] worlds colliding.”

“The things Ryde supports in the community are things I have first-hand experience with from policing. So when we’re fundraising for the YWCA, I’ve worked with women who are living there and finishing their Grade 12. I know those people, so it means something different, which is incredible for me.”

When it comes to career growth, Lynden says the most important thing is to never stop asking yourself what you want to be when you grow up.

“Nobody asks you what you’re going to do next as a 30-, 40-, 50-year-old.

People make the assumption, and we make it of ourselves, that we’ve chosen and the line is in the sand. But that’s not the case. We are constantly evolving as individuals and it’s important to honour those changes.

“It’s never too late to create, engage or change paths,” she said, adding that it also creates the chance for others to dream. “When you see female entrepreneurs or Indigenous entrepreneurs, it gives other women, other youth, the opportunity to think, ‘Why not me then?’”

When asked for her best piece of advice, Lynden said getting involved is key.

“I appreciate living in Saskatoon so much for what it’s given me, so to be able to give back is amazing. I feel like that truly started at the university through ways I could engage, so when people ask me what advice I have, I always say to get involved.

“Your degree will give you your accolades, but it’s all those other things that are going to show you who you are and what you’re passionate about, which will pave the way for you.”

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COLLEGE STORY

New kinesiology course designed to adapt to

teaching fitness remotely ALYSSA WIEBE

Starting in spring 2020, the College of Kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) is introducing a new special topics course titled Remote Fitness Delivery, designed for third-year kinesiology students.

With an admission limit of 25, the focus of the course will then shift to using technology to deliver fitness as well as talking about fitness delivery when technology is not available. Although the pandemic surrounding COVID-19 has ignited the topic, remote fitness is something that has been around for a long time in remote communities.

“We live in a world today where many people have wearable technology or smart phones on them at all times. This technology is great for individuals to track their own fitness goals, but is also very useful as exercise professionals because we prescribe exercises using it,” said Ferguson. “On the other hand, we may have clients where technology is not an option either financially, or they live in a community with limitedto-no equipment or internet. In these cases, we need to find a way to communicate efficiently and effectively with these clients to make a successful, safe exercise program. This course will explore ways to do both.”

With an increased demand for spring term courses due to COVID-19, teaching a class focused on remote fitness delivery is a very timely subject.

“Given the circumstances we all face, we were looking to develop a creative and innovative course that would be of interest to students to take as an elective and was a good fit for the exceptional expertise of we have within the college,” said Dr. Kent Kowalski (PhD), associate dean academic. “Offering a course on remote fitness delivery seemed perfect, and I’m confident Gray Ferguson has developed a course that students will enjoy.”

Although in its early stages of development, part of the course plan will be to match students with another classmate and advise them on creating a step-by-step remote fitness program right from the starting stages.

Ferguson is currently the program and client services co-ordinator for USask Rec in the College of Kinesiology and looks forward to bringing his education, background, and experience with fitness to the forefront of student learning. He has taught KIN 281 - Fitness Foundations for Life, for the past five years and is excited for the opportunity to explore a somewhat new and very popular topic with the students enrolled.

“It will begin with the students gathering information from their client and performing fitness assessments and progressing to prescribing aerobic, strength, flexibility programs, and all the while being creative and adaptive to perform outside of a fitness facility,” said Ferguson.

“The course will give an immense review on the benefits of physical activity, working with a client, and prescribing exercise to ensure students have the fundamental knowledge needed when dealing with a client,” said Ferguson, a 2008 USask kinesiology graduate.

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As we continue to live in unprecedented times, it is no surprise that the new course is already filled. Creating innovative and creative ways of teaching and learning continue to be a focal point for the college.

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ALUMNI STORY

2019 All-Years

Reunion ALYSSA WIEBE

The College of Kinesiology hosted an All-Years Reunion on September 6th, 2019.

Over 75 alumni and friends of the college came out to celebrate the 20-year name change from the College of Physical Education to the College of Kinesiology.

The event took place on the 9th floor at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites that overlooks Griffiths Stadium as the Huskie football team took on the UBC Thunderbirds during its annual homecoming game. The event included great food, drinks, good company, a caricature artist, giveaways and a Huskie football victory.

We look forward to hosting future alumni events and welcoming even more alumni home to the College of Kinesiology.

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RECREATION REDISCOVERED USask Rec and the College of Kinesiology are working thoroughly to provide recreation programming for Fall 2020 and Winter 2021. Our programs may look a little different, but our commitment to providing exceptional service and instruction remain the same.

We invite you to explore our revised programs and activities brochure online.

We look forward to seeing you the Fall 2020 and Winter 2021.

For more information on reopening plans due to COVID-19 please visit rec.usask.ca