Kansas Athletics to Host Midwest Sports Performance Conference May 8-9, 2009

Dec. 29, 2008

Midwest Sports Performance Conference Brochure in PDF Format Get Acrobat Reader

LAWRENCE, Kan. – More than 400 years of training, knowledge and experience will be on hand at the Midwest Sports Performance Conference hosted by Kansas Athletics May 8-9, 2009.

The two-day event at the Anderson Family Strength and Conditioning Center on the campus of the University of Kansas will focus on preparing an athlete to compete in any sport at any level. Instruction will include best practice training methods, student wellness education, programs for in-season and off-season preparation and ways to increase constant improvement at all skill levels.

The two-day workshop offers a combination of theory and practice presented by many of college athletics’ most respected sports science professionals and coaches.

Dr. Andrew Fry, Chair at the Department of Health, Sport and Exercise Science at Kansas, and Andrea Hudy, KU Assistant Athletics Director/Sports Performance, are co-directors of the conference.

“This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in personal training, physical therapy, athletic training and sports performance at any level to learn and experience the latest methods from sports performance experts representing the nation’s most successful athletic programs,” Hudy said. “The conference presenters come from all levels and are some of the most respected in the sports performance industry.”

International theory presenters at the conference will include William Kraemer, Ph.D., Dr. Andrew Fry, Ph.D., Dr. Mary Vernon, Ph.D., Dr Steve Phinney, Ph.D. and Dr. Perry Koziris, Ph.D. Notables who will make practical presentations include Steve Plisk, Mike Nitka, Jerry Martin, Chris Dawson, Jeff Reinardy, Marcelo Aller, Andrea Hudy and Jeff Connors.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, May 8, and concludes with round-table discussions at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. Early conference registration, prior to April 8, is $225 per person with students at $100. Late conference registration is $250 per person.

For more information, schedules and downloadable registration forms, go to http://kuathletics.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/kan/genrel/auto_pdf/strentghconferencebrochure.

2009 Midwest Sports Performance Conference Presenters

William J. Kraemer, Ph.D.

Dr.WilliamJ. Kraemer is a full professor in the Department of Kinesiology in the Neag School of Education working in the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn., since 2001. He also holds and an appointment as a full professor in the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology along with an appointment as a Professor of Medicine at the UCONN Health Center/School of Medicine.

Steve Plisk, MS, CSCS

Steve is the Proprietor & Director of Excelsior Sports, and has over two decades of experience in Sports Performance and Strength & Conditioning at the collegiate and Olympic levels as well as in the private sector. He earned his BS in Exercise & Sport Science at SUNY Buffalo, and his MS in Kinesiology at the Univ. of Colorado. He is a prolific author and frequent presenter at professional conferences and symposia.

Philip Gallagher, Ph.D.

Phil received his Ph.D. in Human Bioenergetics from Ball State University in 2000, where he continued on for his post-doctoral training. Ball State had just received -a grant from NASA to examine the effects of prolonged spaceflight on skeletal muscles. After four years of post-doctoral work he accepted a position at the University of Kansas and has assumed the role Director of the Applied Physiology Laboratory. Dr. Gallagher has over 20 peer-reviewed publications in international journals and 45 peer-reviewed abstracts published in international journals mainly focused on techniques to improve muscle mass and performance.

Mary Vernon, MD, FAAFP, CMD

Mary Vernon, MD, FAAFP, CMD, is board certified in bariatric and family medicine. She is in private practice in northeast Kansas, with office locations in Lawrence and the Kansas City metropolitan area. She currently serves as the Chair of the Board of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians. She has served as adjunct clinical faculty for the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Dr. Vernon has served as a medical bariatric consultant for The Duke Diet and Fitness Center and The University of Kansas Energy Balance Lab Weight Control Research Program as well as Atkins Nutritionals, Inc and the Veronica Atkins Foundation.

Andrew C. Fry, Ph.D., CSCS

Andy Fry is currently the chair of the Dept. of Health, Sport & Exercise Sciences at the University of Kansas where he is also a professor in the exercise science program. He received his doctorate from Penn State University, and did post-doctoral training at Ohio University. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the NSCA where he served a term as vice president. Additionally, he has chaired the Sport Science and Medicine committee for USA-Weightlifting. Early in his career, Andy owned and operated a fitness center, and since then he has assisted with the strength and conditioning programs at several universities and high schools, including the University of Connecticut, Penn State University, Ohio University, and the University of Memphis. Currently, his research interests include the muscle, endocrine and performance responses and adaptations to resistance exercise, as well as overtraining.

Doug Edwards, ATC/L

Doug joined the staff at the Athletic & Rehabilitation Center in May 2004 and combines his background working in sports performance, sports medicine, and physical therapy. Doug is known throughout the Kansas City area as one of the finest sports performance specialists in the area—having worked with athletes from high school through professional. Doug’s unique education and experience allow him to combine his expertise in physiology and human performance in working with both injured and healthy individuals. After receiving his undergraduate from the University of Missouri—Columbia, Doug continued his education while working for the football program at the University of Nebraska. The addition of Doug to the ARC team supports our goal to provide unparalleled levels of service to our patients.

Jeff S. Volek Ph.D., R.D., F.A.C.N.

Jeff Volek is currently an Assistant Professor in The Human Performance Laboratory at The University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT. He holds numerous degrees including a Masters and Ph.D. in Kinesiology (Pennsylvania State University). He serves on the Editorial Board of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise and the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. He has published over 115 scientific articles and chapters.

Jeff Reinardy, MS, CSCS

Jeff is in his 8th year at Winona State University as Director of Strength and Conditioning/Fitness responsible for 10 Division II teams. Previously he was the head strength and conditioning coach for Olympic sports at Iowa State University, an assistant at the University of Memphis, and an assistant at the US Olympic training center in Colorado. Reinardy was part of two men’s basketball national championships, numerous conference championships, and several individual national champions at both the Division I and II levels. He also holds club coach and sports performance certifications through USA Weightlifting, and is the former ADFPA American Squat record holder of 555 pounds at 148 weight class and four Minnesota state ADFPA championships.

Mike Nitka, MS, CSCS, *D, FNSCA

CoachMike Nitka has been amember of the NSCA since 1985. His NSCA volunteer service includes the Conference Committee, Chairman of the High School SIG, and Column Editor of the NSCA Journal’s High School Column; he has been a member of three Strategic Planning Committees as well. As an instructor of Physical Education at Muskego High School in Muskego, Wis., for the past 31 years, he earned his Masters

degree from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and has earned the NSCA Fellow distinction.

Whitney Rodden, MS, CSCS, ATC, USAW, SCCC

Coach Rodden is the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas. Whitney had served as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Kansas (2002-05). She is a highly successful competitive Olympic style weightlifter with remarkable technique. Coach Rodden has been a demonstrator and coach at state and national events. She is a member of the USA Weightlifting, National Strength & Conditioning Association, and National Athletic Trainer’s Association.

Chris Dawson, MA, CSCS, NASE, USAW

Chris Dawson is in his seventh year as the Director of Strength & Conditioning at the University of Kansas. He works directly with the football team and was awarded the National Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award by the Professional Football Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society following the 2007 season. Prior to arriving at Kansas, he spent time at the University of Minnesota, the Dallas Cowboys, the Las Vegas Outlaws (of the XFL) and the University of Oklahoma.

Jeff Connors , MA, CSCS

Jeff is in his eighth year as the University of North Carolina’s Strength and Conditioning Coordinator and his seventh as an assistant athletic director. While his primary focus is the football team’s strength and conditioning, Jeff oversees the department’s entire strength and conditioning program and also works specifically with the women’s basketball team. Connors went to Carolina after spending 10 seasons as East Carolina’s Director of Strength & Conditioning, and four years as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Bucknell University. Jeff is a Master Strength & Conditioning Coach (Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches association) and has been the featured speaker at several NSCA National Conferences. In 1996, he was the NSCA Regional Director of the Year and was nominated for the NSCA National Strength

Coach of the Year in 1991. Connors was a competitive power lifter,winning four state titles, and has been ranked as high as fourth nationally. He also holds a Level I certification in Olympic-style weightlifting by U.S.A.-Weightlifting.

Perry Koziris, Ph.D., FNSCA, FACSM, CSCS*D, ACSM-CHFS, USAW-SPC

Dr. Lymperis “Perry” Koziris is currently the Exercise Physiologist for the Canadian Sport Centre – Montreal. He received his bachelors and masters degrees from McGill University in Montreal, where he served as the Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Canadian national champion McGill Football team. He then earned his doctorate in exercise physiology from Penn State University. After post-doctoral training in muscle physiology at the University of Illinois – Chicago, Perry was on the faculty at North Texas University for several years. He is currently on the Board of Directors for the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and has previously received the NSCA’s prestigious Young Investigator award.

Steve Phinney, MD, Ph.D.

Steve Phinney is an independent medical scientist with more than 30 years experience in the design and performance of clinical studies relating to energy metabolism, obesity, essential fatty acids, and inflammation. For the last 6 years, Dr. Phinney has worked in the biotechnology start-up sector, serving as Vice President of R&D for Efficas, Inc., and as Vice President for Clinical Research at Galileo Laboratories. Prior to his transition into industry in 1998, Dr. Phinney worked in academia, most recently at the University of California at Davis where he held the rank of Professor of Medicine. He received a BS in Chemistry from Antioch College, theMD degree from Stanford University, and a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry from MIT.

Andrea Hudy, MS, CSCS, USAW-1

Andrea Hudy, Assistant Athletics Director for Sport Performance, is in her fifth year at Kansas. Hudy directs the strength and conditioning activities for the men’s and women’s basketball teams and oversees the training of all other Olympic sports. Hudy came to Kansas after nine and a half years at the University of Connecticut, where she worked closely with the Huskies’ national champion men’s and women’s basketball teams. Hudy was part of eight national championship teams while at Connecticut—two men’s basketball; five women’s basketball; and one men’s soccer. In all, she has been a part of nine national championships which includes the 2008 Men’s Basketball team at Kansas, including the seven Jayhawks drafted in the NBA. She has worked with 25 former student-athletes who went on to play in the NBA. Hudy earned her Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology at Maryland and her Masters of Arts degree in Sport Biomechanics from Connecticut. She is a certified strength and conditioning specialist by the National

Strength and Conditioning Association and a USAW Level I Coach. Additionally, Hudy is pursuing her national massage certification.

Brady Holt, MS, CSCS, USAW-SP

Brady Holt is entering his seventh year as a strength and conditioning coach. He began his career at the University of Texas, Austin, in the Spring of 2002 as a volunteer assistant working in the weight room with football, women’s soccer, volleyball, tennis and men’s track and field as well as all aspects of the off-season conditioning of baseball and men’s golf. He began a strength and conditioning graduate assistantship at Utah State University in July, 2003,working with all 17 varsity sports including football, men’s and women’s basketball, softball, women’s soccer, volleyball, gymnastics, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field, and men’s golf. He completed his Master’s degree in Exercise Science May of 2005. In January, 2006, he began as Head Strength and Conditioning coach at the University of Evansville where he was single-handedly responsible for all aspects of training for all 14 varsity sports and over 250 athletes. Brady joined the KU strength staff in July of this year. He currently assists with men’s and women’s basketball and is the strength coach for rowing and women’s golf.

Marcelo Aller, CSCS, ACSM, SPARQ

Marcelo Aller is the National Athletics Accountant Manager for Polar. He has completed comprehensive research comparing and contrasting the methods to developing the metabolic system and central nervous system. He travels the nation demonstrating cutting edge technology for heart rate training at numerous venues and events. Marcelo is certified with the NSCA, ACSM, and SPARQ.

Jerry Martin, MA, CSCS*D

Coach Jerry Martin is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with Distinction (CSCS*D) from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He received the National Strength Coach of the Year Award in 2004 by the NSCA. While at UCONN his program has been involved in 8 National Championships, 3 post season Bowl Championships and a bronze medal with USA Women’s Field Hockey along with numerous Big East titles. He earned his Masters degree in Exercise Training and Testing.

Molly McKinnon, MS, CSCS, USAW-1

Molly is in her fourth year as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Kansas. She is in charge developing all aspects of strength and conditioning for Softball, Soccer, and Men’s Golf. Molly has been observing lactate levels amongst her soccer athletes during pre-season, post-season, and at the conclusion of the competitive season along with using the team polar system to simulate post-season training to game day data. She was a collegiate athlete playing basketball while pursuing her undergraduate degree in exercise physiology at the University of New Mexico. Molly is certified with the NSCA, USAW-1 and earned her master’s degree in exercise physiology and sports administration from the University of New Mexico.

Darric Honnold, MS, CSCS, USAW-1, PICP

Honnold is in his seventh season as assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Kansas and is currently responsible for the baseball, track and field, cross-country, and swimming and diving teams. Before arriving at Kansas, Darric was a graduate assistant at Winona (Minn.) State University from 2000-02 where he earned his master’s degree in educational leadership and assisted in the creation and development of strength and conditioning program from the ground up. Honnold received his B.S. in exercise science from Iowa State University in 2000 were he served as a volunteer assistant strength coach for three years working with all of the Cyclones’ Olympic sports. The Des Moines, Iowa, native also holds several certifications and memberships including the NSCA, USAW as a club coach level 1 and sports performance coach, and Poliquin International Certification Program.