Alumni

Jim Vergona, (2006) Sports Management

Jim Vergona, who obtained his Master of Sport Science in sports management from the United States Sports Academy this summer, was recently hired as assistant manager of Compuware Sports Arena in Plymouth, Mich. Compuware is the home of the Plymouth Whalers, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) farm club of the Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes. Both the Hurricanes and Whalers are owned by Peter Karmanos and former Whaler Chad LaRose, who now plays for the Hurricanes, recently visited the arena with the Stanley Cup.

Mike Wilson, (1986) Sports Management

Mike Wilson, a lifetime member of the USSA Alumni Association, has recently accepted a new position at Wisconsin Lutheran College as their Assistant Athletic Director. Mr. Wilson served as the Athletic Director at New Berlin Eisenhower High School for 24 years. During his time at New Berlin Eisenhower High School, Mr. Wilson was chosen as the Athletic Director of the Year for 2004. Mike and his family are residents of Hale Corner, Wisc. Mr. Wilson has maintained contact with several of his Academy classmates and fondly remembers the “good old days” of being a student at The United States Sports Academy; “…the entire program was a huge help to my career.” Mike.Wilson@wlc.edu

Coach Reifinger Leads Hershey High School to Championship

Pam Reifinger is currently the Hershey High School (Pa.) girl’s softball head coach. Coach Reifinger led her team to its second Mid Penn Keystone Championship in 2006 and saw her starting pitcher register her 500th career strike-out. Reifinger has been coaching at Hershey High School for three years and also serves as the assistant varsity basketball coach. coachreifinger@comcast.net

Academy Alum Builds a Fitness Career in Kentucky

Alexandra Sherwood, owner of Southside Women’s Fitness Center in Paducah, Kentucky proudly announced becoming an American Citizen on June 16, 2006. Sherwood has been in the fitness field for the past eleven years and has owned her own fitness business for more than six years. Sherwood holds several fitness certifications from the United States Sports Academy and is also a distance learning instructor for the Academy. sherwood@vci.net

Academy Doctoral Student Promoted to Director of Student Services

United States Sports Academy registrar and doctoral student, Bobbie Spurgeon-Harris, has been promoted to Director of Student Services. “I am excited about taking on a leadership position here,” the doctoral candidate said after this recent milestone in her six-year relationship with the Academy as a student and employee. complete story

Academy Graduate Strong Earns Coaching Upgrade

Twenty-eight years at one coaching position can create quite a stronghold. That did not deter Ashe County High School in West Jefferson, N.C. from luring United States Sports Academy graduate Bill Strong away from his head football coaching job at Grayson County High School in Independence, Va. complete story

Academy Alum Rings the Victory Bell in North Carolina

At Falls Road Baptist Church School, there are two coaches named Ring who each have a wedding ring and a championship ring – a ringing endorsement for the United States Sports Academy. Falls Road’s girls’ basketball and soccer teams, under the direction of Academy graduate Neal Ring, won their first-ever state championships in the North Carolina Christian School Association’s Class 2A. Ring was named coach of the year in girls’ soccer. Falls Road’s girls’ volleyball team, which is coached by Ring’s wife Beth, also won the state championship this past fall. complete story

Brooklyn Mentorship Grooms Student for Career in Education

Often the curriculum at the United States Sports Academy is used to prepare someone to become an athletic director. Cordell Grooms became an athletic director as part of his preparation. Grooms, a master’s degree candidate in sports studies, just completed his mentorship at Bedford Academy High School, a magnet school in Brooklyn, N.Y. The duties of his mentorship included being the athletic director of the three-year-old institution. complete story

Academy Alumni and Friends Reception at NACDA Convention

United States Sports Academy students, alumni and friends are invited to attend a reception held in conjunction with the NACDA Convention on Thursday, 22 June 2006 from 4-5:30 p.m. at the New Orleans Marriot. The Academy will honor Tulane AD Rick Dickson with the Distinguished Service Award at this reception. complete story

Former NFL, Alabama Player George Teague Enrolls at the Academy

New United States Sports Academy undergraduate student George Teague seems to have a “signature moment” everywhere he goes. When a cornerback for the University of Alabama football team, he thwarted a potential University of Miami comeback and ensured a Crimson Tide upset of the top-ranked Hurricanes in the 1993 Sugar Bowl. complete story

Taiwanese Pole Vaulting Champ Seeking Academy Doctorate, Olympics

Ko-Hsin “Cathy” Chang has two projects to work on for the next 30 months: make sufficient progress towards her Doctor of Sport Management degree at the United States Sports Academy and increase her height in the pole vault at an average rate just over five millimeters per month. complete story

Academy Alum Santos Directing American Junior Hockey

For decades, North American teenagers pinned their hopes of a National Hockey League (NHL) career on success in the Canadian junior hockey program or looked to college programs as a training ground for the NHL. However, a league directed by United States Sports Academy graduate Michael Santos allows North American hockey players to use both junior hockey and college to pursue their NHL dreams. complete story

UVA Administrator Earns First NACDA Certification from United States Sports Academy

Mike Frederick has an MBA and six years of professional football on his resume and the United States Sports Academy has helped him create a perfect blend of his passions for business and football. complete story

Alabama Governor Names Academy Alum to Mobile County Commission

United States Sports Academy graduate Juan Chastang was appointed by Alabama Governor Bob Riley to serve on the Mobile County Commission. Chastang, a former police officer who has taught and coached basketball at three Mobile County high schools, will fill the seat vacated by Sam Jones, who was elected Mayor of Mobile. complete story

Fitness Guru Among First to Enroll in Academy's Bodybuilding Program

David Thrasher, fitness evangelist who already credits a lot of his success to certification programs from the United States Sports Academy, is among the first students to take advantage of the Academy’s bodybuilding certification program.
complete story

2005 Alumni-Student Picnic

The United States Sports Academy was priveleged to host a recent picnic honoring both our Academy alumni and the Fall 2005 student body. The Eagle's Nest proved to be a perfect venue as the faculty and staff served up the food and the fun. see pictures

Alumni & Friends Gathering at NACDA Annual Convention in Florida

The Alumni and Friends gathering will take place at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Buena Vista, Florida near Orlando and Disney World on Wednesday, 15 June 2005 at 7:00-8:30 p.m in conjunction with NACDA's annual convention. We encourage you to come and show your Academy spirit at this alumni gathering, which will be a great opportunity to network with other sports professionals and to take in the festivities that surround the Orlando area. complete story

United States Sports Academy-Malaysia Alumni and Friends Reception

The Malaysian Alumni Chapter of the United States Sports Academy held a reception on 3 May 2005 at the Bukit Kiara Club in Kuala Lumpur. Approximately 40 people were in attendance for the buffet dinner, including Academy Vice President, Dr. T.J. Rosandich, and Honorary Doctorate recipient, Tan Sri Elyas Omar, Commissioner of Sport in Malaysia, who received his plaque and medallion commemorating his many years of service and contribution to sport during the ceremonies. complete story

Inaugural USSA-Thailand Alumni Association Gathering

The Thailand Alumni Chapter of the United States Sports Academy hosted its inaugural alumni gathering Tuesday, 26 April 2005 in Bangkok at the Radisson Hotel. With a buffet luncheon for approximately 40 people in attendance, the committee addressed new by-laws that will govern the Thailand chapter of the United States Sports Academy Alumni Association. complete story

Academy Honors Awards of Sport Recipients at Alumni Gathering in Chicago

At a reception for the United States Sports Academy Alumni Association in Chicago, Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich, Academy President and CEO, recently presented two awards from the Academy's Awards of Sport program. complete story

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Academy Alumni News

Marco Cardinale (1998) Sports Coaching

Cardinale is currently working as a Research Manager the Olympic Medical Institute and he can be reached at Marco Cardinale@boa.org.uk.

Jeri Curry (1987) Fitness Management

Curry is currently working as a Health Teacher at Brattleboro Area Middle School and she can be reached at bblack@ne.rr.com.

Jin-Ho Jeon (1998) Sports Management

Jeon is currently working as a professor at Kyonggi University and he can be reached at jeonjinho@hotmail.com.

Leslie Layne-Webb (1996) Sports Management

Layne Webb is currently working as a Project Manager for the Springfield Corporation and she can be reached atljlayne@aol.com.

Kevin Linam (1999) Sport Management

Linam sends word that he is currently coaching at Daphne Middle School in Baldwin County, Alabama. He can be reached at klinam@bcbe.org.

Larry Olson (2002) Sports Management

Olson is currently the head basketball coach of the Vennard College Cougars. Olson can be reached at lolson@ussa.edu

Ira Penner (1994) Sports Management

Ira is currently working as a franchisee with i9 Sports of Chicago’s North Shore and he can be reached at ipenner@i9sports.com.

Kyle Reeves (1990) Sports Medicine

Reeves is currently working as a Performance Improvement Manager at the Alaska Native Medical Center and he can be reached at kvreeves@anmc.org.

Jeffery Sheldon (2003) Sports Management; Health and Fitness Management

Sheldon is the Director of Encore In Daphne, Al. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, as well as a Certified Trainer. He can be reached at jsheldon@ussa.edu.

Doug Stephens (1999) Sports Management

Doug is in his ninth season with the BayBears.  He oversees the club's pre-season and game-day ticket operations and is instrumental in corporate sales and season ticket sales. He can be reached at dstephens@ussa.edu.

David Thrasher (2004) Certification- Strength and Conditioning

Thrasher operates a personal training and strength company in Atlanta, Ga. He and his fellow trainers founded Operation Fitness, which is a program that sponsors young athletes who cannot afford the costs of ongoing training and competing. Thrasher can be reached at thrasherstrength@aol.com. Thrasher is also being featured in this month’s Alumni Spotlight.

Jon Wente (Current Student)

United States Sports Academy graduate Jon J. Wente has been named Head Baseball Coach at Central Arizona College. Wente was chosen to replace Clint Myers, who was recently named Head Softball Coach at Arizona State University. After pitching for Central from 1993-1995, Wente served as assistant baseball coach for the Vaqueros from 1997-2002 and was part of the squad that claimed the 2002 NJCAA Division 1 Baseball National Championship. Wente can be reached at jwente@ussa.edu

David Whites (Current Student)

Whites sends word that his new company Physique Personal Training and Fitness is off to a great start. Whites can be reached at dwhites@ussa.edu.

Michael Wilson (2003) Sports Management

Michael sends word that he is an Assistant Basketball Coach for the St. Paul’s Saints, a high school in Mobile, Al. He can be reached at sleepymlw@hotmail.com.

Heidi Zeiser (2004) Sports Medicine

Zeiser is currently working as an Athletic Trainer for Presbyterian College and she can be reached at hmzeiser@presby.edu.

 

Summer 2005

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