Academy President and CEO Dr. T.J. Rosandich shares mementos with the Shanghai Municipal Authority of Sports (SMAS) during his visit to sport education partners throughout Asia. Shown from left are Zhang Zhi Ming, SAS vice director for science and education and youth affairs; Rosandich; and Luo Wenhua, SAS deputy director general, an Academy alumnus who received his diploma in sports coaching through the cooperative programs being taught with the SAS.
United States Sports Academy President and CEO Dr. T.J. Rosandich recently made a month-long tour of Asian nations calling on the Academy’s sport education partners and developing new relationships for collaborative international sport education.
Rosandich met with education, sport and governmental leaders in China, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, all countries where the Academy has conducted sport instruction, research and outreach programs in some cases spanning decades.
“These trips are very beneficial as they allow the Academy to regularly connect with people around the world with whom we work to advance the cause of sport education,” Rosandich said.
“Our objectives are two-fold. First, we are able to work with our global partners to assess existing programs and how effective they are at achieving their sport education objectives.
“Second, these trips give the Academy and our international colleagues the opportunity to discuss new and exciting ideas for future programs.”
In China, Rosandich discussed current and future programs with officials representing the cities of Shanghai and Rizhou; Zhenghzhou University; and the Songshan Shaolin Temple Warrior Monk Training School in Deng Feng. A key focus of these discussions was sport education for children and youth.
Academy President and CEO Dr. T.J. Rosandich with Dato Lokman Hakim bin Ali, the permanent secretary of the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports, during his recent tour of Asia.
The Academy president met in Bangkok with Thai sport leaders, including the Sport Authority of Thailand (SAT), where developments included signing of an extension of the longstanding certification program to prepare students in Thailand for careers in sport (see related story). The visit also featured Rosandich speaking on the development of the Thai sports industry to senior sports administrators at the King Prajadhipok’s Institute, which is dedicated to furthering the training and preparation of senior leaders throughout the government.
In Malaysia, Rosandich met with leaders on continuing the long-term partnerships between that country and the Academy, especially in support of youth health and fitness. The Academy president also met with officials at the University Putra Malaysia, one of the top universities in the country, regarding future cooperative sport education programs.
The Academy president traveled to Singapore to meet with officials of International Sports Academy-Singapore (ISA-S) to discuss ongoing long-term collaborative programs in that country.
