Eric Mann2022-06-10T14:38:05-05:00June 10th, 2022|
Melissa El Chaar of Aley, Lebanon, is the United States Sports Academy's latest Student of the Month. El Chaar is a teacher and dance instructor who hopes to use her Bachelor of Sports Science degree in strength and conditioning to teach the science behind dance to adults in Lebanon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IIE4osQ0CE
Eric Mann2022-05-10T12:18:05-05:00May 10th, 2022|
Dr. Steve Wachs is already an accomplished teacher, podcaster, sports psychologist, and researcher, but now that he has a doctoral degree from the United States Sports Academy, the institution’s latest Student of the Month hopes to expand his reach with more speaking engagement and presentation opportunities. Wachs recently successfully defended his dissertation, which researched the impact of social media on young athletes. For the mentorship portion of his Academy doctoral program, Wachs started a podcast that revolves around basketball in the Southern California area and includes discussions of sport psychology, coaching, and parenting. In addition, Wachs has also presented at conferences like the Association of Applied Sport Psychology-West Region and he hopes to be able to use his Academy education to find similar opportunities. “The Academy’s distance learning program really [...]
Corey Blake2022-04-12T14:52:29-05:00April 12th, 2022|
Karthik Anand is well on his way to reaching his dream of playing tennis on the professional circuit and becoming a role model for aspiring young athletes from India. But when his playing days eventually end, Anand will be prepared for a career as a coach because of his education from the United States Sports Academy. A native of New Delhi, India, Anand is the Academy’s latest Student of the Month. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Sports Science degree in sports coaching while living and training at the Walter Grunfeld Tennis Academy in Barcelona, Spain. There, he has worked his way up the ranks in tennis with his eyes set on qualifying for International Tennis Federation (ITF) play and eventually becoming a regular on the ATP Tour. Like [...]
Corey Blake2022-03-08T16:19:07-06:00March 8th, 2022|
A lifelong painter with no real interest in sport growing up, Melissa Hadley wasn’t sure at first that pursuing a degree from the United States Sports Academy was right for her. Now, the Academy’s latest Student of the Month says the school’s bachelor’s degree program has shown her that sport is inextricably linked to just about every other industry in the world. Hadley was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and is now a resident of Daphne, Ala., where she works for the Academy as its Operations Manager. She is pursuing her Bachelor of Sports Science degree in sports management. Once she earns that degree, she hopes to work in the facilities and event management field. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure about it at first,” Hadley said. “When a [...]
Corey Blake2022-02-08T16:07:07-06:00February 8th, 2022|
After working as a figure skating coach in Southern California for more than two decades, Lexie Hernandez decided it was time to take her skills to the next level with a sports coaching degree from the United States Sports Academy. A resident of San Diego, Calif., Hernandez is the Academy’s latest Student of the Month. The mother of two and professional figure skating coach is seeking her Bachelor of Sports Science degree in sports coaching from the institution. “I have been skating since I was about five years old and coaching for the last 20 years,” Hernandez said. “I basically went from competitive skating as a teenager right into coaching as a young adult and never took the time to get a degree. Now that I have all of that [...]
Corey Blake2022-01-11T09:45:30-06:00January 11th, 2022|
United States Sports Academy master’s degree student Christopher Bonilla spent most of 2020 deployed to Poland as part of the Nevada National Guard. During that time, he was able to complete much of his work toward his Master of Sports Science degree in sports exercise science because of the Academy’s flexible scheduling and 100 percent online format. Now a resident of Arlington, Va., Bonilla is the Academy’s latest Student of the Month. He recently completed his master’s thesis – studying and implementing exercise warm up strategies for a new U.S. Army fitness test – and is now seeking publishing opportunities. “The self-paced format of the Academy’s master’s degree program was beneficial to me while I was deployed overseas,” Bonilla said. “Some weeks were very busy, but others I had long [...]
Corey Blake2021-12-15T14:33:36-06:00December 14th, 2021|
Acasio Roche III has spent more than two decades working as a firefighter in the Milwaukee, Wisc., area. Now, Roche hopes to use his education from the United States Sports Academy to transition into a role he’s always wanted: head collegiate soccer coach. Roche, who is pursuing his Bachelor of Sports Science degree in sports coaching, is the Academy’s latest Student of the Month. In addition to fighting fires, he’s spent time coaching soccer at the youth, regional, club, high school and college levels. Roche is currently a volunteer assistant coach for women’s soccer at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, where the late Academy founding president Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich once served as director of athletics between 1969-1972. Rosandich was instrumental in launching the school’s original sports programs and building athletics [...]
Corey Blake2021-11-16T09:58:37-06:00November 16th, 2021|
Daniel Archer hopes to use his Bachelor of Sports Science degree in sports management to advance his career in the sports, hospitality, and leisure industry in sunny southern California. Archer, of Los Angeles, is the United States Sports Academy’s latest Student of the Month, selected by Academy faculty for his diligence in the classroom and attention to detail in incorporating faculty feedback into his assignments. A recent graduate of the associates degree in kinesiology program at Mount San Antonio Community College in Walnut, Calif., Archer hopes his Academy degree will open further doors in the wide open, booming sports tourism industry in the state. Archer currently works as a sponsorship scout for a sports marketing company and in grounds maintenance at a golf course in Diamond Bar, Calif. He said [...]
Corey Blake2021-10-13T13:42:37-05:00October 13th, 2021|
Dr. Lorenzo Guess is a former two-sport collegiate athlete at Michigan State who has received numerous accolades for his skill on the field and court and as a strength and conditioning coach. Now, he’s earned his Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in sports management from the United States Sports Academy. The Academy’s latest Student of the Month, Guess is the associate head strength and conditioning coach and director of player enrichment for the Michigan State University football team. A former MSU safety (1998-2001) and basketball player, Guess is now in his 10th season on the school’s football training staff. Guess progressed through the Academy doctoral program with his wife, Bianca, who is currently in the dissertation phase of her studies. “My wife actually got me into the program and it was [...]
Corey Blake2021-09-14T13:12:17-05:00September 14th, 2021|
Melody Webb made history when she was hired as the first female athletic director at Norfolk (Va.) State University in June 2020. Webb, the United States Sports Academy’s latest Student of the Month, is pursuing her Doctor of Education degree in sports management because of her previous connection to Academy 2011 Alumna of the Year Dr. China Jude. Webb met Jude – the current Denver Broncos Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and former collegiate coach and administrator – when they coached against each other in collegiate volleyball in previous jobs. “I knew China from my volleyball coaching days and she recommended the Academy as a good place to get my doctoral degree,” Webb said. “I want to use this degree to be able to teach in addition to [...]
Corey Blake2021-08-10T10:51:54-05:00August 10th, 2021|
Paulo Santos has worked in law enforcement for more than two decades, and when he retires from that career in three years he plans to be ready for a second career in the strength and conditioning field with a degree from the United States Sports Academy. A resident of Hopatcong, New Jersey, Santos has worked as a police officer since 1999. Prior to that, he was in the U.S. Army for four years and stationed at Fort Rucker in Alabama. He is currently in charge of his police department’s gym and holds a CrossFit Level 2 Certification. Santos is pursuing his Bachelor of Sports Science (B.S.S.) degree in sports strength and conditioning and plans to work in that field upon his 25-year retirement from law enforcement. He also plans to [...]
Corey Blake2021-07-13T10:58:29-05:00July 13th, 2021|
Fitness professional, coach, and adjunct professor Joseph Grillo is pursuing his Doctor of Education degree in sports management from the United States Sports Academy. The institution’s latest Student of the Month, Grillo plans to use his degree to become a full-time college professor and grow his personal fitness business. A resident of Brooklyn, N.Y., Grillo has worked as an adjunct professor at Kingsborough Community College and personal trainer at Demi Gods Fitness. He said the Academy’s flexible scheduling options have helped him progress through the doctoral program while working full time – especially in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged his community in New York. “The program allows me to complete it at my own pace, and this was even more evident during the high Covid-19 cases here in New [...]
