Brock University
Niagara Region
500 Glenridge Ave.
St. Catharines, ON
L2S 3A1 Canada
T 905-688-5550
brocku.ca
MEDIA RELEASE R00094
15 June 2015
Brock University — Communications & Public Affairs
Brock experts available to comment on Pan Am
and Parapan Am Games The excitement is building. Starting on July 10, thousands of athletes and their
fans will be converging on Southern Ontario, first for the Pan Am Games and
then the Parapan Am Games. From understanding how athletes’ bodies function in the heat to potentially
dealing with controversies like doping to training volunteers, there’s a lot to
report about when covering a major sports event such as the Pan Am Games. Brock University in St. Catharines has a number of researchers specializing in
different aspects of sports research. They are on hand to give interviews on
themes related to the upcoming Games.
PHYSIOLOGY Canada Research Chair in Environmental Ergonomics and kinesiology professor
Stephen Cheung studies the impact of extreme temperatures on the human
body. He is also an accomplished cycling science writer and author of “CuttingEdge Cycling.”He recently published a study that shows water loss does not
hinder an athletes’ performance (http://www.brocku.ca/brocknews/?p=33651). He can speak to: ∗ The role of hydration in athletic performance
∗ How hot temperatures affect athletes’ muscles, other parts of their
physiology, and performance ∗ The science and physiology of cycling Contact [email protected] Pediatric exercise physiologist and kinesiology professor Bareket Falk studies
the impact of high-performance training on young athletes’ bodies. She can
speak to: ∗ The common misconception that resistance training stunts children’s
growth
* Is sports training safe for children and youth? ∗ The effect of growth, maturation and physical activity on muscle function
and on bone development Contact [email protected] Pediatric physiologist and kinesiology professorNota Klentrou studies the
impact of intense training on young athletes’ health and performance. She can
speak to: ∗ Why female athletes reach puberty later than other girls ∗ The problem of under-nutrition in female athletes ∗ Musculoskeletal development in young athletes ∗ How to protect the health of young athletes while improving performance Contact: [email protected] BANNED SUBSTANCES Associate kinesiology professor Ian Ritchie’s research is on banned substance
use and the recent history of major games. He is currently studying the 1983
Pan Am Games’ drug scandal, where a number of athletes tested positive for a
banned substance, resulting in the development of policies in Canada and
elsewhere. Ritchie can speak to the: ∗ Development of banned substance policies in sport ∗ Health and rights of athletes ∗ Historical development of high-performance sport in the post-WWII era Contact [email protected] SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS Associate sport management professor Julie Stevens studies how sports
organizations identify, and build upon, their strengths to host sports events,
from the community to the national level. She can speak to: ∗ Management styles that best build peoples’ ability to organize and host
major games/sport event ∗ How organizations can evaluate the economic and social impact of a sport
event * Training and development of sport event managers and volunteers Contact [email protected] COMMUNITY IMPACT Assistant professor in sport management Shannon Kerwin’s research focuses on
the management of community and non-profit sport, organizations, and events.
She can speak to: ∗ What motivates people to volunteer in their local community and what
motivates/deters them from continuing to volunteer ∗ The impact of amateur “niche” sport participation on youth, families, and
communities Contact [email protected] PODCAST Brock also recently recorded a podcast examining the impact of the upcoming
games on the Niagara Region. The Pan Am Games: A boost for the Niagara
Region? podcast can be found at http://www.brocku.ca/research-atbrock/consider-this-podcast-series/archives
For assistance in setting up interviews: * Cathy Majtenyi, research communications/media relations, Brock
University [email protected], 905-688-5550 x5789 or 905-321-0566 * Dan Dakin, Media Relations Officer, Brock University [email protected],
905-688-5550 x5353 or 289-241-8288 - 30 -