Sport and Exercise Science

TEXAS TECH

Graduate student assistant athletic trainer

DALLAS COWBOYS

Athletic trainer intern

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO

Resident athletic trainer

HANDS-ON LAB WORK HELPS ALUMNUS SUCCEED

Theo Belhomme ’17 was introduced to WLC during a football recruiting event near his hometown of Kissimmee, Florida. After exploring his collegiate options, Theo knew that investing in his future at WLC was the right choice to prepare for his career as an athletic trainer.

Prof. Rachel Kuehl ’96 met with Theo to plot out his courses for freshman year. “From day one, Prof. Kuehl has been awesome,” shared Theo. “We sat down in her office and laid out everything I had to get done – choosing the appropriate classes each semester to ensure my success.”

After graduating from WLC, Theo went on to Texas Tech University Health Science Center to earn his Master of Athletic Training degree in 2019. Theo recalled: “Thanks to WLC, I was well prepared for graduate school. The improved study habits and extra knowledge I gained through WLC’s liberal arts curriculum helped me be successful at Texas Tech.” Many of Theo’s graduate school peers didn’t have the hands-on opportunities like he experienced at WLC. For example, he learned to run equipment like the Biodex and VO2max machines in his labs. Theo also valued his anatomy and physiology classes – being able to learn with the use of human cadavers is an amazing opportunity. The anatomical kinesiology class he took at WLC was almost identical to the graduate class he took at Texas Tech. Theo was well prepared to conquer graduate school after earning his degree from WLC.

Kuehl noted: “Sport and exercise science students have the unique opportunity to work with professors in multiple disciplines such as biology, psychology, and chemistry. They learn hands-on skills in diverse lab settings. These multiple academic perspectives provide the students with an enriched education rooted in the liberal arts and prepare them to be problem solvers as they enter their varied career settings.” As part of his coursework at WLC, Theo was able to shadow sport and exercise science professionals. Those experiences cemented his decision to be an athletic trainer. Providing the same type of experiences to the next generation of Warriors is something Theo now enjoys doing. Kuehl said: “Theo, like other alumni, has stayed in contact with our program and has served as a guest speaker in the foundations course. He is able to give advice to underclassmen considering this major and share with them what a ‘day in the life’ of an athletic trainer is like. Students appreciate hearing about his experiences.”

Theo has reached one of his goals since graduating from WLC: to work for an NCAA Division I university. During his career thus far, he has been a graduate student assistant athletic trainer for the men’s basketball team at Texas Tech, interned as an athletic trainer with the Dallas Cowboys, was the resident athletic trainer at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and now serves as the assistant

Academic Program Gains National Accreditation

UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE

Assistant athletic trainer

athletic trainer for University of Louisville Athletics working with the football team. Theo Belhomme, MAT, LAT, ATC, CES, continues to grow and broaden his knowledge in his field and is working toward additional certifications.

Although Theo’s goal was to work at a large university, personally he preferred the smaller, close-knit experience he received as a student at WLC. Theo touted: “I’m a proud

alum. I grew so much at WLC. I took a lot from my time there. I knew everyone – administrators, professors, coaches, and classmates – you don’t get that anywhere else!”

In January, Wisconsin Lutheran College’s exercise science program was awarded initial accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The college’s B.S. in sport and exercise science degree program becomes one of 64 baccalaureate programs nationally – and the only exercise science program in Wisconsin – to be accredited by CAAHEP. The national accreditation standards are established by CAAHEP, CoAES, American College of Sports Medicine, American Council on Exercise, American Kinesiotherapy Association, American Red Cross, National Academy of Sports Medicine, and National Council on Strength & Fitness.

“Since the launch of WLC’s sport and exercise science major in spring 2011, the program has seen curriculum enhancements, new labs and equipment, and increasing enrollment. The CAAHEP accreditation is a testimony to the students and alumni who have provided feedback and continue to stay involved, and it’s also a reflection on the wonderful faculty who teach within the program,” said Prof. Rachel Kuehl ’96, department head of sport and exercise science and assistant lecturer. “CAAHEP accreditation recognizes that our students are well prepared for the workforce or graduate school upon graduating from WLC.”

Students enrolled in the college’s sport and exercise science program learn by doing, taking advantage of small, participatory lab experiences. In 2019, a new exercise science lab was added to Generac Hall. The lab features gold-standard equipment, including a hydrostatic weighing tank for underwater weighing and body composition measurements, Watt and Monark bikes, force plates, and a force plate treadmill. In addition to extensive lab training, students engage in experiential learning through internships, undergraduate research projects, and dual-degree opportunities.