U.S. Olympic News

Former Olympian Will Head USOC Physiology Department

Dr. Chuck Dillman, Director of Sports Science for the U.S. Olympic Committee, has announced the appointment of Dr. Jay Kearney, 1980 Olympic Canoe/Kayak team member, as Head of the USOC Sports Science Physiology Department.

"We looked for someone with experience in sports as well as expertise in sports science and nobody has had the culmination of both more so than Jay Kearney," said Dillman. "Not only has he experienced being an athlete, a coach and a scientist, he also has an understanding of the Olympic movement and the National Governing Bodies."

Kearney, who received a PhD. From the University of Maryland, has taught courses in exercise physiology at the college level since 1971. He provided the developmental direction and coordination of usage biomechanics, psychomotor and physiology of exercise laboratories at the University of Kentucky where he was Director of Graduate Studies from 1977-'81. During his years of teaching at the University of Kentucky, he was a member of numerous department, college and university-wide committees. He acted as Director of approximately 30 major theses projects and two doctoral theses. He was promoted to a Full Professor in 1983 and acted as Director of the Health/Fitness/Recreation Research Laboratory in addition to his full-time teaching since 1984.

His coaching experience began in 1971 when he joined the teaching staff of Appalachian University in Boone, N.C. There he coached cross-country, indoor track and field for three years. As an assistant professor at Appalachian, Kearney was responsible for the development of the Appalachian State Performance Laboratory.

Throughout his career as an educator, Kearney has published more than 30 articles relating to health, fitness and recreation.


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