Kevin Tong

Kevin Tong is a third year BKin student in multidisciplinary sciences. He currently plays for the Men’s Ultimate Team under UBC Thunderbirds Sport Clubs. As a student-athlete, he has been determined to further his passion for sports, health, and well-being.

Ever since he became an athlete, Kevin has been passionate about physical therapy. He witnessed many injured team mates successfully recover when treated by physiotherapists. This has motivated him to aspire to a career where he can support injured athletes. “Seeing the relieved expressions of their clients after they have been treated brings me an unparalleled sense of joy,” states Kevin. At one point, he considered sports medicine, but seeing physiotherapists gaining more opportunities to work in health facilities and tournaments changed his career pursuit.

Exercise physiology is another key interest of Kevin’s and his favourite class is KIN 235, Exercise Physiology, with Assistant Professor Cameron Mitchell. He enjoys it so much that he decided to develop his skills in a more applied manner by becoming an active volunteer at UBC Bodyworks and UBC Strength and Conditioning, and by joining the Kinesiology Wellness and Mental Health Committee (KiWe). Also, he volunteers at two physiotherapy clinics, Neuromotion and Lift Clinic, and is taking the time to explore physiotherapy. Overall, he has gained valuable volunteer experience that “helped tailor his studies to his interests.”

What Kevin loves about playing Ultimate for UBC are the bonds he has made with his teammates as well as the national and international travel. “The exhilarating feeling of chasing after a disc just never gets old and our team culture is both fun and supportive,” expresses Kevin. “To travel to places such as San Francisco and Los Angeles for D-1 competitions with my team cannot be understated. Ultimate has connected me with so many wonderful people.”

When asked what the secret to a great Ultimate player is, he stated that they must have “work ethic, humility, and an open mind towards improvement.” In his words, a player can only succeed “through countless hours of hard work and dedication towards their sport.” An important topic in both exercise physiology and physiotherapy is promoting health. Learning how to strengthen your body as an athlete “is vital to optimal training and recovery.” Kevin suggested that the support he received from physiotherapists to continue playing Ultimate taught him about both subjects: “Physiotherapists not only help by treating acute and chronic injuries through practices such as manual therapy and IMS; they also help to build strength in their clients, to prevent similar injuries from occurring in the future.”

Kevin hopes to enroll in the UBC Department of Physical Therapy after he completes his BKin degree. As a KIN student, Kevin observed that the School’s student body has a dedicated, united spirit that is unlike other UBC schools and faculties. “What makes KIN unique are the students that make up the faculty. Every KIN student I’ve met is not only super dedicated to self-improvement in all aspects of their lives, but also dedicated to help their peers and succeed together. This spirit of the KIN Faculty is what makes it really special, and enjoyable.”

Ava Katz

Ava Katz is a 3rd-year BKin student in the neuromechanical and physiological sciences stream. Her combined passion for physiology, human movement and exercise led her to pursue her undergraduate studies in kinesiology.

The School of Kinesiology has provided Ava with a “tight-knit community” of students that shared similar interests and has offered her great opportunities to network within and beyond the faculty. For instance, she is currently assisting a PhD student to research the effects of soccer headers on brain function. Ava also works at the Yaffa House, a group home for Jewish adults struggling with mental illness. As the volunteer coordinator, she interacts and conducts activities with the residents each week and helps other staff members wherever she can. Her contribution to the Yaffa House helped her build a strong connection with her local and Jewish communities, especially after COVID-19 hit. “During the beginning of the pandemic, I delivered groceries and household items to seniors in my community, as I believe that helping the vulnerable members of our communities is essential,” states Ava. As a result, she was named Kinesiology Community Champion by UBC Kin.

Although classes are keeping her busy, Ava takes part in the Jewish Student Association, participates in events held by the Kinesiology Undergraduate Society (KUS), and leads the student club Israel on Campus, as president. Likewise, she stays physically active by playing ultimate frisbee and riding horses as a member of the Equestrian Club. Her well-rounded experience at UBC has helped her grow as a person, learn how to give back to the community, and find meaning in her impact on others. As a Kin student, Ava mentions that she has “made lifelong friends” and found “adventure outside of her comfort zone,” which she hopes to bring into her next chapter.

When Ava graduates, she hopes to return to UBC as a medical student. Although her interest in medicine occurred prior to her undergraduate studies, UBC Kin has provided numerous opportunities for her to explore and deepen her interest in the field. Ava’s remarks with appreciation that, “The knowledge I have developed in my undergrad courses, and my involvement in the UBC Kinesiology community, has reinforced my passion for working with people and my desire to pursue a medical career.”

Ava’s advice to prospective students: “Keep an open mind and allow your journey to take you wherever it leads. It is common for students to set up a strict path for themselves and their education, however, UBC Kinesiology offers a wide variety of opportunities and experiences that are beneficial to your personal and academic life. It is okay for your path to deviate from your set plan or to change entirely. Do not be scared to try something new and adventure outside of your comfort zone!”

Lumsden, Matthew

Matthew currently works as the Technical Programs Director for a large soccer club in Alberta. He has coached at the Provincial Level in Canada and with the Youth National Club league in the United Kingdom.

Matthew initially decided to pursue the MHPCTL degree to enhance his understanding of current high-performance trends and to apply more informed practices into his current and future working environments. According to Matthew, the program “has reinforced my philosophy of implementing evidence-led practices within my day-to day environment, while a major benefit of the program is that the many hands-on projects I completed benefited the organization for which I work in real way.

“The MHPCTL program has provided me with a great foundation for a well-balanced and comprehensive understanding of the various elements of high-performance sport. Programs such as these continue to raise the standards of coaching and add credence to the professionalism of our industry. When it comes to online learning. I really enjoyed the blended learning approach between the residential weeks and online teaching. It provided a flexible approach around full-time work and a busy family life.”

Labelle, Dominic

Dominic Labelle is currently in charge of the “Under 12 and Under 10” tennis Program at the Academy Aliassime. He has coached at the university, provincial and national level across the country. He has also worked for Tennis Canada’s Under 10 camps.

When first thinking of pursuing a graduate degree, he states “while I was accepted into Sport Psychology at the University of Ottawa, I felt that the MHPCTL was more specific to my long-term goal to coach at the professional level. Furthermore, the MHPCTL helped me to finish the Advanced Coaching Diploma that is a requirement for the Coach 4 at Tennis Canada, which is the highest certification.”

He says the MHPCTL program has helped him with his planning and has made him more structured and precise in the preparation of his athletes. “I also have a better idea about which path to take in order for my players to reach the professional circuit. I’m also better able to assess the gaps between a good national junior player and an international one. I believe the degree has provided me with more credibility, as I don’t have a professional background in tennis, and it will most definitely accelerate my certification with Tennis Canada.”

Reflecting on his first two years of his online learning experience Dominic recalls “that he met many coaches from other fields across the country and having some great cross-fertilizing discussions. The last year of my studies was focused more on working solo on my final project, titled “The Effect of Break Point on the Serve Characteristics in Men’s Professional Tennis” – which is related to sport analytics and match statistics.

Devlin, Kraig

Kraig Devlin is a high-performance karate coach and former High-Performance Director for Karate Canada. Kraig believes that the UBC MHPCTL program armed him with the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to prepare and lead Karate Canada’s Team to Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Kraig has also coached or led teams at dozens of international World Cups, numerous Pam American Champions and two Pan American Games.

“Being able to study and interact online with the student cohort and professors while still continuing to work made the entire endeavor possible,” states Kraig. “I can’t say enough positive things about the content and structure of the program, I completed each assignment and was almost immediately able to turn around and begin to apply it in my high-performance sport context. The instructors and curriculum are top-notch.”

Kraig took a brief hiatus from the program in 2019 to focus on preparing for Tokyo while also supporting Karate Canada’s HP program through the COVID 19 pandemic but returned post-Olympics to finalize his program-culminating research into scoring in the women’s karate kumite events at the Tokyo Olympics.

Congratulations Atila Ozkaplan (BHK 01, MSc 04), Alumni Builder Award Recipient!

Created in 2017 as part of the 100th year of alumni UBC, the Alumni Builder Awards recognize a cross-section of alumni representing both campuses who have significantly contributed to the university and enriched the lives of others, and in doing so, have supported alumni UBC’s mission of realizing the promise of a global community with shared ambition for a better world and an exceptional UBC.

We are happy to honour this year’s Alumni Builder Award recipients and particularly proud to honour KIN alumnus, Atila Ozkaplan whose generous contributions have been recognized by the School of Kinesiology.

Atila Ozkaplan, BHK’01, MSc’04
School of Kinesiology

Atila Ozkaplan is a successful professional as Vice President of Production Operations, Olympics for the NBC Sports Group Olympic and model alumni mentor. He understands the vital importance of a mentor in facilitating career connections and fostering professional development for students. He has served as an inspiring keynote speaker at several events, has donated to the university and is engaged in numerous ways including the sharing of professional networks with students, providing valuable survey input, alumni profiles, and newsletter articles. Atila is a strong ambassador in the world for the School and its values. He is a true alumni builder.

Read about all UBC Alumni Award Recipients here.

Russell, David (1937-2021)

David Russell was an accomplished academic and professor with the School of Physical Education, University of Otago, in New Zealand. He began his career at UBC where he received his BPE (1970) and MPE (1971) from the UBC School of Kinesiology (head of the graduating BPE class). He continued his academic journey at the University of Michigan where he completed an MA in psychology and his PhD in motor learning and control. He then went on to serve as a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois before moving to the Human Movement Studies Dept at the University of Queensland in Australia where he was a Senior Lecturer from 1974-81 and Head of the Dept from 1978-81.

In 1981 he became Dean of the School of Physical Education at the University of Otago, NZ until July 1991. Following his period as Dean of the School, David established the Life in New Zealand Activity and Health Research (LINZ) Unit and served as the Director until his retirement in 2001.

David’s research interests have included: coordinating a research review on drugs in sport for the Royal Society of NZ culminating in the publication ‘Drugs in Sport: Their Use and Abuse’; and exploring the cost of inactivity of the New Zealand population leading to the report ‘The Cost of Doing Nothing.’

Dr. Eli Puterman on Combatting Depression Through Exercise

Congratulations to Kin assistant professor Eli Puterman on his study in combatting depression through physical activity. Depression levels have significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. The question of finding a practical solution to reduce it is more relevant now than ever before.

Dr. Puterman was recently featured on CBC News.

Eli and his research team recruited more than 300 people to conduct this study. Each person was given a free subscription to an exercise app and assigned to one of four randomized groups that either did yoga, high-intensity interval training, a combination of the two, or were relegated to a waitlist. Each week, participants completed a standard questionnaire that is used in the diagnosis and treatment of depression. Using a scale of zero to three, people reported how often they experienced symptoms such as sleeplessness or feeling lonely.

His team found that during lockdowns, at-home exercise reduced depression levels significantly. Furthermore, Dr. Puterman recommends individuals to try at-home or app-based workouts because they are accessible, low-cost, and can be done with little space and no equipment.

To learn more about his study and gather tips on how to start exercising from home, click here.

Congratulations Dr. Jasmin Ma For Her Newly Published Study!

Congratulations to Dr. Jasmin Ma for her published study, “Implementation of the spinal cord injury exercise guidelines in the hospital and community settings: Protocol for a type II hybrid trial.”

Her research aims to evaluate the implementation of coordinated physical activity (PA) coaching delivered by physiotherapists and spinal cord injury (SCI) peers during the transition from in-hospital care to living in a community (implementation objective), and assess the effect of coaching on PA behaviour and psychosocial predictors among people with SCI (effectiveness objective).

Click here to read the full article.

Congratulations to Erica Bennett on her New Paper on Interpersonal Relationships and Older Canadian Men’s Body Image

Congratulations to Erica Bennett with co-authors Laura Hurd, Elizabeth Pritchard, Tayler Colton, and Peter Crocker for their recently published article, “‘You’re part of something bigger’: interpersonal relationships and older Canadian men’s body image” in the January 2022 issue of Psychology and Health.

The objective of the study was to examine older men’s body image, with a focus on the role of interpersonal relationships in shaping their psychological adaptation to age-related body changes to appearance, function, and health.

Click here to read the full article.