Saturday, March 29, 2025

First course

Off we go...my first course is Scientific Communication.  I've written myriad of papers over the years, especially for my MS programs.  After 3 weeks, I can say this course is a challenge for my mathematical mind.  I like to explain things thoroughly, and sometimes thoughts come to me spontaneously.  This is problematic for published scientific writing, as I am finding out.  I am learning to edit and revise frequently, and to look for concise language and proper structure.  I'll keep you posted how the course ends in 5 weeks.  

I am excited that I have already registered for summer and fall courses, and I have submitted my degree plan to my advisor.  

Research Ideas

I am still a ways off from beginning my dissertation research, but in the meantime I have several topics I feel need further research.  My population of interest is primarily high school athletes, but I am open to other ideas.  If you wish to collaborate, please reach out via email: coachjpwilson@gmail.com.  


Research Topics:

Autoregulation in Youth Training

The topic of my capstone project for the MS degree, Efficacy of Autoregulation for Novice or Youth Athletes, analyzed current research in the practice of autoregulation in strength training for high school athletes.  At the time (2022) only seven peer-reviewed articles addressed the topic, and many of the study participants were adult novice athletes.  I have constructed my own autoregulation system and implemented it in practice, and I would like to compare this system to traditional RPE/RIR schemes in hopes of advancing best-practices for high school athletes.

 

Olympic Lifts and Variations vs Non-Olympic Lifts in Training

There is heated debate amongst strength coaches, in particular those working with high school athletes, as to the usefulness of implementing the Olympic lifts (clean and jerk, snatch) and/or variations (power clean, power snatch, clean and press, etc.). The pros for using the lifts with high school athletes are the development of explosive power and eccentric muscle training during the catch phase, while the cons are the teaching investment as the lifts are very technical.  Most current arguments, however, are anecdotal and lack specific research.  In 2019 I obtained a USA Weightlifting Level 1 certification for the purpose of better understanding the technique and how to teach the Olympic lifts, and since I have taught cleans and variations with varied success.  I would like to further research the efficacy of implementing Olympic lifts in training for high school athletes.  Do Olympic lifts improve athletic performance in high school athletes?

 

Periodization for Sport-Specificity with Multi-Sport Athletes

Most high school athletes I work with compete in two to three sports and are in-season for most of the calendar year.  The largest group, football players, find this cumbersome to achieve adequate levels of strength and power required for success in such a physically-demanding sport.  In practice, I have implemented an annual periodization system specifically for football athletes which cycles hypertrophy, strength development, and power development synchronized with various sport seasons.  I would like to expand upon this system to apply to other sports and advance the current best-practices for working with multi-sport high school athletes.

 

Eccentric Lower-Body Training for Improving Change of Direction in Sport

As a seminar project in my MS program I studied the effects of eccentric training adaptations on change of direction (COD) ability in a single athlete.  The current research abounds with support of the bio-mechanical effects of eccentrically strengthening lower limb extensors and a positive correlation to improved COD ability, however, much is left to be researched in practice.  Does eccentric overload training improve COD ability in trained athletes?  Additionally, the impact of bilateral deficits on the direction of turn in a COD has not currently been shown to be significant.  Can eccentric training improve bilateral deficits in trained athletes?

 

Plyometric Training vs Plyometric with Resistance Training

During my MS program and my preparation for the CSCS exam I became familiar with the NSCA guidelines on plyometric exercise, including a progression from certain strength levels prior to implementing plyometrics.  Interactions with sport coaches and observations of social media provide ample evidence of this practice not being adhered to.  In untrained populations, does plyometric training alone improve athletic performance (measured via vertical jump, COD, acceleration) as well as plyometric training coupled with standard resistance training?  Secondly, how does a baseline level of strength via resistance training prior to beginning plyometric training effect these outcomes?


The decision to apply

First, the decision to spend a lot of money on furthering my own education when I have a daughter who will be an undergraduate in a few years was not taken lightly.  Further, once I committed to moving forward, I had to find the right program.  I work full-time as a high school math teacher, and I coach three varsity sports.  I also teach two evenings per week as an adjunct professor.  I did all of these things while completing my master's degrees, so I was not concerned with added workload.  The first concern was flexibility and timing of the program.

I researched all local universities, including a visit with one.  I wanted to apply to two, but one told me they were experiencing faculty turnover and were not taking on new PhD students in the department this year.  I also researched the online program at Concordia University, Chicago (CUC), where I completed my MS in Exercise Science.  I enjoyed my experience there, and I value the degree and knowledge gained.  I also researched one other online program.  In the end, I applied to three programs, and decided that the program at CUC was the best fit.  

The application process was straight-forward, but writing the personal statement was a valuable experience.  The personal statement made me clarify what I wanted to learn, why I wanted to learn it, and what I want to research.  The clarity helped me to align my goals with the program I chose, as well as confirm my desire to move forward with the process.  

Once I applied to three programs, I continued to research reputations and prospective post-doctoral work.  All three had pros and cons, but in the end my desire is to learn more in the field and contribute to research.  This can happen anywhere if one invests the time and work.  All told, I considered seven different universities and programs, applied to three, was accepted to all three, but chose the program that fit my needs the best.  

My Why

Thanks for navigating to my blog!  What is this and why am I writing it?  Further, who am I?

I'm a mid-40s educator and coach, and last year I decided to finally pursue my PhD in Exercise Science, also known as Human Performance at some universities.  Before you ask, "aren't you too old to start a PhD program?", let me provide you with the final convincing argument that led me to apply: in a few years I will be 50 years old; and I can either be a 50 with a PhD, or 50 without.  My WHY is not just a title and some letters after my name (I have several already: MS, MS, MA, CSCS, USAW-1), but there is a need for research into best-practices for high school athletes, and I have several research topics I hope to explore (see next blog post).  

I hope that maybe this blog will provide some advice or guidance for others in similar situations.  And, possibly, make some connections to those who would like to collaborate in research.  If you want to know more about me, keep reading.


About me: 

As an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, I fell in love with academia and knew someday I wanted to return to higher education.  I entered K-12 education in my early 20s and now in my mid-40s, I am looking at the proverbial "next phase" of my career.  It is likely several years off, but when I leave K-12 teaching full-time I want to be involved in research and teaching at the university level.  I have been an adjunct professor since 2019, and I enjoy working with undergraduates.  

I am passionate about learning, as evidenced by my three master's degrees (athletic administration, mathematics, and exercise science).  Coaching is also my driving force, and my role as a strength coach is what drove me to learn more about exercise science.  My degree program at Concordia University, Chicago, opened my eyes to an entire world of research and practical applications of human performance.  I obtained a CSCS from NSCA and continue to read every journal article each month. I also consume daily podcasts related to exercise science research.  In short, I want to be involved in this research realm and contribute to the field of exercise science.



Course 2: Research Design

  I officially feel like a PhD student after undertaking this course.  The "big picture" is starting to come together, if you will...