GAINS students received a tour of the strength and conditioning facilities of the Fitzgerald Field House.
Faculty from the University of Pittsburgh Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition joined forces with Department of Athletics staff to bring the world of Pitt sports medicine to participants of the Girls Advancing in STEM (GAINS) conference. Hosted at Carnegie Mellon University in November, the GAINS conference was a three-day event that brought together high school girls from across the United States to meet with STEM role models and professionals.
Sports Medicine Program Director Mary Murray and Athletic Training Program Director Amy Aggelou coordinated interactive sessions at the Pitt football practice facility, known as the Duratz Athletic Complex, and the Neuromuscular Research Lab (NMRL) on Pittsburgh’s South Side.
Behind the Scenes at Pitt Football
Ada Weiss, assistant athletic trainer for Pitt football, led participants through a behind-the-scenes tour of the sports medicine facilities at the Duratz Athletic Complex, giving them an insider's view of the day-to-day operations that support athletes at the University of Pittsburgh. Participants also had the opportunity to try out tools and techniques of the trade. From practicing with vacuum splints (used to splint fractures before transporting to a hospital) to testing their skills in balance exercises, these young women got a taste of the challenges and rewards of athletic training.
Pitt Athletic Trainer Ada Weiss gives participants a tour of the outdoor football practice facility.
Participants were able to take part in functional balance training activities.
Participants trying their hand at vacuum splints.
Research at the NMRL
At the NMRL, students had the chance to experience the research side of sports medicine, led by NMRL researchers Assistant Professor Kristen Koltun, Project Manager Kelly Mroz and PhD student Jennifer Forse. This research team gave high school students a look into the importance of research in sports medicine.
The girls explored topics like bone density and body composition, gaining insight into how these factors are critical for both athletic performance and overall health. In addition to the tour, participants had the unique opportunity to try their hand at some of the lab’s research testing equipment, experiencing firsthand the role of technology in sports medicine research. Throughout the tour, the students were engaged in learning how these measurements are used in research for athletes and the military.
At the Neuromuscular Research Laboratory, a GAINS participant tries out the isometric strength assessment equipment.
Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition Assistant Professor Kristen Koltun explains the different research projects at the NMRL.
One of the GAINS students trying out the force-plate.
Pitt’s Sports Nutrition Fueling Station and Olympic Sports Practice Facilities
Sports Science Program Associate Professor Katelyn Allison coordinated tours and hands-on demonstrations at the Fitzgerald Field House, home to the Pitt Sports Nutrition Fueling Station and Olympic Sports Practice Facilities, where several teams practice and receive strength and conditioning coaching.
The Pitt Athletic Department’s Stephanie Mock, assistant athletic director for Sports Performance, and Aaron Duvall, director of Olympic Sports Strength and Conditioning, led a discussion on the integration of sports science and technology into sports performance. They also gave demonstrations of the technology used within Pitt Athletics including wearable sensors that track various metrics, such as player speed, acceleration and workload, and force plates that provide measures of explosive power and neuromuscular fatigue during a countermovement jump.
Pitt Athletic Department Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Performance Stephanie Mock demonstrats the use of wearable technology with GAINS students.
Casey Meinert, sports dietitian fellow, provided a tour of the Pitt Fueling Station and led a discussion about the sports dietetics profession, goals of the sports nutrition program within Pitt Athletics and resources for those interested in sports nutrition. Overall, these young women were able to experience first-hand how a collaborative team works together to optimize the health and performance of elite athletes.
Sports Dietitian Fellow Casey Meinert provided a tour of the Pitt Fueling Station within the Fitzgerald Field House.
GAINS students learned about goals of the Pitt Sports Nutrition program and about the profession of sports dietetics.