Official Publication of the United States Sports Academy Alumni Association Vol. 38, No. 1 Spring 2016 Academy Founding President Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich Steps Down after 43 Years Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich, the founding in 1972, the Academy has conferred almost President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of 5,000 sport-specific degrees to its students. The the Academy, stepped down from his position at Academy has also touched the lives of count- the helm of the institution that he founded and less thousands of others working in the sport served since 1972. In their Annual Meeting held profession through its certification and diploma on Friday, 6 November 2015, the Academy’s programs that are largely delivered abroad. The Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of Academy remains the only free-standing region- Rosandich and concurrently voted to name him ally accredited sports university in the country. as President Emeritus. In the role of President Rosandich has had a long and storied career Emeritus, Rosandich will remain engaged with in the profession of sport dating to the early the institution focusing on fundraising, alumni Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich 1950s. During this time, he embarked upon a affairs, the Academy’s Award of Sport program career as a coach in football and track and field, and international relations. in four disciplines in 2004. The Academy cur- an avocation that eventually had him named to In the same meeting, the Trustees voted Dr. rently enrolls approximately 900 students at all the Helms Track and Field Hall of Fame. As a Thomas J. Rosandich, the former Vice President degree levels, the vast majority of these pursu- sports administrator, he has served as an ath- and Chief Operating Officer, to succeed Dr. ing their course work through online distance letic director within the University of Wisconsin Thomas P. Rosandich as the President and CEO learning. Since the founding of the institution system and then as President of the Academy of the Academy (see page 4). for more than 43 years. His contributions The Academy was founded as a special- to worldwide sports also earned him rec- mission institution of sport offering mas- ognition from the Emir of Bahrain who ter’s degrees in Sports Medicine, Sports conferred upon him the “Order of Bahrain Coaching and Sports Management. Over the – First Class” for his efforts in build- years, additional disciplines of study, such ing that nation’s first international caliber as Recreation Management, Sports Exercise sports programs. Rosandich also received Science and Sports Studies were added the International Olympic Committee’s to the curriculum. The Academy received (IOC) “Olympic Order” for his work as its initial accreditation from the Southern a member of the IOC’s Commission for Association of Colleges and Schools Olympic Education and Culture, work also Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) in recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee 1983 at the master’s degree level. The The first two Academy graduates in 1979 were Carmen (USOC) with their “USOC President’s Charnook-Cellon (left center), whose first job was as Academy went on to receive accreditation an Athletic Trainer for the U.S. Secret Service, and Viki Award.” for its Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree Ray (right), who became the Head Athletic Trainer for A highly regarded track coach, his ath- in Sports Management in 1996 and for a Women’s Sports Teams at Louisiana State University. Also letes included numerous Olympic and world shown are Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich (left) and University of Bachelor of Sports Science (B.S.S.) degree South Alabama President Dr. Frederick Whiddon. record holders (continued on next page). IN THIS ISSUE Academy President Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich Steps Down ..................................... 2-3 President’s Column .............................................................................. 4 American Sport Art Museum and Archives .......................................................5 Awards of Sport ................................................................................6-9 International Outreach ......................................................................10-11 Alumni Achievements .......................................................................12-13 Tom Brady Serena Williams Male Athlete of the Year People, Places and Programs ................................................................14-15 Female Athlete of the Year Page 7 Page 7 FOUNDING ACADEMY PRESIDENT STEPS DOWN THE ACADEMY BOARD OF TRUSTEES (continued from cover) Among these were Bob Mathias, an Olympic Champion and world record Mr. Robert C. Campbell III, holder decathlete, Josh Culbreath, a world record Chairman, Mobile, AL holder in the 400 meter hurdles, Al Cantello in Dr. Robert S. Block, Reno, NV the javelin, and Bob Gutowski in the pole vault. Mr. Tom Cafaro, Dudley, MA Gutowski was first in a succession of four world Dr. Milly Cowles, Fairhope, AL record holders in the pole vault, a group that Ms. Joan Cronan, Knoxville, TN included John Uelses who was the first person to go over 16 feet. Also at that time, the world was Dr. Gary Cunningham, Santa Barbara, CA transfixed by the duel between Roger Bannister and Dr. Lee McElroy Jr., Troy, NY Wes Santee to see who would be the first to break Dr. Linda Moore, Unionville, CT the four-minute barrier in the mile. While Bannister Dr. Monica Motley, Mobile, AL won the duel, Santee was the best middle distance runner in the U.S. at the time and was a mainstay in Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich (left), the Head Track and Field Dr. Marino Niccolai, Mobile, AL Coach of the Quantico Marines, is pictured with the best Dr. T.J. Rosandich, Fairhope, AL Rosandich’s stable of athletes. mile relay team in the U.S. in 1956, including (from left to Recognizing his talents as a coach, the U.S. State right) Wes Santee (Kansas), Everett Trader (Occidental), Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich, Daphne, AL Department appointed him as a Sports Ambassador Bill Taylor (USC) and Cordell Brown (Utah State). Mr. Jack Scharr, St. Louis, MO and tasked him with using sport as a vehicle for elevating America’s relationship with nations throughout the world. This Mr. Joseph Szlavik, Washington, D.C. was an appointment that would eventually take him to 43 nations and helped lay the foundation for much of the work Mr. Peter Tichansky, New York, NY that the Academy would undertake in later years. While his first stop was the Kingdom of Laos, the first national team he Dr. Don C. Wukasch, Austin, TX took to an international competition was Malaya - which was eventually to become Malaysia. The Academy still works in Malaysia to this day. MISSION STATEMENT: Following his assignment for the State Department, Rosandich, then an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, served as The United States Sports Academy is the All-Marine Coach and founded the Marine Corps Schools Relays at Quantico, Va., which became one of the premier an independent, non-profit, regionally accredited, special mission sports events on the track and field circuit in the mid-1950s. Following a successful coaching career with the Corps, Rosandich university created to serve the nation and returned to Southeast Asia where he was appointed the world with programs in instruction, as the National Track and Field Coach for Indonesia. research and service. The role of the While in Djakarta, Rosandich spent four years develop- Academy is to prepare men and women for careers in the profession of sports. ing the Indonesian national teams and preparing them for both the Asian and Olympic Games. During his ten- ACCREDITATION ure as the Indonesian coach, combined with his earlier The United States Sports Academy is experience in a number of nations in the region from his regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools State Department days, he recognized the need for these Commission on Colleges to award teams to receive more seasoning in international compe- baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral tition in order to successfully compete against the pow- degrees. Contact the Commission on erhouses of Japan and Korea. Thus Rosandich played a Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich (bottom row, center right) pivotal role in the establishment of the Southeast Asian Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 and R. Maladi (bottom row, center left), Indonesia’s for questions about the accreditation of the Minister of Youth and Sports, pose for a picture with Games, a quadrennial event that also continues to this United States Sports Academy. members of the 1962 Indonesia track and field team. day. Political turmoil in Indonesia caused him to leave his post there. Upon returning to the U.S., Rosandich founded The United States Sports Academy accepts students regardless of race, religion, age, Olympia Sport Village in Upson, Wis. At the time, Olympia was the only dedicated all-season sports camp in the nation. gender, disability or nationtal origin. Individual athletes and sports teams from throughout the U.S. would make an annual trek to the north woods of Wisconsin to hone their skills under a very fine coaching staff drawn from colleges and universities throughout the country. These coaches also served as clinicians in the annual coaching clinics organized by Rosandich with the objective of instilling professional skills in the coaching profession. Many of these skills he learned from observing coaches from the Eastern Bloc nations of the Soviet Union and East Germany during his tenure in Indonesia.