Kinesiology grad students, ROTC cadets collaborate to develop training
Monday, May 6, 2024
Kinesiology graduate students and UIC ROTC cadets worked together for more than 18 months to develop physical and mental skills and prepare for the cadets’ summer training.
The kinesiology students, enrolled in the Performance, Sports and Exercise Psychology concentration, were led by Annmarie Chizewski, KN instructor and assistant director of experiential learning.
They conducted regular psychological skills workshops and physical training sessions to improve the cadets’ mental fitness. Workshops included lessons on breathwork, grounding techniques, flexible attention and communication.
The collaboration concluded April 2 with a campus-wide scavenger hunt and exercise circuit for the cadets, designed and facilitated by the kinesiology students and ROTC cadre.
The cadets improved their ability to cope under pressure and stress, learning different strategies and how to apply them effectively, said Major J. Yul Heredia, assistant professor of military science.
“The sessions also helped cadets with shyness and improved performance anxiety to become more active and vocal participants in group work,” said Heredia.
The kinesiology students gained hands-on experience working with tactical athletes — military personnel, firefighters, police officers and other first responders — creating programs with the high-performance standards of this population in mind.
“In traditional athletics, the stakes are: you win or you lose,” said Chizewski. “But working with tactical athletes is more than just winning and losing. The men and women who choose to serve face physical and cognitive demands on a regular basis.”
Recruiters from the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness program observed the workshops and discussed potential careers with the KN students. Matthew Dorey ’17 BS, ’24 MS KN landed a full-time job with the Army as a master resilience trainer, performance expert.
“The time I spent working with ROTC played a pivotal role in developing my interest in working with military populations,” said Dorey.
The ROTC cadre was incredible in making space for our program's involvement. This has been one of my favorite consulting experiences here at UIC, and I am honored to continue my work with the members of our Armed Forces.
Next year, Chizewski plans to expand the partnership to include KN undergrads. Students will work under her supervision to develop a strength and conditioning program for the cadets to help them prepare for the Army Combat Fitness Test.
Chizewski’s background as a certified strength and conditioning coach and previous work with the Illinois Fire Service Institute will help the students lead PT sessions and develop the cadets’ own coaching skills.
“We hope to continue and build upon the sessions next year,” Heredia said, including “physical training that allows cadets to operate in immersive scenarios that require collaboration.”
Expanded programming will benefit KN students too.
“Our students are getting to experience how rewarding working with tactical populations can be,” said Chizewski.