FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Safe and Effective Sports Instruction is Second Nature to Rutgers University Professor

RESTON, VA, November 10, 2010 – Need to know how to teach soccer, basketball or 20 other sport and recreational activities? Ask Rutgers University professor Neil J. Dougherty! A professor in Rutgers' Department of Exercise Science and Sport Studies, Dougherty is quite knowledgeable about skill instruction, safe and effective practice techniques and game strategies. As the editor of the sixth edition of the publication Physical Activity & Sport for the Secondary School Student, he has been studying the mechanics and teaching of aerobic fitness, archery, badminton, basketball, climbing and challenge courses, cycling, dance, golf, inline skating, lacrosse, pickleball, soccer, softball, speedball, swimming, tennis, track & field, tumbling, volleyball, water polo and weight training since the book's first edition in 1977.

"Like the greater world around it, physical activity and sport in secondary school is in a constant state of flux," says Dr. Dougherty. "Whether it's because of changes in game rules, changes in preferred techniques, changes in curricula or changes in funding levels, the one thing that physical education teachers can count on is having to struggle to keep up with what and how they should be teaching."

This edition of Physical Activity & Sport makes that struggle less daunting. Teachers, students and teacher educators will find the latest in skill instruction, practice techniques and game strategies, all backed by research. They also will find reams of hands-on tools – assessments, lesson plans, practice drills and safety guidelines - on the CD-ROM that accompanies the book.

"Perhaps best of all," says Dr. Dougherty, "readers will find the tips, tricks and insights that the book's authors have accumulated over the many, many years that they've been teaching these sports and activities."

"NASPE is proud to offer this updated practical resource to the professionals who dedicate their careers to serving the physical activity needs of our nation's young people," says Charlene R. Burgeson, executive director of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), publishers of Physical Activity & Sport. "Every child and youth needs a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity every day and this publication will help physical education teachers, Y instructors and other physical activity professionals to help make that happen."

A nationally recognized speaker and author on the topics of safety and law in sport and physical activity, Dr. Dougherty teaches sport and the law, risk management in exercise science and sport, and risk management in sport administration. He has more than 30 years of experience consulting for attorneys, insurance groups and professional organizations on issues related to liability and safety in sport. In addition, Dr. Dougherty has written or edited eight textbooks, including Sport, Physical Activity and the Law, Principles of Safety in Physical Education and Sport, Contemporary Approaches to the Teaching of Physical Education, and Outdoor Recreation Safety.

He has received 20 major professional awards, including Honor Awards from the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (2006) and the American Association for Active Lifestyles and Fitness (2005). In 2000, he was named a Charter Fellow of the prestigious North American Society of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport and Dance. A member of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), he is also a past president of the New Jersey Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (NJAHPERD). 

Learn how to teach these sports and activities with the help of Physical Activity & Sport for the Secondary School Student. Order online or call 1-800-321-0789. Stock number is 304-10463, $48 for NASPE/AAHPERD members; $69 for non-members.

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Contact:
Paula Kun
pkun@aahperd.org
703-476-3461

The preeminent national authority on physical education and a recognized leader in sport and physical activity, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is a non-profit professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport. NASPE’s 15,000 members include: K-12 physical education teachers, coaches, administrators, researchers, and college/university faculty who prepare professionals in these areas. NASPE seeks to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high-quality physical education, sport and physical activity programs. It is the largest of the five national associations that make up the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD). For more information, visit www.naspeinfo.org.

AAHPERD, an alliance of five national associations, six district associations, and a Research Consortium, provides its members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support, and programs to help practitioners improve their skills to further the health and well-being of the American public. It is the largest organization of professionals involved in physical education, recreation, fitness, dance, health promotion and all specialties related to achieving an active, healthy lifestyle. AAHPERD serves 20,000 members and has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia, 25 miles west of Washington DC. To learn more, visit www.aahperd.org.