Does an athlete’s spiritual identity affect his or her performance?

That is one of the questions that Ryan Shawan researched in his pursuit of a master’s degree in Sport and Exercise Leadership. Shawan will present his research addressing this question at the Physical Education and Exercise Science Department’s colloquium on Saturday, June 5th. He will be joined by Lynnea Bergstrom and 13 more graduate students from SPU’s Sport and Exercise Leadership program.

Shawan developed his project under the supervision of Physical Education professor Bob Weathers. “I'm treating this study as a pilot study that serves as a precursor to future doctoral work,” he explains. “Spirituality in sport, while largely unstudied, serves as a natural unification of humanity’s three most distinguishing characteristics — the human mind, body, and soul. Exploring the relation between spirituality and sport may not only reveal unknown aspects of human performance but may also uncover intricacies of the human condition.”

Shawan plans to pursue a career in sports performance coaching before moving into athletic administration at the university level.

Lynnea Bergstrom is focusing on the influence of goal-setting and visualization on skill acquisition. With JoAnn Atwell-Scrivner acting as her project advisor, Bergstrom worked with the Ballard High School Gymnastics Team through their Spring season, studying their methods and progress.

“I did a pre- and post- survey as well as four weekly surveys,” she says. “Each Monday the girls set specific skill goals, and Fridays they reported on what goals they accomplished. Then I recorded their progress over the season with attendance, motivation, and visualization skills and am tracking that with their scores during the competitive season.”

This experience will inform Bergstrom’s next adventure. “I’m interested in recreation as a medium for leadership development. I recently took the position of Recreation and New Ministry Development Manager at SAMBICA Camp and Conference Center on Lake Sammamish, which will start in September. My interest in sport and the skill set of goal-setting influences my work in camp ministry.”

The colloquium presentations, a prerequisite for graduation, are an all-day event, including breakfast and a keynote speaker.

For more information, contact the Physical Education and Exercise Science front desk (206/281-2081) or Ivonne McClurg (206/281-2391).