Nicole Entrup graduated from Clemson University in December 2021 with a major in Recreational Therapy and a minor in Nonprofit Leadership from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. Throughout her time at Clemson, she focused her coursework and field experiences on the power of adaptive sports as a therapeutic tool to support individuals with physical disabilities. Her studies allowed her to explore how sport fosters not just physical recovery, but also social connection, resilience and purpose.
How have you utilized your major/concentration in sports to help your career?
Nicole Entrup in front of the Wounded Warrior Project building
Since graduating, I’ve dedicated my career to leveraging the therapeutic and empowering nature of sport to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical disabilities, especially service members. I first served as an Adaptive Sports Coordinator for the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program, supporting athletes on their journey to the Warrior Games. I later transitioned to a clinical setting at the Center for the Intrepid, where I collaborated with nonprofit partners to design sport-based interventions aligned with patient goals. Many of these patients had experienced limb loss, burns or nerve damage. In this role, I created and led an adaptive sports program focused on improving functional movement, promoting camaraderie and helping individuals rediscover a sense of purpose. My foundation in recreational therapy was instrumental in understanding how to intentionally use sport as a tool for healing and growth.
What is your current role and where are you located?
I currently serve as an Adaptive Sports Specialist for Wounded Warrior Project, based out of San Antonio, Texas. My primary focus is programming within the Central U.S., though I travel nationwide to coordinate single-day and multi-day adaptive sports clinics. These events introduce or advance participants’ skills in a variety of sports from outdoor recreation like kayaking and fishing to competitive team sports like wheelchair basketball, sled hockey and sitting volleyball. I work closely with external partners to deliver meaningful experiences that promote physical wellness, build social connection, and strengthen each warrior’s sense of identity and purpose after injury.
What has your journey been like since graduating from Clemson?
My post-grad journey began almost immediately as I accepted a job with the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program just two days after graduation. I returned to San Antonio where I had interned at Morgan’s Sports during my undergrad. As I’ve moved through different roles from clinical and community-based, to now nonprofit, I’ve stayed rooted in the belief that sport is a powerful tool for transformation. I credit much of that perspective to mentors like Dr. Jasmine Townsend, who helped me see how sport can be used with intention to help individuals reclaim independence and reimagine their futures.
What advice would you give to future Brooks Scholars as they approach post-grad?
I challenge future scholars to stay grounded in the belief that sport has the power to change lives, and let that belief guide your next steps. Always be curious and committed to learning, not just in the classroom, but out in the field where sport meets real-world challenges. Seek out experiences that push you to grow, whether that’s through hands-on practice, conferences, collaborations or taking on new responsibilities.
Additionally, never underestimate the value of building genuine connections. The relationships you form, whether with peers, mentors or program participants, will open doors and shape your path in unexpected ways. Finally, when you lead with passion and keep the focus on creating impact through sport, you’ll be prepared to make a meaningful difference wherever you land.
Photos by Josh Wilson, August 2024, Women’s Golf, The Walker Course, Clemson University
Women’s Golf Month is celebrated throughout June each year. This June, we celebrate Clemson Women’s Golf which has a strong history of elite performance and camaraderie with the academics at Clemson University.
Over the years, various faculty at Clemson have studied the science behind the game and its players.
Faculty from Clemson University’s Department of Bioengineering, including Interim Director of the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute, John DesJardins, Ph.D., have studied ‘balance improvements and golf swing kinematic consistency with eight-week balance interventions.’ The purpose of the study, conducted in 2020, was to determine if a training program targeted specifically at balance could enhance players’ overall performance by improving postural stability and swing consistency. After studying eight NCAA Division I players, it was determined that balance training would enhance posture but, while no negative effects were measured, swing consistency did not improve. Another benefit of the study showed the importance of conducting research to help coaches and players understand both the positive and negative effects of their training programs and to potentially make modifications based on that data. While the original study was conducted with male golfers, its conclusions can be applied across teams. Click here to read the full article in the Journal of Sports Research.
Another Clemson faculty member, Gregory Cranmer, Ph.D., from the Department of Communication and fellow of the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute, has studied ‘female golfer’s uncertainty management during their transition into professional golf.’ The 2020 study offers potential strategies for collegiate organizations and professional associations to prepare student-athletes for the uncertain transition into professional golf.
On August 28-29, the Tiger Golf Gathering (TGG) Foundation will host the 2025 Tiger Golf Gathering in Clemson, an annual fundraising event that benefits the Clemson Golf program. The event features a Thursday Open at The Walker Course and Auction Party in the afternoon at the Madren Conference Center and Inn. Friday morning features the Tiger-Am at The Cliffs at Keowee Springs. Meet current and former Tigers and bid on some amazing items to support your Clemson golfers. Sponsorships and online donations are also available.
Click here to learn more about Clemson’s sports science faculty.
Ahead of Clemson’s week one game against Georgia last August, there was the same nostalgic buzz in the air as there always is when the border rivals meet. After more than a century of football, the teams had built up quite the reputation. However, a special account chronicling the two teams’ history was nearly lost to time – if it weren’t for two Clemson students’ determination ahead of the 2024 matchup.
The story begins back in 2013 when author T. Kyle King published Fighting Like Cats and Dogs. King grew up a Georgia fan, living in Atlanta and attending school in Athens. After school, he became a co-host of The Dawg Show and, eventually, of Dawg Sports, reporting on all things Georgia Athletics.
In his writing, King highlights the biggest moments of the Clemson and Georgia football rivalry. He begins in 1977, a time in which he says, “there was no more closely contested or nationally significant rivalry in college football” than the one between the border neighbors, and extends all the way through the 2003 season. After that, the teams did not meet for a decade.
Sounds interesting, right? There’s just one problem – its publishing came to a halt in 2021.
For a book that “always sold well” according to Allison Mero, director of Clemson University Press since 2017, King’s was gone at an inconvenient time: the beginning of the Clemson vs. Georgia series that occurred in 2021 and 2024.
The Reprint
Mero put the book’s reprinting on University Press’ back burner until the spring of 2024. However, she later discovered the problem was more complex than it going out of print.
First, there was no backlist on file for the book allowing for online production of the text. Second, although most books in modern publishing are created in Adobe InDesign, there were no previous InDesign files.
O’Keefe’s redesign included creating a cover which accurately reflected the contents, selecting a new font and sizing it to increase the overall thickness and readability of the book.
With these issues combined, a forced manual reprint was necessary.
Two Clemson students helped with the book’s revival: Mars O’Keefe, a junior Art major, and Yana Gudakova, an editorial assistant studying both English and Spanish Language and Literature. O’Keefe updated the cover while Gudakova retyped the book, something she did with no prior typeset experience. The press staff then reviewed it after the typeset was complete.
Typesetting was done through optic character recognition (OCR), a feature provided through Adobe Acrobat. The technology converts scanned images and text into editable files much quicker than arduously retyping an entire 248-page book.
The entire operation was no easy task but, because of the team’s hard work, the book was reprinted and released before the Clemson versus Georgia game last August in Atlanta. For O’Keefe and Gudakova, it was a semester-long project requiring dedication and countless hours of work. For Mero, it was a chance to preserve the legacy of Clemson.
“The press is small but mighty – our mission is to publish high quality scholarship and publish books that need to be published, regardless of how many sell,” she said. Her goal is “professionalizing CU Press and trying to make books more available and discoverable.”
The press is an institution within the Clemson Library but technically is its own entity. Therefore, Mero says she is not a librarian, rather a historian.
As a historian, she considers herself “an interpreter of facts.” After reading King’s work, Mero decided the content was fairly unbiased and worthy of publishing. It was not heavily skewed towards either team and presents more like a recounting of games than an opinion.
“It taps into the people who have been fans for decades,” she said. “That’s who this book is for. It’s for getting the legacy right.”
Author T. Kyle King
King spent time on both campuses while writing, making sure to emphasize successes from both sides of the rivalry. His research included a brief meeting with ex-head coach Danny Ford, which King appreciated.
“While I was introduced to the rivalry as a Georgia partisan, I spent a great deal of time at Clemson doing research for the book,” he said.
“I have a great deal of respect for the Clemson community and I tried very hard to do justice to both sides. Particularly in light of the fact that there was a time when conference expansion threatened to end this rivalry, I am strongly encouraged to know that current students recognize the ongoing vitality of the rivalry and want to make certain others are aware of it, as well.”
King no longer writes for Dawg Sports. He stopped around the time of his book release, putting down the pen and paper to work as a senior partner for a law firm in Atlanta. Although no longer actively writing, the reprinting of King’s novel has him both “humble and grateful that this important aspect of history has been preserved.”
While the Bulldogs enjoy a modern level of success to compete with the 1980s, King has no regrets about leaving the press box.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time working in that arena, but I left because I thought it was time to go, and I haven’t looked back,” he said.
“Again, I’m grateful to everyone who stepped in to fill whatever void I may have left, and they’re doing a wonderful job in all of those areas, so I haven’t had any reason to wonder about what might have been.”
Clemson University Press was instrumental in maintaining such a beloved piece of Clemson’s history. “We’re just glad that it’s going to be available,” Mero said.
The book can be purchased on Clemson University Press’ website, where it is currently the best-selling title, while the opportunity for an e-book is still forthcoming.
For King, he got his wish in the end: seeing a piece of Tiger versus Bulldog history become available once again.
“The great thing about college football is that so many people are so passionate about it that they leave behind a lasting record of their heritage and intensity, which especially comes to life in the local press and the student newspapers from the period,” he said.
“There is an old saying that journalism is the first draft of history, and in this case, it really is true.”
As summer begins, the Robert H. Brooks Sport Science Institute is excited to introduce the two interns who will be assisting the Institute throughout the summer. Meet Evelyn Lane and Maria Pocorobba, who bring a mix of returning knowledge and new ideas to the summer team.
Evelyn Lane
Evelyn Lane, senior marketing major and Spanish minor from Piedmont, South Carolina, is the Institute’s communications lead this summer. She will format and enhance sports science content, promoting the RHBSSI mission through social channels. She will also help develop and write content for the Institute’s Sports Insight blog.
“I am so happy to be returning to the Institute to continue to promote the sports research and newest developments of Clemson faculty, staff and students,” Lane said. “I am also so excited to improve my writing and communication skills through creating articles for the Sports Insight blog.”
Evelyn has previously worked as an account manager and brand strategist with Cadency, Clemson’s student-led agency, and is a returning intern with the RHBSSI from the Spring 2025 semester. She is excited to take her experience from the past semester and continue to help grow the Institute’s social media presence, and is eager to work with her fellow intern and see what they can accomplish.
Maria Pocorobba
Maria Pocorobba, senior communications major and minor in business and brand communication from Albany, New York, is the Institute’s content creator this summer. She will be assisting with strategizing, writing and designing content for the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute to help communicate effectively with their audiences and promote upcoming events and initiatives.
“I am excited to continue combining my passion for design with sports, and gain more hands-on experience creating engaging visuals that bring RHBSSI’s mission to life and connect with the campus community,” Pocorobba said.”I am excited to bring my creative background and skills to RHBSSI this summer!”
She interned with the Brooke T Smith Launchpad as an Analyst in Residence, was a Creative Designer for Cadency, and is a Graphic Design intern for Clemson Athletics. In these roles, she creates social media content, branding elements, and promotional materials.
In 2025, Clemson’s Headgear Impact Performance (CHIP) Lab continues pushing boundaries in helmet safety research, making significant progress through innovative, student-engaged projects. Led by Dr. John DesJardins, professor of bioengineering and interim director of the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute (RHBSSI), and Dr. Greg Batt, associate professor of packaging science and faculty fellow of RHBSSI, the lab focuses on enhancing how protective headgear is tested and developed, particularly for high-impact sports like football. The goal: bring greater accuracy and real-world relevance to helmet testing systems to better protect athletes from concussions and traumatic brain injuries.
In recent years, the team received a patent for their novel testing method and a Technology Maturation Grant from the Clemson University Research Foundation (CURF), the technology transfer and innovation office for Clemson, to make a benchtop testing machine that they can market. Within just the first few months of 2025, Clemson students achieved the publication of three research articles (featured at the bottom of this post) showcasing this momentum. Much of the content was centered around improvements to testing equipment, especially the crash test dummy.
Anthony Marino working in the CHIP Lab
One significant contribution came from the lab’s involvement in a collaborative, multi-site study comparing two standard neck models used in helmet testing, one produced by Humanetics and the other by Jasti Co., both manufacturers of anthropometric test devices (ATDs). Although both neck forms meet federal safety standards, little has been done to compare their performance under sports-specific conditions. Working alongside the University of Southern Mississippi, Clemson Ph.D. student Anthony Marino conducted impact tests with each neck form and found subtle, yet meaningful, differences in how the head accelerated and moved. These insights are critical, especially for labs that standardize results across different testing setups.
Building on this, the student-engaged team set out to improve how realistic and reliable these test dummies are. Many commonly used models, like the Hybrid III, were initially designed for car crash testing, not the unpredictable, multi-directional impacts seen in sports. To address this, the Clemson group experimented with modifications to the dummy’s neck, adjusting cable stiffness and accounting for asymmetrical design features. Even minor tweaks led to significant changes in how the head moved during impact, offering a deeper understanding of how minor variations can influence helmet safety data. These findings help fine-tune testing protocols to reflect real-world conditions on the field.
Madysn Cardinal (left) and Anthony Marino (right)
Meanwhile, a separate research group took testing innovation even further by designing a new method for future concussion research. Led by Ph.D. student Madysn Cardinal, they developed and validated an inverted testing fixture, essentially flipping the dummy upside down to better simulate the effects of brain fluid movement during impacts. This setup could be especially valuable when using cadaveric specimens to study how cerebrospinal fluid and blood shift in response to trauma. After running a full comparison between the inverted and traditional upright test methods, they found strong alignment in critical measurements like angular velocity and linear acceleration. This confirmed the new system’s reliability and potential to support more advanced brain injury studies.
Now with the Technology Maturation Grant from CURF, the team is working to turn their initial patent claims into a working prototype. They are focused on developing a new testing setup specifically designed to evaluate the safety of faceguards, a critical but often overlooked component of protective sports gear. A new Clemson Master’s students will play a key role in advancing this project, gaining hands-on experience while pushing innovation forward in the field of sports science.
Together, these projects highlight Clemson’s growing role as a leader in sports safety research. By challenging outdated standards, refining testing tools and fostering cross-lab collaboration, the CHIP Lab is redefining how we evaluate helmet performance. The CHIP Lab deeply engages its graduate and undergraduate student members, gaining hands-on experience while directly contributing to the future of athlete protection. With continued leadership from Dr. DesJardins, Dr. Batt and support from the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute, Clemson is helping make sports safer, one carefully measured impact at a time.
Check out these recent publications from Spring 2025:
Marino AP, Jesunathadas M, Landry T, Piland SG, DesJardins JD, Batt GS. Comparison of dynamic performance of Jasti and Humanetics neckforms with an inter-lab validation. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1177/17543371241312829
Cardinal MD, Marino AP, DesJardins JD, Batt G. Development and validation of inverted head form orientation for helmet testing using a pneumatic linear impact system. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1177/17543371241309998
Marino AP, Cardinal MD, Garrison A, Batt GS, DesJardins JD. Effects of varied stiffness and design asymmetry of neck anthropometric test devices on quasi-static and dynamic loading response to football head impacts. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1177/17543371251322217
An early morning photo of the pasture outside of Clemson’s Equine Center from the Center’s website
Leona Ransdell
RHBSSI staff fellow, Leona Ransdell, leads 4-H Equine programming for youth at Clemson University. The South Carolina 4-H Program is participating in and hosting a number of events this summer for equestrians, young and old, from the Special Olympics Equestrian State Show to STEM workshops and more.
Ransdell and the South Carolina 4-H Equine Program work in close partnership with the Clemson University Equine Center. The goal of the Clemson University Equine Center is to be a student-centered, self-sustaining enterprise that serves as a leader in the South Carolina horse industry. The Center caters to the needs of students through various means including:
Animal and Veterinary Science classes and labs
The Clemson Equine-Assisted Therapy (CLEAT) Program
Two IHSA equestrian teams
Student employment
Graduate research opportunities
Boarding
2024 South Carolina 4-H Horse Program Southern Regional Delegation
They also take seriously their responsibility to our community. Current outreach programs include:
Summer riding camps for high school students
Educational seminars and other continued learning opportunities
Applied research on industry-relevant topics
Private sales of young horses
The South Carolina 4-H Program and the Clemson University Equine Center will be hosting and working with the following events this summer:
Special Olympics State Equestrian Show (May 30-June 1)
Hosted at Clemson’s T. Ed Garrison Arena, the Special Olympics State Equestrian Show begins with an Opening Ceremony at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 30 and ends with the Equestrian Competition at 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 1. The weekend also includes a western hoedown, pole bending and barrel competition, trail competition, stall decorating contest and more.
Click here to learn more about the Special Olympics State Equestrian Show for South Carolina.
State 4-H Horse Show (June 10-14)
Hosted by the Clemson University College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences’ Cooperative Extension program, the State 4-H Horse Show incorporates indoor and outdoor activities for all levels, rookie to senior. The event features a Parade of Counties and Opening Ceremony on Wednesday, June 11 roughly 30 minutes after the morning events.
Click here to preview the tentative schedule for the State 4-H Horse Show.
State 4-H Congress (July 8-11)
A photo from the 2024 State 4-H Congress
Hosted by the South Carolina 4-H Youth Development Program, qualified 4-H members (see website), aged 14-18 are invited to attend this year’s State 4-H Congress on Clemson University campus. The event is themed, “Beyond Our Time.” Join 4-H members from across the state as you represent your county at State 4-H Congress.
Youth will stay in the dorms, visit campus facilities and see the amazing work being done at Clemson. State 4-H Congress will celebrate the accomplishments and talents of our senior 4-H members, elect next year’s State 4-H Teen Council and provide a platform to engage in the head, heart, hands and health of 4-H through service, learning, connection and more.
Click here to learn more about the State 4-H Congress.
STEM Fest (July 19)
STEM Fest is a three-hour, community-based celebration of science, technology, engineering and math for up to 1,000 students and parents. Attendees participate in 50 hands-on stations, perform experiments, watch demonstrations and meet professionals from all different career backgrounds. Each station is manned by collegiate and professional volunteers. The upcoming event on July 19 will take place in Greenville, SC.
According to Leona, people interested in 4-H and Equine activities locally to them can reach out to their local county offices and most, if not all, offer multiple summer camps.
“For example, Newberry County has engineering camp in June, Crafty clover camp in July, Farm tour camp in July, general 4-H camp in July!” she said. “Pickens County has a Butterfly Habitat Workshop May 31 Horseless Horse Camp June 16!”
Ransdell ’12, is a Clemson Animal Science graduate passionate about horses, her community and education. She returned to Clemson in 2024 to take on her current role, which combines all of her passions into one.
“Everything we do at South Carolina 4-H and the Clemson University Equine Center is near and dear to my heart and I hope you will find one or more event this season that interests you!” said Ransdell.
For more information on youth programming at the Equine Center, contact Leona Ransdell at leona@clemson.edu. Click here to follow the Center on Facebook and click here to follow the South Carolina 4-H Livestock and Equine Program!
This April, Dr. Ashlyn Hardie, Institute fellow from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, co-led the first-ever Starting Block Accelerator in London, England with Dr. Per Svensson from Louisiana State University. This innovative initiative is the first of its kind, eliciting pioneering research in the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) sector. Funded by RHBSSI through a seed grant awarded in 2024, this research has already led to notable, practical impacts, scholarly implications and industry partnerships.
The goal of the Starting Block Accelerator is to support nonprofit leaders, and subsequently their SDP organizations and beneficiaries, regarding various aspects of capacity building. The Starting Block Accelerator’s most distinct contribution to the SDP sector and the research within sport management is that the accelerator is entirely evidence-based and designed to bridge the gap between practice and research in SDP.
Five SDP organizations joined Hardie’s crew in London for a four-day intensive workshop where grassroots leaders from around the world were flown in to participate in a research-backed capacity building accelerator. The five organizations selected were invited because they all met the following criteria: their organizations (1) are operating in the late-start-up or early-growth life cycle stages and (2) have diverse geographic locations, cultural contents and/or sports for implementation.
According to Hardie, the goal of the Starting Block is to “bring in these organizations who have been around for a couple of years and are already doing really great things. But, despite how incredible their work is, they struggle to secure resources and make ends meet. Most SDP leaders are coaches and educators in their educational and training background, so we want to support them in developing the managerial and business-oriented skill sets needed to move further into the growth and maturation life cycle stages.”
Meet the team
The SDP organizations, represented by their founders in London, included: X-SUBA, a multi-sport mechanism for youth development based in Uganda; Atoot!, a women and girls empowerment soccer organization based in Nepal; Lwandi Surf, a surf academy for local youth in Mozambique; EmpowerVan, a mobile martial arts and self defense initiative for refugees in Athens, Greece; and Free Movement Skateboarding, a skateboarding initiative for local youth participants, also based in Athens.
Accompanying Hardie, Svensson and these SDP leaders in London, was Dr. Kat Raw from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. Though unable to attend in London, Dr. Gareth Jones from Temple University is also a research affiliate of the initiative – ultimately demonstrating the vast networking and collaborative efforts of the Starting Block Accelerator. These collaborations are not just with practitioners and industry leaders but have also led to multi-institutional academic partnerships.
The workshop
After the groups arrived in London, the first workshop day focused on foundational concepts of nonprofit management in SDP. Topics included mission statements, programmatic goals and alignment, and analyzing partnerships and surrounding operational environments for their success. Participants engaged in a series of activities to help challenge, support, refine and rewrite organizational aspects as needed. Having this strong foundation in place allowed for deeper work in the following days to ensure optimal outcomes.
“Day one was very foundational stuff, like ‘Let’s go through all these things, let’s break down the structure of your organization and really understand where you might have any gaps, whatever it is, so we can focus on where to build,’” Hardie said.
Hardie (far left) with her research team and SDP founders on day two of the workshop
Day two focused on various aspects of monitoring and evaluation, analyzing how each organization collects its data and suggesting how to build strong arguments for potential stakeholders by using data to provide evidence of their outcomes to potential partners and funders. Each organizational leader was prompted through a series of activities to contemplate their own data, access to data and opportunities for data collection that could serve their need to demonstrate effectiveness of their outcomes. Consulting was provided regarding data collection, analysis and, ultimately, the storytelling necessary to turn that data into something accessible for potential partners, funders and others.
The next day involved higher-level managerial concepts, discussing various strategies for securing funding, and practical methods for accessing and digesting evidence-based research in SDP. Given the goal of this initiative is to bridge the gap between research and practice, Hardie stated, “Our aim was to help improve their capacities to conduct their own research through developing skills and knowledge on monitoring and evaluation techniques, but also to help them understand what academic research is open-access and available to them, as well as tactics for making this research digestible for practical use.”
Hardie and her team felt this was an essential part of the accelerator, to ensure their participants knew how to access notable findings on SDP organizations. According to Hardie, so many organizations are using trial and error methods on what works and what does not, because so much of scholarly research is buried behind paywalls or written in academic language that is tough to understand for non-native English speakers.
The group working on strategies for organizational improvement in London
“There’s a massive gap, specifically in sport for development, because of the paywall and then the language barrier to such an international industry,” she said. “So, what we did on that third day was really focus on translating… how are we taking research and providing it to them in a way that has no cost and is easy to access and comprehend.”
The fourth and final day focused on developing capacities for innovation within the SDP sector. The content focused on practical techniques that each group could use to be innovative in its leadership, utilize modern resources like artificial intelligence, and strategically innovative in their brand, positioning and partnerships.
To wrap up the initiative, at the end of day four, Hardie and team hosted a networking event for the five participating founders to meet with a group of industry-leading representatives from various globally renowned funding bodies in SDP.
“We set it up like a speed dating event,” said Hardie. “At the start, each of our five participants were able to give a 5-10 minute ‘elevator pitch’ for their organization to the group of funders. Then, we created a rotation of 15-minute cycles where SDP leaders could get personalized feedback from the attending funders – likely individuals who have reviewed their applications in the past or will review applications of theirs in the future.”
A “massive success”
At the end of it all, the event was a “massive success” according to Hardie. Not only did the research team gain valuable feedback and insight from the co-design element of the pilot accelerator but, practically, there were noteworthy developments seen for each organizational leader and the capacities they developed over the week. Networking across the research team, practitioner participants and industry funders was a key takeaway from the event, as it has led to new collaborations, friendships and future funding, research and applied opportunities.
“It was really collaborative and the participants all became seemingly real friends over the course of a few days. It was really special to watch,” she said. “I think, from a positive culture and facilitation standpoint, it was a massive success. But, also from an outcome standpoint, we were so pleased with the engagement and some of the developments, ideas and next steps that came out of the week.”
Starting Block practitioners, SDP organization founders and potential funders meeting on the final day of the workshop
The organizations have expressed immense gratitude for the support they received over the week in London. Historically, SDP groups desperately look for support, seeking resources, partnerships and/or funding – all of which lead to routine rejection and feelings of defeat. To this end, Hardie noted:
“I think just participating in something like this, on its own – regardless of outcomes – restores faith for people. It heals some of their burnout. It heals some of the trauma that these organizational leaders go through by constantly feeling like they’re just hitting dead end after dead end after dead end, or getting rejected consistently by the same funding groups. It kind of breathes life into people in a way. Just like it did for our research team. It heals some of our burnout, some of our frustrations. It restored heightened levels of inspiration and motivation for our research team and those industry leaders too.”
The future of Starting Block
As for the future, Hardie’s team is collecting follow-up data from the Starting Block in London and will continue collecting longitudinal data on the outcomes from the accelerator over the next year. The cohort format is something that the research team plans to keep, bringing in five new organizations in the next cycle, potentially with the mentorship and support from organizations who participated in the cohort before them. In terms of long-term goals, Hardie hopes to finalize an adaptable curriculum and network that allows the Starting Block to support SDP organizations on a pathway out of their start-up phases, into desired positions of growth and organizational stability.
This pilot for the Starting Block Accelerator is hopefully only the start of a multi-prong initiative with resource-providing platforms, with no barrier to entry for the global community of SDP leaders.
“This type of initiative is so wildly innovative, and something that’s so hard and unprecedented to get funding for, especially in sport for development,” Hardie said. “We are sincerely grateful for the RHBSSI seed funding, because it gives really impactful and powerful initiatives like this a chance! A chance to give proof of concept, to collect pilot data to go for bigger funding and, individually, a chance for those practitioners and our research team to engage in once-in-a-lifetime work. So, for that, I am sincerely thankful.”
The end of the Spring semester means saying goodbye to five RHBSSI interns. These interns helped uphold and spread the RHBSSI mission in various ways, such as through our social media and student-oriented events. They have left a lasting impression on the Institute and shared their insight about their time here.
Griffin Barfield, Writer/Editor
Griffin Barfield is a junior Communication major and Spanish minor. Alongside interning for the Institute, he is the sports editor of The Tiger, Clemson’s student newspaper. He utilized his skills from this position to highlight Clemson University faculty, staff, students and events that align with the Institute. He skillfully translated the work and stories of the Clemson community into captivating sports science pieces for all audiences to enjoy.
“I’m so happy with how my time with the Institute ended up this semester,” Barfield said. “From forming great connections to connecting with Clemson’s campus more, I’m proud of the work I accomplished here this spring.”
Barfield will be graduating from Clemson in December of 2025. This summer, he plans to go back home and continue improving his writing and editorial skills in New Jersey.
“I hope to come back to the Institute next fall as a writing intern again, and as for this summer, I’ll be looking at freelance writing for my local publications in New Jersey.”
Evelyn Lane, Communications Lead
Evelyn Lane is a junior Marketing major and Spanish minor. Before interning at RHBSSI, she was a brand strategist and account manager for Cadency, Clemson’s student-led brand agency. She used her knowledge of social media strategies and analytics to aid the Institute in growing its social media presence and maintaining a cohesive brand image.
“My time with RHBSSI has helped me grow in many different aspects of my life,” Lane said. “I was able to collaborate with people from all different majors and backgrounds; I learned how to be confident in my ideas, and incorporate the ideas of others into the social media plan, and allow everyone to feel heard.”
Lane will stay in Clemson and continue her internship with the Institute this summer.
“I am so excited to continue working with RHBSSI, watching our media presence grow, and figuring out how to utilize each platform to the best of our abilities.”
Natalie Bell, Graphic Designer
Natalie Bell is a graduating senior Graphic Communications major with a minor in Brand Communications. While interning with RHBSSI, she was also Cadency’s creative director. This semester marks the end of her two semesters with the Institute, where she has been able to showcase her creative talent.
“I have loved my past two semesters with the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute. Since I am a Graphic Communications major and Brand Communications minor, I am not in the sports realm. This internship allowed me to participate in the athletics and research side of Clemson University,” Bell said. “I have gotten to be a part of some fantastic opportunities, such as photographing Clemson’s first Paralympic soccer match and designing mini golf scorecards for our Research Symposium. RHBSSI has made me a more well-rounded graphic designer!”
Bell is graduating this May, and her future endeavors are bright.
“Upon graduation on May 8, I will be starting my full-time position as a Graphic Designer for FerebeeLane in Greenville, SC.”
Nicole Souza, Technical Communications Specialist
Nicole Souza is a graduating senior Bioengineering major. During her time with RHBSSI, she conducted research surrounding Real Madrid NEXT technology partners and utilized her scientific skillset to write blog posts about Clemson’s STEM impacts and CHIP (Clemson Headgear Impact Performance) Lab outcomes.
“It’s been amazing getting to see all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into not just sports science, but also supporting the University and its students,” Souza said. “My time at RHBSSI taught me a lot about the side of science I had not seen in my classes, like marketing, communication and outreach, and I’m really grateful for that.”
Although Souza is graduating this May, she plans to continue her path as a Tiger through Clemson’s Master’s program.
“After graduation this May, I’ll be interning at Arthrex as a product management intern, working with orthopedic medical devices and instruments. Even better, I’ll be coming back to Clemson in the fall to start my Master’s of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering. Go Tigers!”
Keeleigh Bush, Events Lead
Keeleigh Bush is a graduating senior Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management major with an emphasis in Tourism and Event Management. She is also the public relations chair for the Clemson Events Planners Association. With this background, she has excelled in planning, coordinating and executing speaker events and campus activations.
“I had such a great time serving as the Events Intern this semester,” Bush said. “It was incredibly fun and inspiring to work alongside such a talented group of fellow interns.”
Bush is graduating alongside Souza and Bell this May, and it ecstatic about future opportunities.
“I’m graduating this spring and currently exploring opportunities—excited for what’s ahead and staying open to new possibilities!”
Whether they are staying in Tiger Town or taking their talents elsewhere, we know our interns will thrive in the face of any challenge and we thank them for their hard work this semester!
Former RHBSSI intern Katie Gerbasich has been working closely with Clemson Athletics as a member of the Baseball Analytics team and a writer.
by Griffin Barfield
Katie Gerbasichat RECESS 2024.
A former intern at the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute, Katie Gerbasich, a junior Sports Communication major from Houston, TX, has been working closely with various teams and departments through sport, building off of what she learned from the Institute.
Following her stint in the fall of 2024 with the Institute, Gerbasich is now working with the Baseball Analytics team through Clemson Olympic Sports Science. She works specifically with the hitting team, focusing on scouting and player development from the hitter’s perspective.
“We have access to a database that stores tons of information from every single play in the game,” Gerbasich said. “It’s our responsibility to take that information, filter out what’s important, and communicate it to our coaching staff.”
Gerbasich and her team also focus on opponents for Clemson Baseball, picking out key information to highlight its opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. From there, she helps communicate this data to the coaching staff for game planning.
“It’s been super cool to experience the behind-the-scenes of our team and see how our work makes an impact,” she said.
Gerbasich has been an intern with Tiger View Media this spring, covering various sporting events, including Clemson’s spring game.
In addition, Gerbasich joined Tiger View Media as a sports writer, covering various Clemson Baseball, Softball and Women’s Lacrosse events over the course of the spring seasons. She also received an opportunity through the media group to cover the Clemson Football spring game, calling it a “highlight moment.”
From her previous experience as an event and writing assistant with the Institute, she feels that her writing skills have been elevated to another level, being able to write a lot more with Tiger View Media.
“It feels like I’m seemingly able to pump out article after article,” Gerbasich said. “I’m so much more confident now in my abilities now, thanks to the support of the Institute.”
As for the future, Gerbasich will plan to stay with both programs, staying with baseball analytics until baseball season ends this summer. Furthermore, she will continue to work in sports media with Tiger View Media, covering football for the publication in the fall.
She hopes to graduate early and begin pursuing her Master’s degree in Sports Analytics at Clemson, aspiring to work for a professional team in analytics or communication.
The team played and defeated the CP Soccer All Stars 6-1 at Historic Riggs Field at their first real match in program history.
Goalkeeper Max Alberici celebrates a goal with midfielder Chile Chitulangoma, who scored.
While the players lifted a trophy for the win, they weren’t just thrilled with the hardware: they were ecstatic that they even had the opportunity to play.
Shea Hammond is a graduate student in communication who has been with the team for several years, the first undergraduate player in the program’s history. Seeing the event come together was enough to inspire a win.
“It’s the name of the field. It’s historic,” Hammond said after the game. “To finally play on this field, it’s historic. It’s indescribable.”
Head coach and assistant professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Felipe Tobar, watched his players’ dreams come true that afternoon. Many of them had dreamed of playing collegiate sports after high school, a period where many athletes with cerebral palsy (CP) stop playing.
“We’d like to say thank you to the community and the fanbase who supported us,” Tobar said. “They had a dream to play in a college stadium and they accomplished it.”
Graduate student Shea Hammond scored a hat-trick on Saturday morning.
Four different Clemson players scored, while Hammond scored a hat-trick with all three of his goals coming in the second half. One player, Tyler Bennett, is a team alumnus and one of the first two players to join the program in 2017. Bennett brought practices featuring movements, passing and other workouts from the U.S. CP National Team.
It was a new Clemson experience for Bennett, coming back to campus and playing in a full game of soccer with CP rules.
“I think it went well for the program,” Bennett said. “They showed that if you’re training here full-time, you’re going to do pretty well.”
Many faces from the Clemson Men’s and Women’s Soccer teams were present. Flags flew and celebrations commenced in the stands whenever a player scored. The entire women’s lacrosse team attended, surprising goalkeeper Max Alberici, the team’s manager.
That wasn’t the best moment of the game in Alberici’s opinion, however. His favorite experience came from watching substitute goalkeeper, Ethan Donahue, play. He joined the team several weeks before the match after Hammond recruited him on campus. Donahue and his disability were welcomed by the team in open arms.
“I was more happy to get him in the game,” Alberici said.
“There’s no relationship like an adaptive sport relationship,” Hammond said, “and like a CP soccer family.”
The match was the last that this team will play all together, as they say goodbye to Hammond following five seasons with the program. As he graduates from Clemson, Hammond looks forward to working with cerebral palsy and Paralympic athletes in the future.
The Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute sponsored the match’s trophy, which the Clemson CP team raised following its win.
“That’s a lifetime of work that I’m going to commit to and making sure that we can grow this program in this sport as much as possible,” Hammond said.
For Tobar, the practices and cultivation of this match proved to be a great success. Earlier in the week, the team played Daniel High School in a scrimmage to prepare for the game. Now, Tobar and his team are “blessed and honored” to have the opportunity to represent Clemson.
“That’s the only official game that we will play as a team,” Tobar said. “I could not be more proud.”
Click here to check out more photos from the match.
