Read about what some graduates from Kinesiology & Health Science are doing now..... also if you are alumni of the School, we would love to hear from you. Send us your profile info !
Interested in rehabilitation and therapy?
Dan Marchesan
1992 BA Phys Ed
1995 BEd (University of Windsor)
As a rehabilitation therapist helping people with acquired brain injuries, Dan Marchesan is called upon to address a variety of symptoms. In every situation, however, his objective is the same: to enable his clients to achieve the best possible quality of life.
“I work with people who have acquired brain injuries due to strokes, falls or car accidents, diabetic comas, encephalitis, drug overdoses and more,” says Dan, who has been part of a behavioural unit team at West Park Healthcare Centre for a decade. “The challenges my clients face include difficulties with mobility, aggressive behaviours, problems with memory and comprehension, and speech loss. Rarely do they recover their pre-injury capabilities, but often we help them significantly improve their quality of life.”
People with brain injuries need to learn new skills or relearn old ones in a different way, which can often be a slow and frustrating experience for them. “That’s why, in addition to my professional, kinesiology-related skills, the most important attributes I bring to them are patience, empathy, an ability to teach, and a knowledge of how and when to intervene to prevent a crisis,” Dan says.
Since people with acquired brain injuries are treated in public hospitals, by private care organizations and by individual consultants, there are a wide range of career opportunities for therapists. Dan, for example, has also worked as a self-employed consultant helping patients with ambulatory exercises and various physiotherapy treatments.
Given that the symptoms of brain injured people are not just physical or ambulatory—many also face emotional or psychological challenges—a knowledge of psychology in addition to kinesiology is an important asset for a therapist.
Want your own creative business?
Stephanie Pilley-Correia
2007 BFA Dance/Kinesiology
A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with double majors in dance and kinesiology might seem an unusual combination if it were not for the fact that dance is perhaps the most physical form of artistic expression. It was also the ideal academic preparation for Stephanie Pilley-Correia to step into a post-graduate career as the owner and manager of Vision Dance Academy.
“Every day, I put the knowledge I gained in kinesiology about health for athletes and injury prevention into practice,” Stephanie explains. “Injuries are one of the biggest risks faced by dancers, as they are for any athlete. As a dance instructor, my role is to train dancers in ways that keep them injury free.” And as a journalist, she shares that knowledge with dancers across the country through a regular column she writes for Dance Canada Quarterly on dance and dance health issues.
As a business owner/manager, Stephanie’s responsibilities extend far beyond those of a dance instructor; she’s also responsible for hiring staff, administration, general upkeep of the dance studio and more. York’s multidisciplinary approach and professors who encouraged her to examine issues with a critical eye also provided her with valuable skills. “My job includes instructing dancers, attending business association meetings, researching health issues for my magazine column, sometimes helping treat an injury, and much more – it’s a wide range of responsibilities,” Stephanie says. “The best approach for dealing with things often requires looking for the interconnections and to challenge conventional wisdoms.”
One of the best sources of information for students to use in preparing for their future careers are their professors. “Take advantage of their knowledge, experience and wisdom,” Stephanie says. “Try to get as much from them as they’re willing to give—you’ll find their insights highly beneficial down the road.”
Want to continue your involvement with fitness and wellness?
Christa Costas-Bradstreet
1991 BA: Physical Education
With a growing focus on physical fitness and wellness, Christa Costas-Bradstreet believes career opportunities in this field are virtually limitless.
As a registered nurse, Christa worked in several different hospital departments but in each one several patients shared a similar trait. They could have lessened or even avoided their injuries or illnesses altogether if they had followed healthier lifestyles that included more physical activity.
“I’ve always believed that physical activity is one of the most important lifestyle behaviours,” Christa says. “Because I’d rather help people stay healthy than treat them after they become sick, kinesiology and physical education was a natural academic and career direction for me.”
Christa graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Physical Education and a Certificate in Fitness Assessment and Exercise Counseling and a Certificate in Sport Administration. After graduating, she worked with ParticipACTION for 10 years, and then went on to join the City of Hamilton Health Services and manage her own consulting business. Today, Christa is back at ParticipACTION. After a variety of roles including national events coordinator and director of health education, Christa is currently helping put together a ParticipACTION partner network that links sport, recreation, fitness and various health and disease organizations in promoting physical activities and healthier lifestyles.
“Health promotion, community health, comprehensive school health-these are all fast-growing fields that include everything from hands-on activities to setting broad policies,” Christa says. “The opportunities are tremendous and I’d strongly recommend that people look beyond the traditional career paths for people with kinesiology and physical education degrees. There are so many different, exciting choices available.”
Want to be on the front line of sport medicine?
Erin Brooks1999 BA: Kinesiology
Erin Brooks and a team of athletic therapists from York University are responsible for keeping the Toronto Argonauts healthy.
Since 2002, Erin Brooks has been the Head Athletic Therapist for the Toronto Argonauts, and is supported by assistant therapists Amit Sindhwani (2004 BA Kinesiology, 2004 ATTH Arts) and Helen Holubec (2007 BA Kinesiology, 2007 ATTN Health), and a York athletic therapy student. Together, they perform a job that requires skills of a Certified Athletic Therapist with Emergency Care certification.
“Ideally, we try to prevent injuries, but when they occur our job is to get the player healthy as quickly and safely as possible,” Erin explains. “That includes daily treatments including the use of modalities, manual therapy skills, rehab strengthening programs and so on. But some injuries can be more severe, such as concussions or fractures, which requires emergency care to stabilize the injured player to ensure optimal return to sport.
Working with a professional sports team is exciting, but also a demanding seven day a week job throughout the seven-month season. Erin recommends that students interested in a career as an athletic therapist should volunteer at a sports medicine clinic or a with a sports team. That’s where she got her start-as a volunteer therapist at the Argos 2000 training camp.
“Like any job, you really only fully appreciate it when you’re in it,” Erin says. “If you find you really enjoy it while working as a volunteer, then there are plenty of sports medicine clinics, amateur sporting associations, and other organizations to look to for a full-time job.”
Does coaching and fitness training appeal to you?
Paolo Pacione
2006 BSc Kinesiology
Like many people, Paolo Pacione was a high school student when he decided he wanted a future in sport and fitness. Unlike some others, however, he wasn’t prepared to wait until university before embarking on his career. He started his own fitness business at the age of 18, which helped him, in part, to get his current job with Canadian Sport Centre Ontario and the Canadian Soccer Association.
“Starting early and building your work experience while in school makes you very marketable when you graduate,” Paolo says. “It’s difficult to find a good job when you’re still trying to gain experience. Already having experience, together with your education, when you enter the job market is a big plus.”
Paolo even built his studies at York around the opportunity to gain practical experience. He took a year off to work in Italy to work with a professional soccer team. That experience no doubt helped him gain his current position as a strength and conditioning coach with the Canadian Soccer Association. Paolo has traveled to Los Angeles with the Canadian Women’s National Soccer team. He also works with Canada’s U-17 team—he was with them at the World Cup in New Zealand—and with Canada’s U-20 team.
“Another place I gained valuable experience is in the labs at York,” says Paolo whose job also involves working in the sports lab at Canadian Sports Centre Ontario. “If you know the career you want to follow, keep your eyes open for opportunities that will help you build towards that goal.”
A Career in Research
Dr. Fred Buick
1974 BSc: Physical Education
1979 MSc: Physical Education
Students rarely get opportunities to gain academic experience in the highly specialized and applied fields that are the focus of many research institutions. What matters instead, says Dr. Fred Buick, is whether they have an inquisitive mind, are logical thinkers, organized workers, and self-starters.
Fred Buick is a senior defence scientist at Defence R&D Canada’s Toronto laboratory. His job involves a range of responsibilities including conducting/leading research, working with researchers from other organizations on collaborative ventures, managing research contracts, and providing advice, and sometimes teaching, as a subject-matter expert.
“Our focus is on the whole human and how one performs under the stress of real life, military situations,” Fred explains. “That requires taking a multidisciplinary approach using biological, psychological and sociological perspectives to study performance in operations. The stress may be due to physical conditions, such as extreme heat or cold; mental reasons, such as pressure to complete tasks within tight time limits; or emotional ones, perhaps caused by upheavals in the family. All those combined create a wide area needing investigation.”
“Like many other jobs, military occupations involve stress and new causes of stress arise all the time. Research is a key to helping understand the causes of stress, their effects, and how they can be managed more effectively,” Fred says.
Fred encourages students who have an interest in research to gain experience through part-time, summer jobs or co-op positions, e.g. with federal government research laboratories. Some may wish to search for opportunities to work with professors who have contracts or grants to conduct particular research. And, there are opportunities to get first-hand exposure to what is being investigated by volunteering as research subjects. Research-related employment for people with undergraduate degrees consists of providing technical support to research projects. Many laboratories also have jobs in management and corporate services.
Interested in becoming a kinesiologist?
Stephanie Lowe
2008 BSc Kinesiology/Psychology
It’s a common description of the work done in lots of jobs—“helping people get back on their feet”—but in Stephanie Lowe’s case, that is, literally, what her job often entails. She is a senior kinesiologist at LightSpeed Physiotherapy, where her job involves helping people address a wide range of musculoskeletal problems.
“Our clients are people either waiting for, or recovering from, surgery, who have been in motor vehicle accidents, have job-related injuries or other problems but what they all have in common are movement impairments, problems with strength or stability or other types of pain,” Stephanie explains. “My job involves designing exercise programs to help relieve their pain, rebuild their strength and getting them back on their feet.”
In addition to being certified with the Ontario Kinesiology Association, Stephanie is also a certified laser therapist so her programs often include laser treatments for clients with wounds or pain.
While at York, Stephanie began building her experience working at the Tait McKenzie Centre, which she credits with giving her a solid grounding in developing exercise programs, and also working at the Toronto track and field centre.
“There are lots of other opportunities on campus as well, such as volunteering with professors and helping out with labs,” she says. “The best way to prepare for your career is to get involved. Try different things to learn what it is you really like to do and then work with your professors to find opportunities where you can focus your education and gain practical experience in your area of interest.”
Enjoy teaching sport and fitness?
Michelle Groat
2007 BA Kinesiology
2007 BEd
Today’s focus on health promotion and
wellness is something Michelle Groat is part of every day in her career as a teacher with the Durham District School Board.
“We teach students about the importance of an active, healthy lifestyle while introducing them to different physical activities, at least one of which we hope they will continue to pursue after their mandatory physical education class is over,” says Michelle who teaches phys-ed and math. She also coaches her school’s junior girls’ basketball team, wrestling team, and junior and senior girls’ soccer team.
Michelle has been in her current position for a year, after having spent the previous year as a supply teacher. “Teaching is tough to get into right away, so it’s important to prepare for your career early,” Michelle advises. She recommends joining as many programs at York as possible—student government, intramurals, etc.—which provide good experience for people going into leadership careers.
“Also try to get as much experience as possible with the age group you hope to teach,” she says. “Volunteer in classrooms, coach kid’s teams, tutor high school students, work at summer camps—it’s better to get your
experience now, rather than when you’re applying for jobs. Then, when you do apply, submit applications to as many school boards as possible.” Michelle also cautions: be prepared to start as a supply teacher or a “long-term occasional” (a position filling in for a teacher on maternity leave or other extended leave of absence) before landing a full-time position.
Run Your Own Company
Peter Cosentino
1987 BA: Physical Education
Your ideal career should be in a field that you thoroughly enjoy since most of us have to get up and go to work each day of our working life. That is Peter Cosentino’s belief, and it is the reason he switched to the combination of Sport Administration and a Kinesiology degree at York.
“Part way through my first year pursing a business degree, I heard about the Sport Administration Certificate Program. At the time, it was the perfect knit of business and sport. Switching to Kinesiology and Sports Administration Certificate is where I knew I wanted to be,” Peter says. “Today, some 20 years later, I’m still working in this field and I enjoy every minute of it.”
As a first year student, Peter’s summer job consisted of working in landscaping before switching to a summer job in his second year in sports marketing. As an intern, the pay wasn’t as good, but the experience was invaluable. “Getting a job in your field can take time, so as a student you try to get as much practical experience and make as many contacts as possible. Working as a volunteer is also a fantastic way to make contacts and get some real world experience to back up the theory and knowledge you gain in class,” Peter says.
Today, Peter owns and manages DEC Sports and Entertainment Inc., a niche business development company. His clients include Canada’s national snowboard team (among other things, he works with them on their national tour and two World Cups in Canada), as well as the Just for Laughs comedy group and Canada’s Walk of Fame. Peter’s role is to partner companies with properties creating win-win relationships for his clients. “I enjoy the work, the people and the industry - it’s the partnership connections that allow these events to really shine.”
