Guest Speakers and Panelists

Dr. Sarah Carson

Professor of Kinesiology, James Madison University

Dr. Sarah Carson is a Professor of Kinesiology and the Coordinator of the Coaching Education Minor Program at James Madison University. Sarah received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Hartwick College in 2001, her Master’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, in 2003 and her Ph.D. in Kinesiology from Michigan State University, in 2010. While completing her studies, Dr. Carson served as a sport psychology consultant for community athletes and collegiate teams and has provided coaching and athlete leadership clinics with the Michigan High School Athletic Association. Sarah was an instructor in the sport psychology and coaching education programs at Georgia Southern University before coming to teach in the undergraduate kinesiology and coaching education programs at JMU this past fall. Dr. Carson’s research interests include positive youth development through sport, coaching strategies for developing life skills in youth athletes, and current issues in youth sport and coaching.

Dr. Courtney Gaine

Nutrition Science and Communications Consultant, FoodMinds, LLC.

Courtney Gaine graduated from Walt Whitman High in Bethesda, Md., in 1995 where she played basketball, field hockey and soccer. She was a four-year varsity standout in basketball, named all-county three times, first-team all-Met twice and once a first-team all-stater and USA Today's honorable mention All-American. As a senior, Whitman won the 4A state championship. Courtney continued her basketball career at the University of Connecticut where she was a four-time All- Big East Academic All-Star and co-captain of the 1998-1999 team. All four teams she played for were ranked No. 1 in the nation at some point during each season and were four-time time Big East Champions. As a freshman, Gaine was also a member of a Final Four team that lost to Tennessee in the national semifinals. She graduated from UConn with a B.S. is dietetics and continued on to receive her Ph.D in Nutrition from her alma mater. She was an Assistant Professor of Bioenergetics at East Caroline State University, but is currently a Nutrition Science and Communications Consultant at the nutrition company FoodMinds, LLC. Courtney came and spoke to student-athletes at the 2011 SportsChallenge Summer Academy.

Jeaney Garcia

Athletic Director, Punahou School (HI)

Ruben Nieves

Director of Training, Positive Coaching Alliance

Ruben is responsible for overseeing the recruitment, training, and evaluation of PCA’s trainers. He also oversees the evaluation of PCA’s impact on YSOs, coaches, parents and athletes.

Ruben earned his Masters Degree in Education from Stanford University in 1982. He coached collegiate volleyball for 18 years including stints as the Head Men’s Coach at Stanford and the Head Women’s Coach at Fresno State. Ruben was twice named NCAA Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year, in 1992 and 1997. He guided Stanford to the Cardinal’s only men’s volleyball NCAA championship in 1997.

Ruben also has extensive experience and success in international volleyball. He spent the summer of 2001 as Head Coach of the USA Men's Volleyball World University Games Team which captured the Gold Medal in Beijing, China, thus becoming the first and only American squad in history to accomplish this feat. Ruben was also an advisory staff member for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Volleyball Team. In 1995, he was Head Coach of the USA Boys Youth National Team that competed in the World Championships in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In addition, Ruben has taught physical education for seven years at all levels K-12.

Ruben has worked with Positive Coaching Alliance since 2001 and has presented over 150 PCA workshops.

Joe Rulewich

Assistant Director of College Counseling, The Peddie School (NJ)

Joe Rulewich is entering his sixth year the Head boys basketball coach at The Peddie School (NJ) hwenters his fifth year at the helm of the Peddie Falcons boys' basketball team. Prior to Peddie, Rulewich was a member of the Ursinus College coaching staff for six years. As Rulewich prepares for the 2009-10 season, he continues to be adamant about the recipe for developing a team identity and personality. It’s based on sacrifice and working together as a unit. His philosophy reached new heights last season as the Falcons stunned Blair Academy, 61-55, to defeat the No. 1 seed in the championship game of the New Jersey Independent Schools Athletic Association Prep A Tournament. "The MAPL has the reputation as one of the elite prep school basketball conferences in the country," Rulewich said. "The intensity of each rivalry makes for exciting basketball."

While at Ursinus, Rulewich played a vital role in the daily operation of the men's basketball program under head mentor Kevin Small where he served as both an assistant coach and coordinator of recruiting operations. In a relatively short period of time, Rulewich forged an impressive coaching resume. He recruited and coached 10 All-Centennial Conference players, five conference Players of the Year, four Division III All-Americans and two Jostens Trophy Finalists for ability, scholarship and community service. A 1994 graduate of Haverford College, Rulewich put up big numbers in many categories for the Fords’ basketball team. He continues to rank high in the leaderboard for all-time steals (204), assists (259), 3-pointers (103) and in career points (1,011). A two-sport varsity athlete, Coach Rulewich is the only athlete in Haverford history to tally 1,000 points on the basketball court and 100 hits on the baseball diamond.