St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center

August 15, 2022 by mlemon

Special Olympics soccer tournament included teams from 25 countries

Thanks to the hard work of several departments across campus, Schoolcraft College proved to be an outstanding host for the Special Olympics Unified Cup 2022 presented by Toyota, which welcomed soccer players from around the world.

The St. Joe’s Sports Dome and the College’s soccer field were the sites of men’s preliminary matches August 1-5. In addition, the “Healthy Athletes” program came to the TrinityElite Sports Performance Center (previously named the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center) to provide hearing and vision screenings as well as strategies for maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle, including nutrition and exercise, for the teams.

A total of 22 Special Olympics Unified teams totaling more than 300 players with and without intellectual disabilities (Unified partners) represented by 25 countries competed. You can read a full recap of the tournament online.

soccer players in action — The Special Olympics Unified Cup brought together teams with players with and without intellectual disabilities. Morocco defeated the United States 3-0 in this match played Thursday, August 4, in the St. Joe’s Sports Dome on the campus of Schoolcraft College. Photo credit: Brian Glass/Special Olympics.

The combination of excellent facilities and a strong, collaborative attitude and expertise among the College’s Recreation, Conference and Events, Facilities, Culinary Operations and other departments made Schoolcraft College a natural site for this global competition.

Here are reactions from some of the various departments:

Matthew Cooper, Recreation Facilities Manager

“The Recreation Services team has been working with key representatives from Special Olympics and their partners for approximately one year through many facility tours, conference calls, and virtual walkthroughs. This event took a great amount of coordination and planning to pull off, so to see it come to fruition has been very exciting.

table booths offering health screenings — The three-day Healthy Athletes program held in the TrinityElite Sports Performance Center offered health screenings and more to the teams.

“We welcomed staff, volunteers, spectators, and athletes from across the country and around the globe, and we were thrilled to be able to showcase our venues to that crowd. In total, 10 different men’s international teams played at the St. Joe’s Sports Dome, and the competition was intense! We’ve always felt that our facilities were top-notch, and I think that was proved (August 1-5).

“Personally, I enjoyed getting to know the people working behind the scenes as well as the athletes who were so excited to be here.”

Heather Moore, Director of Culinary Operations

“Special Olympics was an awesome week for Culinary Operations. It was amazing to see everyone work together as a team to prepare and serve 1,750 wraps, 283 pounds of salad, 1,750 chips and 1,452 cookies! It was a great opportunity to internationally showcase Schoolcraft Culinary Operations.

“We stayed with our value of fresh, high-quality food, and did not sacrifice that with any form of shortcuts, which is easy to try to justify with large volume. A special thanks to Chef Tom Clark for leading the kitchen to success! In addition to the large volume, we had the obstacle of Michigan August heat.

“Thank you to everyone, especially Holly McDermott, who helped serve and keep our food at safe temperatures all week long. Be proud of the fact that you all have the power to rise above any situation and deliver the best results no matter the circumstances. Excellent work, and go Team Cul Ops!”

Kelly Wuorenma, Recreation Coordinator

“During the three-day Healthy Athletes program held in the TrinityElite Sports Performance Center, the energy from both the volunteers and athletes was incredible and infectious. This event accommodated every athlete from all 25 nations and allowed time for the athletes to visit each station. The stations provided were: Fun Fitness, Health Promotion, Opening Eyes, Pediatric Screening, Healthy Hearing and Special Smiles. Each station gave free exams and the necessary medical devices, such as glasses and hearing aids, and/or referrals.

“During the second day, Miss America, Emma Broyles, stopped in to see all the wonderful things the volunteers were doing for the athletes. She toured every station, asked questions, took pictures with anyone who asked and was very appreciative for the work being done.

Everything went smoothly, and I received several compliments on the facility. One of the representatives from Starkey, the Healthy Hearing station, said it was the best venue he’d ever been to and didn’t feel sore after being on his feet all day! They also loved the food from the Elite Market & Smoothie Bar and were grateful for the air conditioning when it was 90-plus degrees. Overall, everything went well, and we all learned so much from the Unified Cup.

“I also want to mention that our Facilities team was amazing. From helping to unload the heavy sound booths to keeping the fields and TrinityElite Sports Performance Center clean, they did a fantastic job!”

Lisa Meinzinger-Abraham, Account Manager, Conference and Event Services

“Outstanding! This is the word that comes to mind when looking back at the hospitality shown by Schoolcraft College and each department from beginning to end. Athletics happily hosted multiple guided tours for the Special Olympics International team, and Culinary Operations pulled off extraordinary large-scale (multiple) daily lunch deliveries with precision and grace.

Matthew Cooper and Miss America, Emma Broyles — The Special Olympics Unified Cup drew several VIPs to campus, including Miss America, Emma Broyles, who is with Matthew Cooper, Recreation Facilities Manager.

“Shipping and Receiving went above and beyond for months ahead of time to deliver items to their POD as well as last-minute oversized items on site. They even offered to pick up a freezer from Home Depot! Facilities staff members were flexible and demonstrated their usual brand of hard work and timeliness. Media was on-point being tasked with providing clear sound on media-bare fields, while shielding expensive equipment from the elements. Chief Engstrom and Campus Police were ever-patient and helpful, as always.

“Leading up to the event, Conference & Event Services tirelessly tweaked contract requirements, paying special attention not to leave out any details. This event required three separate detailed contracts totaling 55 pages, and countless hours spent on site to ensure all needs were defined and carried out according to the Special Olympics’ needs.

“I’m not going to sugarcoat it and say this event went off without a hitch as there were some 800-pound bumps in the road (called sound booths). Fortunately, these challenges make us stronger as a team and make every event better than the next. It’s not often we get to be part of an event that wholeheartedly promotes inclusion and impacts individuals and communities all over the world. To see the smiles on the athletes’ faces and the cheers at the Unified Cup awards’ ceremony was truly worth every step.”

April 18, 2022 by Schoolcraft College

Supporting youth sports events brings visitors to campus

Schoolcraft College, recognizing its role to be a positive force in the community and support activities for young people, will open its sports facilities for two exciting events this spring and summer.

First, this weekend, the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center (ESC), the St. Joe’s Sports Dome and the main gym in the Physical Education building will be sites of the “Mizuno Motor City Madness” volleyball tournament.

Then later this summer, the St. Joe’s Sports Dome and the College’s soccer field will be host to the “Special Olympics Unified Cup 2022 presented by Toyota” soccer event.

Sports Center front of building — Photo 1

“We are extremely pleased and proud to welcome these hard-working athletes and their dedicated families and friends to our campus to compete in our outstanding sports and recreation facilities,” said Dr. Glenn Cerny, President of Schoolcraft College. “In addition to providing transformative educational opportunities, we also want to be a good neighbor and actively support positive events in Livonia and Metro Detroit.”

Mizuno Motor City Madness will be this Saturday and Sunday, April 23 and 24. More than 500 teams, from ages 12-under to 18-under, from around the country and Canada are expected. The event is presented by Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy, which calls the ESC its home in the western suburbs.

The 75,000-square-foot facility has been a hub of activity for students, community members and youth sports since opening in October 2020. The ESC includes eight volleyball courts; a 1/7-mile track; a practice field for the Michigan Wolves Soccer Club; brand-new classrooms and equipment for Schoolcraft College’s Movement Science program; the MercyElite sports performance and training center; and the Elite Market & Smoothie Bar.

The volleyball courts also can be configured for pickleball, an increasingly popular sport that many community and Fitness Center members play regularly, especially during the winter.

Unified Cup coming this summer

Schoolcraft College will welcome the Special Olympics Unified Cup 2022 presented by Toyota starting Sunday, July 31. A total of 24 teams from around the world, ages 16-21, are expected to compete. This event will show the world how the power of sport builds and shapes a diverse community that unites and empowers people of all abilities, from all backgrounds. Teams include athletes with and without intellectual disabilities playing together.

“We encourage everyone to come to our beautiful campus, learn more about what Schoolcraft College offers and enjoy these great events,” Dr. Cerny said.

multiple volleyball court games going on — Photo 3

August 23, 2021 by mlemon

Students learn how the human body moves, effects of disease, age and exercise

In a corner of the new St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center, away from the near-constant thumping of volleyballs being hit, squeaking of athletic shoes and enthusiastic shouts of competitors, sits a seemingly quiet classroom.

Mark Papineau is the Movement Science program coordinator

Once you enter, however, the space bursts to life with an array of high-tech machines dedicated to Schoolcraft College’s Movement Science program. As the name suggests, Movement Science students study how the human body moves as well as how it is affected by disease, age and exercise.

The program offers a solid foundation for graduate school and/or careers in medicine, pharmacy, public health, fitness training, exercise physiologist, and physical and occupational therapy. The College offers both a one-year certificate (8 courses, 24 credits) and an Associate Degree (18 courses, 60-63 credits).

“We have three new and important pieces of high-tech equipment that will enhance the Movement Science program this fall and give students an advantage whether they go on to work in the field or transfer to a four-year institution,” said Mark Papineau, program coordinator for Movement Science.

“We have three new and important pieces of high-tech equipment that will enhance the Movement Science program this fall and give students an advantage whether they go on to work in the field or transfer to a four-year institution.”
Mark Papineau, program coordinator for Movement Science.

“The technology provides objective measures to help evaluate body composition, cardiovascular fitness, and the strength, endurance, power and range of motion of major joints and muscles. Using the results can help determine areas or deficiencies that need improvement. The experienced movement science professionals who can utilize this high-tech equipment and the data produced are highly sought-after.”

Here’s a closer look at the new high-tech testing tools.

Two people using medical machinery — **The Biodex System Isokinetic Dynamometer** **is a high-tech device used for muscle testing and rehabilitation by movement science professionals.**

The Biodex System Isokinetic Dynamometer is a high-tech device used for muscle testing and rehabilitation by movement science professionals.

This isokinetic dynamometer allows you to evaluate strength, endurance, power and range of motion of major joints and muscles, and provides detailed objective data results of their performance. The results can be used to determine the areas or deficiencies that need improvement.
The dynamometer provides objective measures and targeted exercise to help manage common sports injuries and determine safe return to play for athletes.
Provides consistent, accurate data.
Gives muscle performance measurements.
Can be used for rehabilitation.
Can be used for conditioning.
Can help older adults strengthen the muscles associated with ambulation.

The Parvo Metabolic Cart Heart Monitor with treadmill or bike. This is a compact integrated metabolic measurement system for cardiopulmonary stress testing, indirect calorimetry, and maximal oxygen consumption measurement.

Used by NASA and U.S. Olympic Training Centers, biophysicists developed this cutting-edge technology that delivers accurate metabolic measurements under the most demanding exercise conditions.
Test subjects can use either the bike or the treadmill, while the Oxygen Analyzer and the Carbon Dioxide Analyzer measure the respiratory gases, oxygen and carbon dioxide.
It also analyzes data on:
- Calories per minute of expenditure.
- Where the calories are coming from – carbohydrates or fat sources in the body.
It is used for exercise physiology, athletic testing with high accuracy at high workloads, and it is used for high-altitude training.

A person operating a body pod — **The Bod Pod is a body composition tracking system.**

The Bod Pod is a body composition tracking system. The system will be used for body composition testing that students will be taught to perform and provide information for them to use in developing exercise prescriptions.

The Cosmed USA, Inc. Bod Pod is the most current state-of-the art system for determining body composition. The Bod Pod system uses whole-body densitometry via air displacement plethysmography (ADP) to determine body composition (percent body fat and fat-free mass) in children and adults, and can accommodate a wide range of populations.

A full test requires only about five minutes, and provides accurate, safe, comfortable results.

The testing is fast, accurate and completely non-invasive.
It can be used for assessing special populations such as young children from 2-6 years, the elderly, or disabled.

“The use of the high tech equipment for data analysis and formulating targeted lifestyle changes and conditioning is a skill we can give our students and open career pathways they may not have considered before,” Papineau said. “Students who go on to become movement science professionals utilize education, lifestyle intervention, and specific exercise programs to train, condition, and rehabilitate the fitness, recreation, and athletic community.”

Huge benefit to students

Papineau is eager to share the benefits of the equipment as they can immediately apply what they are learning during the lecture portion of the classwork.

“There are more opportunities to teach students in the expanded lab space and to serve other campus shareholders on this testing equipment,” he said. “Having the lab and the classroom in the same facility means that students can learn through lecture and practical demonstration about fitness assessment protocols. “

Students in class will learn to critically analyze why a particular fitness test is utilized, and the standard procedures for conducting the test.
Going into the lab they can learn how to properly administer tests and how to read the analysis from the test results.

And with that knowledge, they can better understand specific fitness testing protocols. Specifically, the students will be able to:

Compare test results with normative data to create a fitness profile.
Determine the advantages and disadvantages of selecting a specific fitness test over other tests that evaluate the same parameters.

The possibilities seem almost limitless.

“We have expanded the potential for our students and the athletes who train here, aiding in-patient recovery, rehabilitation, and providing better outcomes and research,” Papineau said. “Our students and community shareholders will be able to help weekend athletes and professionals by utilizing education, lifestyle changes and specific forms of exercise along with the latest data obtained on our equipment. They will teach others how to reduce injury and re-injury with targeted software, research, and clinical guidelines.”

David S. Kesler, D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) and Associate Dean of Health Professions, shares Papineau’s enthusiasm and looks forward to serving Schoolcraft College students and the community.

“The Movement Science Program has brought together a panoply of rare and specialized equipment that will be of great benefit to students and athletes in and around northwestern Wayne County,” he said.

Learn more about Schoolcraft College’s Movement Science program.

June 21, 2021 by mlemon

The “official” opening of the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center on the campus of Schoolcraft College was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, June 16. Schoolcraft College President Dr. Glenn Cerny shared the honor with several community leaders, including Maureen Miller Brosnan, Mayor of the City of Livonia; Joan A. Gebhardt, Chair of the Board of Trustees; and Dave Spivey, president, St. Mary Mercy Livonia, part of the Saint Joseph Mercy Health System.

People stand behind red ribbon, beginning to cut it. — Ribbon cutting

“We’re excited to share our ‘grand opening’ with so many leaders in our community because the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center is an important resource that will be shared by the Schoolcraft College community and beyond,” Dr. Cerny said. “Students, athletes of all ages, community members training or in rehabilitation, and more all will benefit from this brand-new space.”

Visitors toured the 75,000-square-foot facility, which includes the MercyElite sports performance and training programs, physical therapy and more; eight volleyball courts; a 1/7-mile track; a practice field for the Michigan Wolves Soccer Club; and brand-new classrooms and equipment for Schoolcraft College’s Movement Science program. It is also the western suburban home of the Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy.

Man stands at podium speaking — Dr. Glenn Cerny, Schoolcraft College President

“The St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center is an outstanding collaboration with the fitness program at the college, allowing us to provide rotations for students in physical therapy, exercise science, and strength and conditioning,” Spivey said. “We are also available to anyone in the community who would like to improve their sports performance by creating customized programs for individuals to achieve better health and increased performance in their sport.”

At the end of the program, guests were treated to smoothies and snacks from the Elite Market and Smoothie Bar.

Guest speakers for the tour included:

Dan Wolocko, MercyElite Sports Performance
Ed McCarthy, Michigan Wolves Soccer Club
Dr. Robert Leadley, Dean of Occupational Programs & Economic Development
Steve Sack, Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy
Chef Heather Moore, Elite Market & Smoothie Bar

“This is super-exciting,” Mayor Brosnan said. “This aligns really well with what we’re trying to do city-wide in Livonia. We have this vision we’re going to be one of the healthiest cities in the United States. So, clearly, whenever we see St. Joe Mercy Health and IHA coming together around health and fitness and sports rehabilitation all the great things we’re seeing at Mercy Elite here at Schoolcraft College, we know that Livonia residents as well as area residents in surrounding communities are going to be well-served here in Livonia.”

The St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center (ESC) has been open since earlier this year and was created to be a hub of College, community and regional activity by supporting youth sports, adult recreation, training and rehabilitation facilities and academic programs. It’s also the new home for Schoolcraft College’s Commencement, with the first ceremony held this past May.

“The Board of Trustees is so pleased with how the College is working with community and business leaders to create win-win solutions on our campus,” Gebhardt said. “With all the amenities available to serve a wide variety of people, the ESC is a great addition to the Schoolcraft College campus.”

Also attending from the Board of Trustees were Carol M. Strom, Vice Chair; Dillon E. Breen, Trustee; William P. Erwin, Trustee; and Brett M. Gierak, Trustee.

World-class floor

The floor of the new St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center has been recognized by a panel of industry experts as literally world-class after winning in the Sports Surfaces category in the 2020 Sikafloor Project of the Year awards.

The volleyball courts and running track are part of the 46,000 square feet that required the expert installation of a Sika Pulastic synthetic sports surface system by Robbins Sports, a long-time Sika partner.

Jordan Foster, President of Foster Specialty Floors, said a key element of the floor and a big benefit to users is the Comfort Pro pad.

“This pad delivers a shock absorption rating of 32%, which far exceeds most other products that are rated between 20 and 25%,” he said. “That equates to significantly less wear and tear on the athletes at the St. Joe’s Mercy Elite Sports Center when they are using this floor system.

“One of the leading causes of injuries in sports is muscle fatigue. This floor system will help athletes perform longer and at a reduced risk to injury because of the added performance this floor delivers compared with a standard synthetic sports floor.”

Rental opportunities exist for volleyball, pickleball, soccer or a variety of other sport or activity uses. Call 734-462-4348 for more details or for more information about the Schoolcraft College Fitness Center.