USA Ultimate Names Lovinguth Manager of Youth and Education Programs
Posted: September 13, 2011 01:25 PM
Boulder, Colo. (Sept. 12, 2011)—USA Ultimate announced today the hiring of Michael Lovinguth as its Manager of Youth and Education Programs.
In filling this role, Lovinguth brings to USA Ultimate a mix of sports administration, youth development and Ultimate experience.
Lovinguth previously served as athletics director at Arrupe Jesuit High School in Denver from 2004-08 before filling a variety of roles at the Ohio State University for the past three years.
As athletics director at Arrupe Jesuit High School, Lovinguth developed and managed the school’s first athletics department and established its sporting programs for the student body. His responsibilities also included staff and volunteer recruitment and supervision, budget oversight and facility management.
Following his tenure in Denver, Lovinguth served as sport coordinator and intern in event management for Ohio State’s athletic department since 2008. In 2009 he also began serving as a camp coordinator for Buckeye Sport Camps. For the past year, Lovinguth also lectured as a graduate teaching associate on Sports Management and Sport Humanities.
Lovinguth also brings five years of Ultimate experience to USA Ultimate, having served as the national governing body’s Ohio Valley Regional Collegiate Coordinator last season. He has also sat on the board of directors for Sun Ultimate events for the last five years, including serving as chairman of the board. The all-encompassing role allowed Lovinguth to perform a variety of Ultimate-related tasks from managing tournaments such as Glory Days, Ohio Valley Regionals, Chicago Heavyweights and Midwest Throwdown to providing direction and strategic input for the organization.
“I am thrilled to join the USA Ultimate team and look forward to helping the Ultimate community as a whole build its youth and educational offerings,” said Lovinguth. “It is particularly exciting to be involved in these segments of the sport, where there is a great deal of energy, opportunity, and passion to create and further support opportunities that push the sport down to the youth levels.”
“We are really excited to have Mike join our staff,” commented Dr. Tom Crawford, USA Ultimate CEO. “He brings a broad and deep background in Ultimate, as well as a passion and understanding of youth development. As a former high school athletic director and local Ultimate organizer, Mike will hit the ground running and help us pursue our aggressive youth and coaching development goals.”
Lovinguth attended Truman State University where he received a B.A. in English Literature and Studio Art Printmaking. He then earned an M.A. in Sport Management from Ohio State in 2010.
As Manager of Youth and Education Programs, Lovinguth will design and implement strategies to increase participation in the sport of Ultimate at the youth level, as well as provide educational programs to all levels of constituents.
mike@hq.usaultimate.org
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