2008 Woodie Awards
New Director Revamps Programs, Facilities
Syreeta Brown
- Page 1 of 1
|
With incoming freshmen starting at the University of Baltimore next fall, Athletic Club Director Joseph Althoff will make sure that everyone knows about the club's programs and facilities.
Upon arriving at UB last September, Althoff was surprised at the amount of renovations and changes that could be done with what is already in place.
"I didn't see the structure as having any limitations but as a facility that can be expanded to increase the number of people that use the facilities and offering more fitness classes."
In the spring, the number of fitness classes will increase from 20 to 33 with more daytime classes offered. Offices in Academic Center Room 315 in the Athletic Club are currently being transformed into a spin studio, an aerobic/group exercise studio and a multi-usage room.
Spring will also bring the addition of four new intramural sports programs—women's basketball and co-rec volleyball, flag football and indoor soccer.
With all of the additions, the Athletic Club will be looking to increase their staff in the spring to include intramural support staff and group exercise instructors. But with the current sale of the Mt. Washington fields, Althoff realizes that the situation creates a threat to the club sports teams.
"It's pretty obvious how I feel," he said. "It will pose challenges to us to keep club sports and intramurals running. I just hope that the administration is dedicated to this and there won't be any problems with [Baltimore city's] Parks and Recreation."
Althoff is considering alternative avenues and hopes to have a "home field" designated for UB. Ideally, he would like to take UB to Division III status, joining schools such as St. Mary's College of Maryland, Goucher College and Salisbury University. He said that without facility improvements and expansion of club sports, however, that will never happen.
His main goal is to get students involved with sports and to have the university administration committed to the expansion of sport activities.
"Sports and recreation activities are more important than [the administration] realize[s], and I think they'll figure that out within the next few years," Altoff said.
Althoff also plans to expand health and wellness education and improve marketing techniques in order to bring in more people from the outside community—the Athletic Club is free to current students, faculty and staff at UB; paid memberships are available to the public, with discounts extended to alumni and students from other colleges.
By improving marketing, Althoff hopes to sponsor local events and organizations at the Athletic Club, as well as gain sponsorship from local businesses to create awareness among the UB community.
Before coming to UB, Althoff ran fitness centers for government agencies, including Transportation Security Administration, Environ-mental Protection Agency and Customs and Border Patrol. Prior to that, he spent eight years at the College of Southern Maryland as the wellness manager of the Leonardtown campus. He received his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from University of Maryland, College Park.
Originally from Las Vegas, Althoff said that growing up there wasn't as crazy as people make it seem.
"The gambling and sex isn't as popular to the residents as it is to the tourists," he said. "You grow up fast and learn about the world really quick. You get used to it."
On deciding whether or not to come to UB, Althoff wanted a place where his priorities were in sync with those of the administration.
"I was looking for a place where I could 'camp out' and make a difference," Althoff said. "At this point, I am looking for a career rather than a paycheck. [UB] was a good fit with my personality, and there is a lot of potential for me to do something good."
Brown, contributing writer for The UB Post, can be reached at syreeta.brown@ubalt.edu.
Nedra Cruz, editor in chief, contributed to this article.