Belmont Abbey College President Pays Gridiron a Visit Thierfelder Scheduled to Give Talk to Retired NFL Players’ Convention 06/02/2005
BELMONT , NC – A former Olympian. A national champion and a two-time All-American from the University of Maryland . He participated in the 1980 United States Olympic Trials in Eugene , Oregon and was even a medallist at the 1981 U.S. Track and Field National Championships at Madison Square Garden .
You could say athletics is “in his blood.”
Standing at well over six feet tall, it’s not surprising that Belmont Abbey College President Dr. William K. Thierfelder was a competitive high jumper in his earlier days, having trained for the 1984 Olympic Games. In fact, most of his career had been spent grooming professional and amateur athletes.
His work with Joyner Sportsmedicine Institute, and later with ProSportDoc, gave him the opportunity of working with a variety of professional and elite athletes in developing their physical and mental abilities. As a sports performance consultant, Thierfelder assisted athletes in perfecting technique, reproducing consistently high levels of performance and learning how their attitudes can affect their ability to train and compete.
Thierfelder will be among some familiar and famous faces as one of the presenters at this year’s NFLPA Retired Players Convention held at the Eden Roc Miami Beach Resort in Miami Beach , Florida on June 3, 2005 .
The convention (June 1-5) will cover a number of interesting topics, including a panel discussion with NFL players from each era, information on pension and benefits, and a keynote speaker.
Established in 1956, the National Football League Players Association is the officially recognized union for NFL players. It represents players in matters concerning wages, hours and working conditions and protects their rights. It assures that terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement - a legally binding relationship between workers and owners-with the National Football League are met, while also negotiating and monitoring retirement and insurance benefits of the players. A member of the AFL-CIO, the NFLPA also provides assistance with charitable and community organizations, and enhances the image of players both on and off the playing field.
About Dr. William K. Thierfelder
Thierfelder, the Abbey’s 20th president, had served as president of York Barbell Company in York , Pennsylvania , where he was responsible for creating the vision and strategic plan to facilitate the company’s turn around and rejuvenate its brand as one of the most recognizable names in the industry. He successfully helped develop, trademark and patent new and innovative lines of products, significantly increased sales, and expanded the company’s worldwide reach.
Thierfelder had also served as an executive director of the Player Management Group, LLC and was founder and president of ProSportDoc, Inc., a successful performance enhancement service company that helped professional athletes develop their physical and mental abilities to better train and compete.
As an adjunct assistant professor of surgery at the Milton S. Hershey College of Medicine of the Pennsylvania State University , Thierfelder also founded the Sports Performance Training Program at the Hershey Medical Center . The former Olympian and two-time All-American frequently speaks at the national level, presenting lectures, seminars and workshops to coaches, athletes, clinicians, and psychologists across the country.
Thierfelder received his masters and doctorate degrees in sports psychology and human movement from Boston University . He is a licensed psychologist, a diplomat of the American Board of Psychological Specialties and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Strength & Conditioning Association, and the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology. He is also a member of the American Psychological Association, the International Society of Sports Psychology, and the United States Olympic Committee's Sport Psychology Registry.
Ranked one of the best liberal arts colleges in the South by U.S. News and World Report, Belmont Abbey College celebrates excellence and virtue steeped in its 129 year Catholic Benedictine heritage. It is home to students from over 34 states and 17 countries and welcomes everyone from any background or tradition committed to this vision of excellence and virtue. The campus consists of the College, the Monastery and the Abbey Basilica, which can be found on its sprawling 650 acres of picturesque landscape.
Just minutes from Charlotte , NC , the nation’s second largest banking center, Belmont Abbey College offers students numerous internship opportunities and career placement.
The College believes in development of the whole person – mind, body and spirit. By offering a wide array of clubs and activities including, Division II athletics, theatre, publications, and study abroad, Belmont Abbey College invests in the personal growth of its students.
Founded in 1876, the College celebrates its heritage and is inspired by the Benedictine monastic tradition. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the College and Abbey Basilica greet thousands of visitors each year.
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