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Sport Performance Program Takes Shape

James Dobson to oversee ground-breaking unit

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vice Chancellor for Athletics and University Affairs Candice Lee announced Thursday the development of Vanderbilt’s sport performance team, which will use scientifically based programming, state of the art training technology and customized analytics to help prepare student-athletes for competition.

“This was one of the first things that I asked Kristene Kelly to focus on when she joined us in the fall, and she and her team have worked diligently to bring it to fruition,” Lee said. “We view this sport performance department as an integration of existing services, while also adding resources to support our student-athletes to reach their full potential. It is our responsibility to ensure that our student-athletes are as prepared as possible to compete and win. To that end, we will ensure that this area constantly evolves as we consult with experts and employ cutting-edge approaches. Our student-athletes deserve our very best.”

The program and its staff will support a number of performance-based initiatives, such as nutrition, applied sports science, athletic training, strength and conditioning, and mental performance services. Currently housed in the McGugin Center, the sport performance program will transition into a new space included in the early round of facility upgrades made possible by the Vandy United Fund.

James Dobson will serve as the associate athletic director for sport performance and will be responsible for the direction and implementation of the program. Dobson joined Vanderbilt in 2015 as the head strength coach for the Commodore football program. Before joining Vanderbilt, Dobson, a native of Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, spent seven years guiding Nebraska’s football strength and conditioning program and helped with the creation and implementation of Nebraska’s athletic performance lab. Dobson earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Wisconsin in 1996, and his master of science and administration degree from Central Michigan in 2004. He is a certified master strength and conditioning specialist and a member of the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association.

The sport performance core team will serve all student-athletes and includes Tyler Clarke (director of applied sports science), Dr. Warne Fitch (Vanderbilt Athletics head team physician and Department of Orthopedic Surgery assistant professor), Blair Hitchcock (director of nutrition), Justin Wenzel (assistant director for athletic training services and rehabilitation coordinator) and Chris Ham (head baseball strength and conditioning coach).

This program is vital for the continued growth of our varsity programs. It will serve as the genesis for all of our student-athletes’ performances while providing the flexibility and, ultimately, the space for our staff to enhance their abilities to develop our student-athletes for the rigors of competition at this level and beyond. We will continue to put our student-athletes in the best position possible to both compete for and win championships.

Kristene Kelly, Deputy Athletic Director (Internal Affairs)

It's exciting to see the continued commitment of our athletic department in terms of developing the whole student-athlete. Being an elite competitor includes training every aspect of the person: mental health, nutrition, strength training, team building—and that’s just to mention a few. James and his team will provide expertise, leadership and consulting in all of these areas, while working alongside our coaching staff to develop the right approach for each player. Our team is thrilled to cultivate this relationship and help take our athletes to the next level.

Beth Hewitt, Lacrosse Head Coach

We are all thrilled with the addition of this department. Sports science and use of data is the future of collegiate athletics and will give our athletes every tool and resource to reach their potential individually and collectively. It is a statement of the importance of our student-athlete experience and our commitment to their well-being and development.

Darren Ambrose, Soccer Head Coach

As we continue to push to improve our program daily, this sport performance group will help us take the next step. We want to establish the best student-athlete experience in the country, and this is another piece of how Vanderbilt is building the complete person. I look forward to furthering our football journey with this sport performance group.

Clark Lea, Football Head Coach

We are thrilled by the commitment from our leadership and administration to advance our sport performance programming. The unification of these talented departments during a time of unparalleled investment across our athletics programs will continue to support our mission to provide an unmatched student-athlete experience.

Jerry Stackhouse, Men's Basketball Head Coach

This is another very positive step for our department and the student-athletes themselves. The sport performance program works in concert with the educational values that we own as a university. We have these young people for a very short time, and their mental and physical development during this window is solely dependent on the resources and people put in front of them. Our teams will benefit greatly from this wonderful addition.

Tim Corbin, Baseball Head Coach