VIRGINIA TECH | 2017-18 WBB Team Guide

12 THE UNIVERSITY | STUDENT-ATHLETE SUPPORT | PLAYERS & STAFF | HISTORY & RECORDS 2017-18 BASKETBALL SPORT PSYCHOLOGY The Virginia Tech Athletics Department contracts with the Thomas E. Cook Counseling Center to provide psychological services for its student-athletes through the Sport Psychology Office. Dr. Gary Bennett coordinates the sport psychology department, which offers psychological and performance enhancement services for student-athletes. The mission of the sport psychology office is to promote student-athlete learning and development. Consistent with the university’s mission to “educate the whole person,” the sport psychology program promotes the academic, intellectual, social, emotional, athletic, and personal development of student-athletes. On average, Bennett conducts more than 50 individual sessions per week and meets weekly with teams as the need arises. The response to the sport psychology program has been positive. The student-athletes are very receptive to the services offered by the doctors. The sport psychology office reaches out to student-athletes who may not have considered going to the counseling service that is offered to all students at Virginia Tech. SPORTS NUTRITION Eating healthy and making food functional for athletic performance are important aspects of a Virginia Tech student-athlete’s life, and that’s why the athletics department implemented the sports nutrition program in July of 2002. Jennie Zabinsky is the department’s associate athletics director of sports nutrition. The sports nutrition program offers a wide variety of services that aim to enhance the performance of each student-athlete. Services include individual assessments, team talks, body composition analysis using the Bod Pod, grocery store tours, supplement management and education, disordered eating counseling, travel meal arrangements, and basketball training table menu planning and management. Zabinsky works closely with coaches, team physicians, athletic trainers, strength coaches and the sport psychologist to address any performance concerns. She directs the nutrition and performance committee that meets monthly to discuss student-athletes of concern. The sports nutrition staff manages two facilities, the Nutrition Oasis and Fueling Station, that provide athletes fuel in between workouts, classes and meals. Each facility provides recovery beverages, Gatorade products, smoothies, and a variety of high performance snack options as well as nutrition education resources. In addition, Virginia Tech has started providing a training table to help promote hydration, muscle recovery, glycogen, synthesis, providing options to meet a variety of energy needs while increasing antioxidant and fiber intake. DR. GARY BENNETT SPORT PSYCHOLOGIST Responsibilities: Bennett meets with student-athletes on an individual basis for personal counseling and to discuss the mental aspects of the game. He also works on team building, communication and performance enhancement. Bennett has taught and supervised pre-doctoral level interns. Joined VT Athletics Staff: 2000 (full time since 2007); 17th year. At Virginia Tech: Bennett began working at Virginia Tech in 1995 at the Cook Counseling Center. Now, as the sport psychologist, he also serves on the committees for nutrition, performance and substance abuse; and the planning committee for the “Summit for Student-Athlete Success” events. He also works with various teams in the area of performance enhancement. Education: Centre (Ky.) College, 1981 (B.A. in English, where he played baseball); University of Kentucky, 1988 (master’s in rehabilitation counseling); University of Kentucky, 1995 (Ph.D. in counseling psychology). Of Note: Bennett is licensed as a clinical psychologist and has additional training in sport psychology. He is certified as a sport psychology consultant by the Association of Applied Sport Psychology and is a member of Division 47 (exercise and sport psychology) of the American Psychology Association. Personal: Bennett lives in Blacksburg and enjoys playing golf and basketball, as well as hiking and skiing, in his spare time. JENNIE ZABINSKY, MAED, RD ASSOCIATE AD SPORTS NUTRITION Responsibilities: Zabinsky is responsible for all nutrition and performance related concerns for varsity student- athletes including individual counseling, team talks, body composition analysis using the Bod Pod, recovery nutrition plans, grocery store tours, training table menu planning, travel meal arrangements, managing the Nutrition Oasis and Fueling Stations, and supplement education. Joined VT Staff: 2011; sixth year. At Virginia Tech: Zabinsky worked as the sports nutrition graduate assistant under former director Amy Freel before being hired as director. She directs the nutrition and performance committee. Education: Roanoke College, 2005 (B.A. in sociology) while competing in basketball for four years; Virginia Tech, 2009 (B.S. in human nutrition, foods and exercise: dietetics option); Virginia Tech, 2010 (dietetic internship); Virginia Tech, 2013 (master of arts in education). Of Note: Zabinsky is a member of the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA) and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Family: A native of Centreville, Virginia, Zabinsky and her husband, Sam, live in Christiansburg with their twin sons. ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE