Jason P. Willow

He is currently a tenured assistant professor and program director of the Sport and Exercise Science program at Gannon University in Erie, PA, a position he his held since completing his Ph.D. in Kinesiology from Penn State University in 2002. Prior to Penn State, Dr. Willow earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Edinboro University in 1994, and a master’s of science in sport studies with a concentration in sports behavior and performance from Miami University in 1996. He holds professional memberships with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the Association of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), the American Psychological Association (Division 47), the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA) and has been a member of American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation (AAPAR)

Under his direction, the Gannon Sport and Exercise Science program has grown from a faculty of one and student population of 28 in 2002 to a faculty cohort of seven full-time members and a student population of over 200. Dr. Willow, with the help of his colleagues, has been instrumental in the growth of the undergraduate program through the addition and revision of program curriculum using ACSM guidelines and through active promotion of exercise science and related fields to the student body. Most recently, the faculty were happy to announce the approval of our first advanced degree as the Master of Science in Sport and Exercise Science degree program, with a concentration in Human Performance received full approval in Fall of 2012.

Dr. Willow’s research focus and professional interests lie in overall performance enhancement for both elite and recreational athletes, primarily from the perspective of sport and exercise psychology. He addresses these interests both as a faculty member, and also through private consulting with Competitive Edge Consulting, a company founded by him offering educational and performance enhancement services to both athletes and non-athletes. His consulting services have been utilized by non-athletes, recreational weekend warriors and highly skilled professional athletes alike. Additionally, primarily because of his knowledge and experience in the sport sciences, Dr. Willow was recently named Head Women’s Golf Coach at Gannon.