What is the Washington U. Athletics Staff up to this summer?

By Chris Mitchell
Sports Information Director
Washington University in St. Louis

You might wonder what the Washington University in St. Louis staff is up to in their so-called “down-time.” From summer camps, to recruiting, to public speaking, there is no down time in the summer. Below is how our staff is keeping busy in the summer of 2012:

Volleyball coach Rich Luenemann – Joan and I are spending a lot of time together. Beginning on July 1st we go to physical therapy on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Mondays and Fridays Home Health Care will come into our home to perform speech and occupational therapy. We’re in the process of looking at wheel chair accessible van with the goal of taking Joan on a number of one-day trips.

Cross Country and Track & Field Coach Jeff Stiles – We went to sea world with my wife and three children. My oldest daughter (Anya) had her first dance recital and there was a father daughter dance, which was a lot of fun. Since then we have been working on learning to ride bikes, learning to swim, potty training, and getting rid of Kiera’s (just turned 3) pacifier. Time at home with the family has been wonderful. Also visited some college friends and their children last weekend.

Women’s Soccer coach Jim Conlon – The Conlon family, Jeanne, Courtney (7), Carson (4) and I will sleep in six states in six weeks this summer. Between weekend getaways and recruiting, we have traveled and slept in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin. When I am not on the road I have worked five WashU/ Joe Clarke soccer camps.

Women’s Basketball coach Nancy Fahey – July is always a big recruiting month. We are looking forward to seeing a lot of potential Bears. I will also be traveling to Ireland this summer with the entire Fahey Family. I have never been out of the country, so I am looking forward to visiting the home of my ancestors.

Assistant Women’s Basketball coach Bobbi Morse – Have been working basketball camp this summer at Washington University and continuing to recruit. Also vacationed to New York, Kentucky and South Dakota in RV fifth wheel.

Accounting Assistant Iris Wright – I have been busy paying camp counselors. No vacations for me till camps are over.

Women’s Tennis coach Kelly Stahlhuth – Hosted a summer ITA Circuit Tourney in July, and going to Memphis this weekend for a USTA Clay Court Girls 18 nationals. At Universal Studios in Florida right now with the boys - going to go to Harry Potter Land and ride the rollercoasters. Then heading to Hilton Head for some family time.

Assistant Men’s Basketball coach Caleb Lawson – A busy summer so far working basketball camps in St. Louis. Also spent some time in Chicago, Indiana and San Diego recruiting. Recently returned from a family vacation in Hood River, Oregon, and will be traveling to Peru for 12 days for honeymoon going to Machu Picchu and Amazon Rain Forest.

Cheerleading coach Natalie LaFranzo – This summer I have spent some time working with Chloé Risto preparing her to take over the team in the coming season. We will work together this year to transition, and she will begin coaching on her own in the 2013-14 season. Chloé coached the team for two years before I arrived in 2007, and works for the American Youth Foundation. I have also been working in the lab to finish up my research with the goal of defending my doctoral thesis in January 2013. I recently spent two weeks in Singapore sightseeing and presenting my research at the International Conference of Young Researchers on Advanced Materials on a travel grant from the National Science Foundation.

Men’s Soccer coach Joe Clarke – Busy Summer! Camps in St Louis during June and in July then finishing with a recruiting camp at Northwestern in Chicago. Cindy and I go to France later this summer for the French portion of our son Eric’s wedding. Eric and wife Anaise were married in California in October.

Football coach Larry Kindbom – Most of my summer has been consumed with coaching at five different football camps. My favorite was our Senior Prospect camp, with over 90 seniors coming from all over the country. I also shared the podium with Assistant Coach Dennis Snep at the National Character Education Conference, talking about our players and their partnership with the Jason Foundation. I am taking my family for a few days to San Diego later this month, and then off to my annual pilgrimage up Pike’s Peak. Most of all, I look forward to our players returning in August in preparation for the upcoming season.

Assistant Athletic Trainer Jim Anderson – Attended College Athletic Trainers Society conference in Las Vegas in May, National Athletic Trainers Association conference in St. Louis in June and working volleyball, basketball and soccer summer camps at Wash. U.

Softball coach Leticia Pineda-Boutté – I was in Fargo, ND, for my stepdaughter’s graduation, in Arizona for the U of AZ softball camps and vacation, and in Indiana visiting my mother-in-law.

Intramurals Administrative Assistant Kathy Lasater – I am finally getting to participate in WUSTL’s Summer Writing Institute, something I’ve been wanting to do for a while – will be concentrating on the non-fiction genre. Also ushering at Busch Stadium, cheering on my St. Louis Cardinals with all the other fans. Hopefully, will get a bit of a tan before returning to work in August.

Associate Director of Athletics Joe Worlund – It was great to get away for a couple weeks, as Pam and I traveled to Alaska. The trip began in Anchorage with a land tour that included a ride on the Alaska Railroad and a tour of Denali where the vastness of Alaska and the opportunity to view wildlife is incredible. Our land tour was followed by a cruise that departed Seward, we traveled through the inside passage making stops along the way, the most memorable being a stop at the Hubbard Glacier and a whale watching trip out of Juneau. The cruise ended in Vancouver. As it turns out our timing was perfect as we were enjoying 55-degree weather in Alaska, St Louis was enduring 10 straight days of 100+ degree days.

Baseball coach Steve Duncan – I started the summer by visiting my brother and his family who live in Antigua, Guatemala. Since then, I’ve worked a number of high school baseball recruiting showcases across the country from Chicago, to Connecticut, to DC, and northern California. In between showcases I spent a couple of weeks on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland where my parents live, boating and relaxing.

Swimming & Diving coach Brad Shively – I’ve had a swimming-filled summer so far. I was up at the University of Michigan for a month running the Wolverine Swim Camp and working with the Club Wolverine swimmers as they prepared for U.S. trials and for the international athletes, the Olympic games. I also spent a week in Omaha watching the United States put together a terrific squad at U.S. trials.