Lambdin Elected President of Top National Physical Education and Fitness Organization April 30, 2013

headshot Dolly Lambdin, a clinical professor in the College of Education’s Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, was elected president of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) at the organization’s annual conference last week in Charlotte, N.C.

The AAHPERD is a major national professional organization that offers support to practitioners in fields that promote active and healthy lifestyles. In addition to promoting research, education and best practices in areas like physical education, dance and recreation, the organization also develops and advocates national standards for those areas.

Lambdin has taught in the College of Education since 1976 and has 16 years experience teaching grades K-8 in public and private schools. As a physical education teacher education instructor, she has supervised over 100 student teachers.

She teaches elementary teaching methods and curriculum courses at the undergraduate level as well as Technology in Physical Education, Analysis of Teaching, and Current Issues in Physical Education in the master’s and doctoral programs in the College of Education’s Physical Education Teacher Education Program.

An established leader in the general area of physical education and fitness, Lambdin has received the Margie Hansen Elementary Physical Education Distinguished Service Award (2012), Texas Exes Elizabeth Shatto Massey Award for Excellence in Teacher Education (2009) and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education’s (NASPE) Physical Education Teacher Education Honor Award (2009). In addition she has been named the Texas College and University Teacher of the Year (2003) and received the Outstanding Leadership Award from the NASPE Council on School Leadership (1997).

As President of the NASPE from 2004-05, Lambdin worked to put NASPE standards in the hands of teachers, administrators and the public so that individuals at all levels would recognize quality physical education. She served on the writing teams for the Texas Physical Education Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in Physical Education; the National and Texas State Physical Education Beginning Teacher Standards; and National Physical Education Appropriate Practices Guidelines. She is a founding member of the board of directors of Active Life and serves on advisory boards for Fitnessgram, the Center for the Advancement of Standards Based Physical Education Reform (CASPER), PECentral and HealthStart. In addition she serves on the management board for the University of Texas Elementary School and the board of directors for the Trinity Child Development Center in Austin.

Lambdin has co-authored numerous texts, including “Putting Research to Work in Elementary Physical Education” with Lawrence F. Locke, and the Texty award-winning physical education textbooks. The Texty winners were “Fitness for Life: Middle School,” with Chuck Corbin and Guy LeMasurier, and “Fitness for Life: Elementary School” with Chuck Corbin, Guy LeMasurier and Meg Greiner. The elementary series includes grade level guides for classroom teachers, a guide for physical education teachers, and a comprehensive guide for coordinators. The series is designed to establish school-wide support and visibility for healthy habits, physical activity, and physical education.

“This is wonderful recognition of the contributions that Dr. Lambdin has made to the field,” said John Bartholomew, interim chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, “and of her standing amongst her peers that she was elected to lead the primary national organization tasked with supporting professionals in the various physical activity-related fields.”

To listen to Lambdin’s platform statement, which was submitted prior to the AAHPERD, go to the 2013 Candidates for AAHPERD President-Elect webpage.

—Kay Randall, University Communications, 512-232-3910