Lock Haven University issued the following announcement on Oct. 22.
Lock Haven University graduate student, Steve Berhalter, of Englewood, Florida, has been working for the Tampa Bay Rays since 2020. Berhalter earned a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management at Florida International University and is now pursuing a Master of Science in Sport and Exercise Psychology at LHU.
The Tampa Bay Rays won the American League pennant against the Houston Astros in 2020. The Rays moved on to the World Series, where they lost a thrilling series to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
As affiliate clubhouse manager with the Rays, Berhalter works with the Charleston RiverDogs, the club’s Low-A Affiliate. Before he started this position, he was the visiting clubhouse attendant.
“This role was interesting because when I was not working in Tampa, I would go down and work at the alternate training site at our spring training complex in Port Charlotte, Florida,” Berhalter said.
“The Tampa Bay Rays are a first-class organization, and it was great to be a part of the organization as they went through an unprecedented season and pushed for a World Series title,” he added. “Everyone worked together cohesively to do their part to make sure the season would continue and to make the push all while helping each other out.”
The LHU student was able to witness firsthand the operations of a professional ball club amid one of the most challenging seasons in generations. “No one was left out to dry,” he said. “If you needed help, there was always someone there to give you a hand. That was the only way everyone was going to make it to the end of the season, and everyone made sacrifices.”
Berhalter’s education and training in the LHU Sport Science/Sport and Exercise Psychology track has proven valuable on the job. “I have been able to learn what to look for in the athletes – to see the correlation from the academia side of things to real-world situations,” he said.
As a manager, Berhalter feels he needs to be able to assess when something is wrong that could impact an athlete’s performance. He has learned that sports are about much more than peak physical fitness – as athletes need to be mentally fit as well.
“The education I am receiving at Lock Haven University will allow me to physically and mentally prepare athletes to be at their optimal performance in competition,” he said.
Peter Campbell, professor and LHU Sport Studies Department chair, is proud of Berhalter’s accomplishments. “We hope the best for Steve in the future and hope to bring him on campus to speak to our students about his exciting experience,” Campbell said.
For more information on Lock Haven University, visit www.lockhaven.edu, email admissions@lockhaven.edu, or call 570-484-2011.
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Lock Haven University’s main campus is located on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River in the scenic mountains of Pennsylvania. The university offers 49 undergraduate majors and certifications with 47 minors and five graduate programs.
LHU is a member of Pennsylvania’s State System, the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 2,300 degree and certificate programs in more than 530 academic areas of study. Nearly 520,000 system alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.
Original source can be found here.
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