Home Academy News Academy’s Dr. Brian Wallace Reflects on Career in Sports Exercise Science Field

Academy’s Dr. Brian Wallace Reflects on Career in Sports Exercise Science Field

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Academy’s Dr. Brian Wallace Reflects on Career in Sports Exercise Science Field
Retiring United States Sports Academy chair of sports exercise science Dr. Brian Wallace works with Olympic athletes from China in the Academy's hydrostatic test lab in 2018.

United States Sports Academy |

After a lengthy career dedicated to exercise science, personal fitness, and higher education, United States Sports Academy Chair of Exercise Science Dr. Brian Wallace will retire at the end of 2020.

This was Wallace’s third stint at the Academy, having previously served as the institution’s chair of sport fitness and health and also as a member of its National Faculty. He has served on numerous doctoral dissertation committees for the institution and directed the Academy’s Human Performance Lab.

“I immensely enjoyed working with our Academy students and imparting the knowledge they will need to be a success in their chosen careers,” Wallace said. “Most students in these programs are highly motivated to move forward with their careers and to be the best they can be. I also enjoyed working with an outstanding group of professionals, both the faculty and staff. The collegiality makes the process that much more enjoyable. I also enjoy staying on the cutting edge in sport and exercise training and sport fitness nutrition to apply it to my own life and sport activities – preparing for the Senior Games. Exercise and nutrition are after all the foundations for a long and happy life.”

Wallace has an extensive research record and his certifications have included the ACSM and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). He has more than 30 years of experience with everyone from Olympic and professional athletes to cardiac and diabetic patients. This background has allowed Wallace to create a cutting edge physiologic testing system that blends the most recent advances in health, fitness, and nutrition science to identify individual strengths, weaknesses and needs.

“Sport Exercise Science is a unique, multidisciplinary field that blends an exercise science education and training with a strength and conditioning program,” Wallace said. “Being in this field enabled me to work with everyone from cardiac, pulmonary and diabetic populations to professional and Olympic athletes.  I was able to develop a number of Human Performance Labs and a testing program using blood chemistries, cardio-pulmonary-metabolic testing, body composition and muscular fitness in which each athlete/client became their own case study via training/nutrition/retesting and program modification based on the results. 

“Perhaps most rewarding though, has been taking this experience and transferring it to the students I have in the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs here at Academy. Helping them be the best they can be and pursue their careers is very rewarding.  I know because I was highly motivated by my professors and coaches throughout my life. 

“An Exercise Science major provides an excellent launching pad for graduate studies in fields including applied exercise science, athletic training, physical therapy, wellness programs, biomechanics, cardiac rehabilitation and kinesiology, and strength and conditioning among others.  These programs also help prepare students for the ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist Exam and to become an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist – both gold standard certifications for careers in the clinical, sport and fitness industries.”

Wallace earned his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in exercise physiology from Southern Illinois University. After earning his Ph.D. in exercise physiology from Florida State University (FSU), Wallace directed the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, Fitness and Testing Center at Tallahassee Memorial Regional Medical Center. He also has served as senior vice president of applied physiology and nutrition for the Human Performance Institute in Orlando, Fla., and executive director of the lifestyle and performance center at Evolution Sports Science in Boston, Mass.

Wallace has served as an adjunct professor at FSU, as well as a seminar speaker and consultant for Cross Country Education (Vyne Education). He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and has numerous publications in scientific, medical and fitness journals.

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