David Rockwood Recipient of the 2011 – 2012 PHS Crystal Apple Award

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By Krystal Baker

David Rockwood is the recipient of the 2011 – 2012, Payson High School Crystal Apple Award. Rockwood has been teaching and coaching at Payson High School since 2003. He is the PHS cross country and track and field coach, and head coach of the all-star track and field team for the state of Utah.

Rockwood teaches psychology, AP Psychology, and developed the popular Sport Psychology program at PHS. Rockwood believes the program is popular because of its appeal to students in all performance venues.

 “It is a popular because it works. Applying the lessons from class makes a real difference in the athlete's ability to perform well. There is a real hunger for success and students find that this class helps them achieve it. It is mostly used in sports, but applies to any performance activity, dance, music, etc.,” Rockwood said.

Kai Shulz, PHS senior and cross country athlete has enrolled in the Sport Psychology class more than once, and believes it has made him a better athlete.

“I absolutely loved Sports Psychology. The first time I took it it blew my mind,” Shulz said.

Rockwood recently received national attention in US News and World Report in the article “Teachers Publish Their Own Textbooks,” for his book, Closing the Gap: Applied Sport Psychology for High School , published in 2009, now being used in locations worldwide.

“It is being used in places like California, Oregon, Washington, Ohio, Iowa, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, many schools in Utah, and even in South Africa. People around here might not realize it, but Payson High is becoming well known in the small world of high school sport psychology as the real pioneer and epicenter of this growing movement of teaching sport psychology in high schools,” Rockwood said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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By Krystal Baker
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