DR. GREG COMFORT – Division Chair
Greg
came to Missouri Baptist University with several years of secondary school
teaching/coaching experience and fifteen years of teaching experience in
higher education. From 1988 to 1999, Greg co-developed and taught in the
undergraduate sport management program at Liberty University and served as
a consultant for a number of organizations and institutions including the
Professional Golfers Association (PGA), the YMCA (sport psychology), and
the California University of Pennsylvania (SMPRC program approval). Greg
accepted the position of undergraduate coordinator for sport administration
at Wichita State University in 1999 where he continued to hone his abilities
as a teacher of online classes, serve his profession at the local, state,
regional, and national level, publish and co-publish numerous articles, and
present professionally at the local, state, regional, and national level.
Greg was commissioned by the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) in the fall of 2000 to create an organizational website. As web manager and member of the NASSM Executive Council, Greg continues to receive, revise, and post pertinent materials on the NASSM website, supervise the annual online voting by NASSM membership, and attend Executive Council meetings. Greg served as a Folio Reviewer for the Sport Management Review Council (SMPRC) from 2001 to 2003 and vacated that post for a position on the SMPRC in 2003. As a voting member of the SMPRC, Greg assists in the ongoing improvement of the sport management program approval standards and processes and meets bi-annually with six other Council members to determine which undergraduate and graduate sport management programs meet those same stringent standards.
Greg enjoys speaking to groups about sportsmanship and youth sport opportunities. He has been asked by numerous sport organizations including the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), the YMCA, and several city recreation leagues throughout Kansas to address topics such as motivation, anger management, sportsmanship, and parent-coach relationships. Speaking to groups such as these allows Greg to share his faith in God and pursue his scholarly interests in sport psychology and sport sociology.
As Chair of the Health and Sport Sciences Division and Coordinator for the Sport Management program, Greg feels strongly that the St. Louis area has a lot to offer students interested in pursuing careers in health, physical education, sports medicine and sport management. Program accreditation and building bridges between the academic and the business communities continue to be Greg’s passion for the HSS Division as he and the other HSS faculty work towards properly preparing students for careers in their individual fields of study.
MR. LOWELL PITZER – Health and Physical Education Coordinator
Lowell Pitzer is a native of West Virginia, where he attended both high
school and college. While in college, Alderson-Broaddus, he played basketball
and majored in Biological Sciences and Physical Education. Lowell earned
his Masters of Education degree from West Virginia University.
After twenty years coaching in both public and prep schools in West Virginia and Virginia, teaching and working in administration in a Baptist affiliated prep school in Virginia, and serving as a basketball coach in a small college in Mississippi, Lowell joined the staff of Missouri Baptist College in 1990.
In 1992, Lowell was voted American Midwest Conference Men’s Coach-of-the-Year and led the Missouri Baptist Men’s basketball team to the NAIA men’s national championship tournament in 1993-94 after compiling a 25-9 record. As Athletic Director at Missouri Baptist University for six years, Pitzer was chosen as Administrator-of-the-Year for District Sixteen in 1992 and Region V Administrator-of- the-Year in 1997. While coaching the Lady Spartans at Missouri Baptist University for a period of five years, Lowell was selected Women’s Coach-of-the-Year in 2000.
Lowell was a member of the NAIA Council for Affiliated Conferences and Independents in 1996-97 and has served as the Commissioner/President of the AMC conference since 1993. As the Coordinator of the Health and Physical Education programs within the Health and Sport Sciences his experience as a coach and an administrator in the field give him valuable insights into the concepts discussed in his classes. Lowell envisions the Health and Physical Education programs achieving national recognition in the next few years as they continue to fall in line with state and national certification standards.
MR. MARK KIMZEY – Exercise Science Program Coordinator
Mark Kimzey is a 1990 alumni of MBU earning a Bachelors of Arts in Religion. Mark also earned a Masters of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary in 1994 and a Masters of Science in Education, majoring in Exercise Physiology with an emphasis in Adaptive Physical Exercise, at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville in 2006.
Beginning work at MBU in 1992, Mark held positions of director of public safety and director of housekeeping, and has taught as an adjunct instructor in the Health and Sports Science department since 1996. Mark moved to full-time teaching Fall 2006 in the Health and Sports Sciences department.
Mark graduated with honors from North Greenville College and Missouri Baptist University; was honored with Who’s Who Among Students of America’s Junior Colleges and Who’s Who Among College Teachers in America; and holds the office of president in The American Tang Shou Tao Association in which he has taught for 30 years.
Teaching and preaching in churches the past 20 years, teaching 10 years at the college level and 30 years of teaching kung fu gives Mark the skills to make the classroom experience enjoyable and meaningful.
MR. GUY DANHOFF - Assistant Professor in Exercise Science
Guy Danhoff joined the Health and Sport Sciences Division at Missouri Baptist University in 2008, but has been a strong advocate of the Division’s commitment to the promotion of intellectual, spiritual and professional development and integration of personal faith for much of his life. Guy has diligently served in the fitness industry for fourteen years, cultivating relationships with many prominent business and fitness leaders on a regional, national and international level. As a practitioner, Guy was responsible for educating and consulting others on the latest advancements of audio-visual fitness entertainment technology, integrated business solutions and cardiovascular fitness equipment purchases. He has recently held positions and/or responsibilities with leading fitness equipment and/or fitness entertainment technology manufacturers in business development, operations, account management, sales management, sales training, marketing and product development. Mr. Danhoff has served as a consultant for internationally based fitness organizations such as Bally’s Total Fitness, LifeTime Fitness, X Sport Fitness, East Bank Club, Gold’s Gym, Lakeshore Athletic Clubs, Power Wellness, Fitness Time (Saudi Arabia), Motorola, and Courtyard Marriott.
Previous to working in the fitness industry, Mr. Danhoff graduated magna cum laude while earning his Bachelors of Science degree in Physical Education with an emphasis in Corporate Fitness Instruction at Western Illinois University (WIU) in 1990. Two years later he earned his Master’s of Science degree in Exercise Science at WIU with an emphasis in Human Performance. During his tenure with WIU, Guy served as a board member of the Phi Epsilon Sigma student honor society.
Guy began his professional career as a teacher of personal fitness programming and weight training, strength coach, and assistant athletic academic advisor at WIU. As the institution’s first certified National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) strength and conditioning specialist, Guy was responsible for developing and directing the strength programs for most of the men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports teams. During this time, Guy led and conducted a validation study, published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, and presented at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) conference. Guy has also been published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and has presented at the NSCA conference. Guy completed an extensive internship at the hospital-based Centre Club in Libertyville, Illinois as a fitness instructor, served as an adjunct instructor at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and designed personalized training programs for corporate executives and high school athletes.
Adjunct Faculty
MS. MEREDITH DILL
Meredith Dill graduated in 2000 from Wheaton College with an undergraduate degree in Biology. She obtained an additional undergraduate degree in Exercise Science with a focus in Athletic training at Southern Connecticut State University in 2003. Meredith completed her Master of Science in Athletic Training at Ohio University in June of 2005 and currently teaches the Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries class and serves as Assistant Athletic Trainer for the MBU Athletic Department.
