ASEPNewsletter
Vol 1 No 12
August, 1998
ISSN 1097-9743
The ASEPNewsletter is devoted to informative articles and news items about exercise physiology. It is a monthly magazine of news, opinions, exercise physiology professionals, and events that shape exercise physiology. While it contains views and opinions of the Editorial Staff who oversee the ASEP Internet Websites, visitors can have a voice as well. We welcome interested practitioners, researchers, and academicians to e-mail the Publisher their thoughts and ideas or to respond directly via the ASEP Public Forum.
Creating an image
TOMMY BOONE
After one year of writing pieces for the ASEPNewsletter, just short of entering yet another academic year, it occurred to me that only a very few exercise physiologists contributed to it. I have tried to create an image of respect for exercise physiologists without being too terribly hard on sports medicine. At times, it has been difficult but generally okay.
What is the image of the ASEPNewsletter? Unfortunately, I don't know. I'm guessing that a relatively few individuals seem interested in what it has to offer. The larger "potential" audience appears to remain unconvinced of its value. Yet, in the history of exercise physiology, how many newsletters have there been? The answer is too few to mention. Exercise physiologists, in actuality, have had and continue to have little to no means of communication (outside of the typical research format).
The ASEPNewsletter has tried to touch on ways to motivate the reader. The Society is interested in exercise physiologists feeling good about themselves, and it wants exercise physiologists everywhere to believe in their future. Hence, on one hand, the stories, articles, and motivational pieces tell the reader what the newsletter is and why it exists. But, an interesting question is, "Is the image valuable in the eyes of the exercise physiologist?" Perhaps, there is a need for a different set of lenses through which to view the concerns, ideas, and "whatever" of exercise physiologists?" If so, anyone can take the charge.
The problem may be my personal preconceived image of what might be helpful in launching a medium through which exercise physiologists can speak to each other. What is good or what is not so good in what they do can for the first time via the internet be examined and re-examined. This idea seems to be a legitmate one. Yet, after 12 months of overseeing the newsletter, I'm beginning to think I might be wrong. Everyone wants this and that to happen right now, but (at times) it seems to me that only a few exercise physiologists are truly willing and interested in working to achieve the possible. That is, while I understand that writing takes time, energy, and is hard work, it is nonetheless important. I can only guess that is part of the reason I've received so few submissions for publication in the newsletter.
All day, every day, I wait for help from those of you who have stated that exercise physiology must take charge of its future. The greatest challenge before me is no longer the continued editing of the countless web pages of ASEP, but the challenge to continue to write in your absence. Why does it seem that so few exercise physiologists pay so little time to the development of the profession through the ASEPNewsletter? I don't know. It is a legitimate electronic document with an ISSN number for internet documentation. It is genuinely based on gaining support and control of exercise physiologists and the profession, respectively.
Well, I've tried to create a small "window into the world of exercise physiology" to increase national and international awareness of the negative subtleties that our students face at graduation. I promised myself that I would not give up, and that I would always communicate directly with simple phrases and leave, hopefully, favorable impressions. In short, though, it is time for exercise physiologists to create the image they want to communicate through the internet medium.
Small (2 to 3 paragraphs) pieces of interests to other exercise physiologists will do nicely. It doesn't have to be a thousand-word document. Instead, think about what concerns you or what is going great in your professional work. What do you know that may be of some help to others. Exercise physiologists are interested in what you have to say. Don't be afraid of your own creativity. If interesting new things are happening to you, mention them in the newsletter and ask how the reader feels about them.
It isn't a suicide hotline. Your professional status will still be everything it was and very likely more! Why not submit your thoughts, hopes, and fears for the future of exercise physiology in the United States (if not worldwide)? Why not describe graphically what the future should be like, and how we can find more jobs for our students when they graduate? I know many of you have similar concerns as I do, and that you identify with many of the common problems we face. I believe it will be helpful, reasonable, and well-meaning to share your ideas and arguments with other exercise physiologists who are travelling the same road.
In short, I have pushed my points about as far as I can. There are a lot of important issues, and I believe there is an audience. Think about what is really important in your professional work, the knowledge of core issues, alternatives to jobs, mentors, and so forth and then share that information with other committed members. The potential benefits outweigh the probable costs.
Active participation is necessary in order to achieve ASEP goals and to make the Society a success.
