This episode of What’s New in APE is extra special, as we have a guest moderator taking the reins today. Dr. Barry Lavay (@BarryLavay), an adapted physical education professor at California State University, Long Beach and longtime contributor to the podcast, has been so kind to bring his expertise and personality to the podcast. In fact, for the next two episodes Dr. Lavay will be interviewing Dr. Geoffrey Broadhead (@geoffbroadhead) about his career in the field of adapted physical activity (APA), as well as his insights on the status of field and where we are going.

Dr. Geoffrey Broadhead is a pioneer in the field of a APA and has many noteworthy achievements. More specifically, Dr. Broadhead is the founding editor for the quintessential Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly (APAQ) journal, and a former professor of adapted physical activity at Louisiana State University and Kent State University. In addition, Dr. Broadhead has received a number of honors and awards for his contribution to the profession such as SHAPE Fellow member, the NCPEID Hollis Fait Scholarship Award recipient in 1988 for recognition of his distinguished scholarly contributions to APA, National Advocacy Award from the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation, and since 1996 Editor Emeritus of APAQ the official journal of IFAPA.

For this very first episode, Dr. Lavay talks to Dr. Broadhead about his upbringing and professional training in England, and how he made the transition to the United States of America and the field of APA. Within this topic, they have an in-depth discussion about how Dr. Broadhead became initially interested in health and physical education for individuals with disabilities. Dr. Broadhead also shares his insights on what he learned from pioneers he studied with in the field of APA when he first began his career. Furthermore, they will begin to discuss some of Dr. Broadhead’s research interests, which have focused on an array of topics, including some crucial work on physical fitness testing for individuals with intellectual disabilities, that laid the foundation for many of the laws that have incorporated language regarding APA today.