Marie-Ève Thérien
“Sport is the basis of everything. Well, my passion for sport is at the root of everything,” said André Lachance, the 2007 University of Ottawa Part-Time Professor of the Year and Manager of Baseball Canada’s women’s national team. “This passion is transferred to teaching and allows me to share my knowledge.”
André Lachance has taught part-time at the School of Human Kinetics since 2001. He has taught several courses such as Physical Activity and Sport Psychology, Mental Training and Principles of Coaching. In the classroom, he puts into practice the values that he hopes to pass on to the students. “I don’t pretend to know everything. I ask questions and I knock down doors. You have to step out of your comfort zone to move forward,” explained Lachance. “That’s what I try to do every day.”
To illustrate his work philosophy, André Lachance refers to the creation of Project Resolutions that he suggested to the students of his Wellness and Lifestyle class. Launched in winter 2007, the goal of the project was to help participants adopt and keep their New Year’s resolutions, such as to lose weight, change eating habits, exercise more and stop smoking, to improve their life habits. Matched up with two participants from the general public, the students had to communicate on a regular basis with them in order to encourage and motivate them.
The students, like the participants, greatly appreciated their experience and acknowledge Professor Lachance’s contribution. “He created an original project that involved students in something concrete, a project that is not solely theoretical,” explained one student. “The experience is dynamic and interactive, while still allowing for introspection. I really enjoyed it,” said another student.
Whether it is in a classroom or on a baseball field, André Lachance’s challenge remains the same. “You have to take care of the foundation. Preparation is everything,” he said. Lachance is always available to answer his students’ and athletes’ questions and attaches great importance to following up with them. Using an iceberg as an example, he explains that the tip represents the destination of students or athletes. The goal is to lead them to the top of the iceberg to give them every future possibility. “My main role is to prepare the student or athlete to create a strong base in order to see the iceberg emerge from the water,” said Lachance.
Touched by being named Part-Time Professor of the Year, André Lachance stated, “It’s a wonderful reward. You have to understand that the students’ energy also pushes me to live up to expectations and to continue to better myself.”
