Yellowstone Times

Montana State University students from the Neuromuscular Biomechanics Laboratory have had hands-on involvement supporting U.S. biathlon and para-Nordic teams. This partnership, conducted under the auspices of applied service-research, involved fieldwork and data collection aimed at helping athletes optimize their training techniques, thereby increasing their competitive edge.

During November, graduate students joined their mentor, Jim Becker, in Finland to assist the U.S. Biathlon team at their pre-season camp. By analyzing biomechanical data, the team sought to improve athletes' skiing techniques and equipment interactions, with findings directly informing coaching strategies.

“These partnerships are what I refer to as applied service-research, where the whole goal is to build mutually beneficial partnerships,” said Becker, who is co-director of the laboratory.

Becker’s team identified that work done on roller skis needed validation on snow, which they achieved during the Finnish training camp. "Part of the work...was identifying whether the technique fixes we identified on roller skis carried over," Becker noted, adding that improvements, such as pressure distribution under the forefoot, were among observable benefits.

Ethan Livingood, a master's student, gained real-world experience that expanded beyond the research environment, eventually serving as assistant coach for three weeks with the national team. “Since Ethan’s long-term goal after graduate school is to coach and work in Nordic sport at a high level, this was a perfect internship opportunity,” Becker said.

In January, Becker and students traveled to Italy to further assist U.S. athletes and share their findings at an international conference. Collaborating with international sports scientists, the U.S. team sought to capture valuable insights on optimizing racecourse performance.

Becker is hopeful their contributions will assist the U.S. in claiming its first biathlon Olympic medal. “This work appears to be paying dividends,” Becker remarked, citing a recent success of a U.S. athlete who clinched two medals at the World Championships.

Tricia Seifert, dean of the MSU College of Education, Health and Human Development, commented on the students’ engagement: “The experiential learning opportunities that Dr. Becker and his colleague, Dr. John Seifert, are providing to MSU students are truly world-class.”

The experience has not only enriched the students' academic journey but also contributed to MSU's growing reputation in applied winter sport science.