As newly awarded Distinguished Faculty Chair of Moorpark College, Del Parker hopes to inform people about how physical fitness can lead to a better life and can be included in their daily regimen.
“I think that everybody really understands that fitness is important, but it’s a secondary issue. And we need to look at it as not an option, but something that has to be incorporated,” said Parker. “We get less and less movement in our lives every day; we park two steps from where we’re going and we get angry if we have to walk a little.”
On Aug 14, Parker presented “Physical Activity and Fitness: A Physical Investment you give yourself,” at the 14th annual Distinguished Chair award in the Performing Arts Center. Parker received the honor by excelling in five categories listed as exceptional job performance, concern for students, contributions to campus, leadership, professional development and other; all of the categories were developed by the faculty.
He lectured to his fellow faculty and friends on how taking a half-hour to walk, or run on a constant basis can help with longevity of life and general happiness. Parker detailed the walk from “Raider way” down to the fields of the athletic department, as a way for faculty and students to get the regular exercise they need.
Parker also explained in an interview after the presentation, about how students can become involved in their own health with programs such as walk for health, and the student intern personal training program.
“(Students) can take any of the classes; (MC) still does the walking course. Our personal training program isn’t open yet, because that’s a student intern program,” said Parker. “For protection’ssake we have an adult when they are training in case any accidents happen.”
Parker has been at MC for 42 years, serving as assistant men’s basketball coach for 28 years, head men’s coach for two years and head women’s coach for three. He also served as plebe coach for the United States Military Academy at West Point under the famed Bobby Knight from 1965-1969.
Parker is a UCLA Graduate and credits his longevity not only to hard work, but to a higher power as well as luck.
“I’ve been very blessed by the Lord,” said Parker. “I’ve fallen into situations that people have dreamed of trying to make available to themselves.”
Nenagh Brown, VIce President of the Academic Senate and who introduced the award, had the highest of acclaim for Parker, and his dedication to the Kinesiology department.
“He is particularly humble, he’s not one of the faculties that go around making a loud noise, Del does the work quietly and gets it done with the goals of students in mind,” said Brown. “He’s done it all with enormous humility, dignity and compassion.”
With the Obesity rate in America escalating to 33.3% since 1985amongst adults, according to a study from 1985-2010, on obesity increase in America by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html). This problem is affecting, according to Parker, the decline in society. Obesity can be attributed to health problems such as Diabetes, heart disease, laziness and high medical costs.
“I’m no better than anybody, that’s for sure. I just think we need to put (exercise) at the top of our list. Because all the things we see in society today are almost direct results of our poor health.”
For more information on classes that can aid in physical fitness, to reach the Kinesiology Department, contact Del Parker at [email protected].
Nenagh Brown is Vice President Of the Academic Senate, not President as originally posted, this was changed on September 6, 2011. The Student Voice apologizes for this error.
