MIDDLEBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To develop training products for athletes of all sports, TIMEX, a leader in outdoor and sports performance timepieces, is joining forces with the University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute (KSI) on a number of research and educational studies about heart rate zone/GPS training and the importance of using proper training equipment, during and after training and competition. As part of these pioneering studies, professional and college endurance and team athletes will participate in a number of comprehensive programs over the next three years.
The Korey Stringer Institute is named for the late NFL player Korey Stringer, who died of complications related to exertional heat stroke following a preseason football practice in 2001. The institute - part of UConn’s Neag School of Education, home of the nation’s top doctoral program in kinesiology - is led by Douglas J. Casa, Ph.D., a noted expert on exertional heat stroke and exercise in the heat. Kelci Stringer, Korey Stringer’s wife, founded the institution with Casa and serves as its CEO.
“This partnership will enable TIMEX to utilize first-hand research data related to a number of integral training elements including heart rate, pace, body/skin temperature and fitness level to improve training techniques and develop innovative new products for athletes of all levels,” said Heberto Calves, VP of Marketing, TIMEX. “We plan on integrating all of our assets into these studies to ensure we offer training solutions that will truly impact performance and safety during training and competitions.” This ground-breaking study will feature members of the TIMEX Multisport Team, a diverse team of dynamic professionals and amateurs who embody the sacrifice, commitment and passion of the sport of triathlon, and take place throughout the week leading up to the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
Casa and his team will work closely with each of the 30 participating athletes, 15 of which are TIMEX Multisport Team, to create a firm foundation to help TIMEX educate athletes on how they can maximize their training with the use of TIMEX® products.
“What athletes and coaches need to know is that using the proper training equipment can enhance their results, while maximizing and managing their safety and recovery,” said Douglas Casa, Ph.D., ATC, FACSM, FNATA. “These studies will enable our team and TIMEX to identify key facts about all levels of athletes during training and competition.”
This is the second study TIMEX and KSI have collaborated on. The first one was completed in August 2011 with the UCONN men’s soccer team.
About TIMEX Sports Watches
Currently celebrating the 25th anniversary of the first TIMEX® Ironman®watch, TIMEX has an unparalleled heritage of creating innovative, technologically advanced and reliable timepieces for endurance athletes. The TIMEX Ironman brand legacy of leadership, innovation and style in international sport is evident in the brand’s extensive anthology of elite training devices and fitness aids. TIMEX Ironman timepieces are worn by athletes on every continent and have been added to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Consumers are invited to interact with the brand and its strategic partners, including World Triathlon Corporation, New York Road Runners Club and the New York Giants, on Facebook.com/TimexSports.
About the TIMEX Group
TIMEX Group designs, manufactures and markets innovative timepieces and jewelry globally. Founded in 1854, TIMEX is part of TIMEX Group, a privately-held company with numerous brands and over 5,000 employees worldwide. It is one of the largest watch makers in the world with companies and exclusive licenses worldwide.
About UConn’s Korey Stringer Institute
The University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute is part of the Neag School of Education’s Department of Kinesiology, currently regarded as the best kinesiology doctoral program in the country. UConn’s researchers are recognized leaders in the fields of exercise science, exercise and sport nutrition, athletic training, physical therapy, and sport management. UConn’s Human Performance Laboratory and Laboratory for Sport Management is widely recognized and published worldwide. The Korey Stringer Institute is dedicated to providing first-rate research, information, resources, assistance and advocacy for the prevention of sudden death in sport, especially as it relates to exertional heat stroke.
About Dr. Douglas J. Casa
Dr. Douglas J. Casa has published more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and presented more than 300 times on subjects related to exertional heat stroke, heat-related illnesses, preventing sudden death in sport, and hydration. Dr. Casa is the 2008 recipient of the medal for distinguished athletic training research from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. He was named a fellow of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association in 2008. He received the Sayers “Bud” Miller Distinguished Educator Award from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association in 2007 and has been a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine since 2001. He has been a lead or co-author on numerous sports medicine (ACSM, NATA) position statements related to heat illness and hydration. He is also the editor of the book, “Preventing Sudden Death During Sport and Physical Activity,” (Jones and Bartlett, 2011). Dr. Casa and Korey Stringer Institute research has been featured on the NBC Today Show, ESPN, CNN, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and the New York Times among many other media outlets.
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