Alumni Feature – Isaac Wong, Sport and Exercise Science MEd

Isaac Wong, a 2020 graduate from the Sport and Exercise Science MEd program

Isaac Wong, MEd, graduated from the School of Kinesiology’s Sport and Exercise Science MEd program in May of 2020, with the goal of becoming a college-level soccer coach. Originally from London, England, Wong received his undergraduate degree in Exercise Science from Northwestern College in Iowa. After graduating, Wong knew a master’s degree would put him in a better position to reach his career goals.

“My goal is to coach college soccer full-time, and potentially teach a Kinesiology class or two in addition to that,” Wong said. “I knew I would need at least a master’s degree in order to do that.” 

Wong’s wife, Sarah, who he met at Northwestern, is originally from Burnsville, Minnesota, and is pursuing a doctorate in Pharmacy at the University of Minnesota. This made his decision to attend the U of M relatively easy. 

“The Sport and Exercise Science program was my first choice,” Wong said. “The degree made sense and the location was really good for Sarah and I. It was ideal for us to live together in the same city while we completed our degrees.” 

Wong said his experience with the program was overwhelmingly positive. While pursuing his degree, he also played on the U of M men’s club soccer team. 

“It was really awesome to continue to play competitive soccer after my college soccer career,” Wong said. “That was one of the benefits of attending the University of Minnesota.” 

In addition to his participation in University club sports, Wong said the research experience he gained while working with Christopher Lundstrom, PhD, the director of the Sport and Exercise Science MEd program, was a major benefit of the program. 

“What really took my education to the next level was participating in applied sport science research in the Human Sport Performance Laboratory,” Wong said. “I now know how to conduct research, write academically for research publications, and can better understand research papers when I’m reading them.” 

Wong is currently a full-time soccer coach, coaching the high school boys team at Nova Classical Academy, and two boys club teams at the Salvo Soccer Club. He landed his high school coaching position through a connection with a fellow MEd classmate. His next step is to apply for college assistant coaching roles. 

“I think my master’s degree puts me in a better spot as an applicant,” Wong said. “A master’s degree is often mentioned in the preferred qualifications of coaching positions.”

Wong also noted that classes he took, such as KIN 5136 Psychology of Coaching with Nicole M LaVoi, PhD, a senior lecturer in the social and behavioral sciences of physical activity, gave him a lot of tangible experience in leadership and how to conduct himself as a coach. 

“I think one of the most applicable courses I took as a master’s student was psychology of coaching,” Wong said. “It’s all hypothetical, with many real-life examples used as well, and it really gives you a good perspective on how to best conduct yourself when it comes to leading and coaching.” 

Wong and his wife are now looking to take the next step in their careers, and will take with them the connections they’ve made at the University of Minnesota. 

Good luck Isaac, we’re proud to call you an alumni of the School of Kinesiology!