Claudine Sherrill Lifetime Achievement Award

About Dr. Claudine Sherrill

Dr. Claudine Sherrill, affectionately known as the “Mother of Adapted Physical Activity,” left an indelible mark on the field. With a career spanning decades, Dr. Sherrill began her academic journey with undergraduate studies at Texas Woman’s University and earned her doctorate from Columbia University. She spent her entire academic career at Texas Woman’s University, where she became the first faculty member to receive a federal grant in APE. Through these grants, Dr. Sherrill guided numerous theses and dissertations, impacting thousands of lives and shaping generations of scholars and practitioners in APE and adapted physical activity (APA). Her scholarship extended globally and includes more than 160 articles and books addressing prejudice, inclusion, and social justice in APE/APA. Renowned for her leadership and service, Dr. Sherrill received numerous awards and played pivotal roles in professional organizations, advocating for equity and opportunity for all. Even in retirement, she remained deeply engaged in learning and community involvement, leaving a legacy of passion, dedication, and compassion in the field of APE/APA.

Sherrill

Purpose

To recognize an exceptional senior scholar or professional with a minimum of 20 years of service in APE and/or APA who has made significant contributions to the field through sustained excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service.

Applicant Criteria

Nominees must be or have been highly active members of the APE and/or APA community, as evidenced through exemplary service, scholarship, and teaching. Nominees must also meet the following requirement:

  • Current membership in NCPEID for a minimum total of 10 years.

Application Materials

A complete nomination packet must include:

  1. Nominee curriculum vitae (CV)

  2. Two student testimonials (current or former students)

  3. Two peer letters of support

  4. A personal statement addressing the three pillars of the award outlined below

Pillars of the Award

Teaching

  • Exemplary teaching and mentoring of graduate students in APA or APE, as evidenced by student testimonials and peer letters, demonstrated across years of service in the field.

Scholarship

  • A sustained record of scholarship related to APA and/or APE, including but not limited to evidence-based research; practitioner journals; books or book chapters; state, national, and/or international presentations; internal or external grant submissions, applications, or funding; keynote addresses; and/or invited lectures.

Service

  • Outstanding leadership and service at the state, national, and/or international level that benefits the APA and/or APE profession.

  • Additional service may include professional organization leadership, editor or editorial board service for professional journals, advocacy, and/or community-based programming.

Award Recognition

The award recipient will receive complimentary registration and will be invited to present at the NCPEID annual conference in the year following receipt of the award.

2025 Claudine Sherrill Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: David Porretta

Previous Award Recipients (2023-)

  • Ron French and Lisa Silliman-French (2024)

  • Jeffrey A. McCubbin (2023)