Alumni Jake Suvak ’17: From the Hockey Rink to Assistant Athletic Director

Jake Suvak ’17, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, found himself at Westfield State in 2013 after being recruited to the University’s hockey team. Over his four years at the university, Suvak balanced his commitment to the hockey team with a rigorous academic schedule, majoring in movement science with a concentration in exercise science. Today, Suvak serves as the Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Performance at the University of South Carolina Upstate, a role he earned after completing graduate school in 2019.

Reflecting on his time at Westfield State, Suvak noted that balancing academics with hockey wasn't too challenging, partly due to his decision to start college at the age of 21. "Waiting before jumping into my undergraduate journey helped me manage collegiate responsibilities better," Suvak explained. He described the hockey league as "very competitive," which helped to build his resilience before taking on collegiate responsibilities.

"Hockey is such a small sport, and so many players want to play, so it’s competitive. That’s why you’ll see players from all over the place. At Westfield State, we had players from California, Canada, and Alaska. It’s just what you do for hockey."

Suvak's studies in movement science at Westfield State laid a strong foundation for his future academic and professional endeavors. "It’s kind of funny," Suvak said. "I was nervous to go to graduate school and thought I would struggle, but half of it was review from what I learned at Westfield State. I was very well prepared for that next step of education."

Suvak credits his persistence and hard work for his success, describing himself as "never the most talented athlete" but someone who excelled through dedication. His interest in movement science began at 19 when he met his first strength and conditioning coach, who became a mentor and encouraged him to pursue a college degree in the field.

One aspect of the program that continues to impact Suvak is the performance psychology lessons, focusing on thoughts, attitude, and mindset during competition or physical activity. He also values the techniques he learned for breaking down skill mastery into manageable milestones.

The supportive faculty at Westfield State also played a crucial role in Suvak's development, with their enthusiasm and passion for the subject influencing Suvak to this day. “Dr. Holly Noun and her enthusiasm impacted my path significantly,” Suvak commented. “I didn’t realize how much I would take from it, but she was just so enthusiastic about everything we were doing as well as everyone’s ideas. That’s something I try to emulate in what I do now. She was excited about what you don’t know and then tried to the answers to it.”

Similar experiences with Dr. Paul Cacolice, Associate Professor of Sports Medicine and Human Performance, and David Laing, Adjunct Professor of Movement Science, were instrumental in preparing Suvak for his next steps.

Overall, Westfield State as an institution became the start of his career, Suvak said, by offering him a plethora of opportunities and internships to expand his skillset and prepare him for the future. "I didn’t realize how much the University prepared me until I graduated," Suvak said. "I had a lot of epiphanies about it and the program. Now I know."