Teamwork & Teamplay - Biography of Jim Cain

Some Information about Jim Cain

Dr. Jim Cain is the author of the award winning adventure-based text Teamwork & Teamplay which received the Karl Rohnke Creativity Award presented by the Association for Experiential Education (AEE). He is the former Executive Director of the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT), and manager of the Cornell University Corporate Teambuilding Program. Jim makes his home in Brockport, New York. He holds a Bachelor degree from YSU, Master degrees from the RIT and U of R, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rochester. Dr. Cain frequently serves as a visiting professor on subjects ranging from experiential education to challenge and adventure- based activities, and from recreational dancing and games leadership, to structural engineering, chaos and powder mechanics.

Jim began teaching dance and games as a 4-H camp counselor in 1973 and has assisted with more than 500 adventure-based education and camping programs around the world since then. He is a third generation square dance caller, plays guitar and mandolin, and has recorded with the ensemble Thistledown performing acoustic music of Scotland and Ireland on guitar, fiddle and hammered dulcimer. His first CD The Hills of Lorne has sold nearly 10,000 copies. Jim's latest musical project is a digital recording entitled Barn Dance Tonight featuring music of traditional and contemporary country dancing.

Some of Jim's experience in adventure-based leadership comes from his long involvement with the Ohio-based Buckeye Leadership Workshop. In recent years, he has presented workshops, staff training events, seminars and keynote presentations in 36 states and 9 countries, including the Bradford Woods Institute, AEE Regional and Internal Conferences, 4-H Conferences in 7 states and recreation workshops in a dozen states. In 1996, Jim helped create and facilitate a team building program for the NASA Lunar-Mars project to prepare personnel for extended missions. Jim also assists with the staff training of many summer camp programs each year. Most recently his work includes facilitating challenge and adventure activities, writing award winning adventure-based books, and the analysis, design and construction of portable, ground-level and permanently installed adventure equipment. Jim has designed and constructed his own barn which holds an extensive woodworking shop and space for adventure activities. In 1998, Jim traveled twice to Nagano, Japan to construct a high and low element challenge course near the site of the 1998 Winter Olympic Games. The high element ropes course was only the second ever constructed in that nation, and received extensive media coverage.

In addition to challenge and adventure-based educational programs, Jim has created a series of corporate teambuilding activities that have been used with technical teams, managers, sales teams and assembly workers. These activities have also been applied in academic, therapeutic recreation and other professional settings. Jim has also worked extensively to create fully accessible adventure programs and challenge course equipment for organizations which include participants with specialized needs.

Jim has attended the instructors certification course in ground-level and high ropes activities at the Adventure Education Center, and the Adventure Programming training at Project Adventure. He has also attended the builders and inspectors clinic held at Cradlerock, and assisted in the construction of several ground-level and high element adventure courses. During his graduate studies he mechanically tested the strength and physical properties of many types of adventure equipment and ropes course hardware. He has worked extensively with the Association for Challenge Course Technology and many Professional Vendor Members (PVMs), including Project Adventure, Inner Quest, Adventure Experiences and Alpine Towers. In addition to challenge and adventure-based activities, Jim also makes a variety of boomerangs, 2 liter bottle rockets, rain sticks, tin whistles, sundials, and generally has more toys than many developing nations. As the owner and director of Teamplay, Jim frequently consults with schools, colleges, youth center, camps and corporate clients regarding the use of adventure-based activities. He has created, collected and modified a multitude of portable, ground-level initiatives and challenge activities in addition to designing and building equipment for these activities. His publications include contributions to the Bradford Papers, The Book of Metaphors - Volume II edited by Michael Gass, 50 Ways to Use Your Noodle by Chris Cavert and Sam Sikes, Adventure Programming by Miles and Priest, and the new classic Teamwork & Teamplay. Watch for a new book Teambuilding Hardware, coauthored with Sam Sikes and Chris Cavert, a Guide to processing Activities, co-authored with Jennifer Stanchfield and Michelle Cummings, a second volume of Teamwork & Teamplay and an adventure-based CD training tool in the future!

Jim Cain, Ph.D.
Teamwork & Teamplay
Tel 585-637-0328
Fax 585-637-5277
Email

468 Salmon Creek Road
Brockport, NY 14420-9761 USA




Some Information about Jim Cain Dr. Jim Cain is the author of the award winning adventure-based text Teamwork & Teamplay which received the Karl Rohnke Creativity Award presented by the Association for Experiential Education (AEE). He is the former Executive Director of the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT), and manager of the Cornell University Corporate Teambuilding Program. Jim makes his home in Brockport, New York. He holds a Bachelor degree from YSU, Master degrees from the RIT and U of R, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Rochester. Dr. Cain frequently serves as a visiting professor on subjects ranging from experiential education to challenge and adventure- based activities, and from recreational dancing and games leadership, to structural engineering, chaos and powder mechanics. Jim began teaching dance and games as a 4-H camp counselor in 1973 and has assisted with more than 500 adventure-based education and camping programs around the world since then. He is a third generation square dance caller, plays guitar and mandolin, and has recorded with the ensemble Thistledown performing acoustic music of Scotland and Ireland on guitar, fiddle and hammered dulcimer. His first CD The Hills of Lorne has sold nearly 10,000 copies. Jim's latest musical project is a digital recording entitled Barn Dance Tonight featuring music of traditional and contemporary country dancing. Some of Jim's experience in adventure-based leadership comes from his long involvement with the Ohio-based Buckeye Leadership Workshop. In recent years, he has presented workshops, staff training events, seminars and keynote presentations in 36 states and 9 countries, including the Bradford Woods Institute, AEE Regional and Internal Conferences, 4-H Conferences in 7 states and recreation workshops in a dozen states. In 1996, Jim helped create and facilitate a team building program for the NASA Lunar-Mars project to prepare personnel for extended missions. Jim also assists with the staff training of many summer camp programs each year. Most recently his work includes facilitating challenge and adventure activities, writing award winning adventure-based books, and the analysis, design and construction of portable, ground-level and permanently installed adventure equipment. Jim has designed and constructed his own barn which holds an extensive woodworking shop and space for adventure activities. In 1998, Jim traveled twice to Nagano, Japan to construct a high and low element challenge course near the site of the 1998 Winter Olympic Games. The high element ropes course was only the second ever constructed in that nation, and received extensive media coverage. In addition to challenge and adventure-based educational programs, Jim has created a series of corporate teambuilding activities that have been used with technical teams, managers, sales teams and assembly workers. These activities have also been applied in academic, therapeutic recreation and other professional settings. Jim has also worked extensively to create fully accessible adventure programs and challenge course equipment for organizations which include participants with specialized needs. Jim has attended the instructors certification course in ground-level and high ropes activities at the Adventure Education Center, and the Adventure Programming training at Project Adventure. He has also attended the builders and inspectors clinic held at Cradlerock, and assisted in the construction of several ground-level and high element adventure courses. During his graduate studies he mechanically tested the strength and physical properties of many types of adventure equipment and ropes course hardware. He has worked extensively with the Association for Challenge Course Technology and many Professional Vendor Members (PVMs), including Project Adventure, Inner Quest, Adventure Experiences and Alpine Towers. In addition to challenge and adventure-based activities, Jim also makes a variety of boomerangs, 2 liter bottle rockets, rain sticks, tin whistles, sundials, and generally has more toys than many developing nations. As the owner and director of Teamplay, Jim frequently consults with schools, colleges, youth center, camps and corporate clients regarding the use of adventure-based activities. He has created, collected and modified a multitude of portable, ground-level initiatives and challenge activities in addition to designing and building equipment for these activities. His publications include contributions to the Bradford Papers, The Book of Metaphors - Volume II edited by Michael Gass, 50 Ways to Use Your Noodle by Chris Cavert and Sam Sikes, Adventure Programming by Miles and Priest, and the new classic Teamwork & Teamplay. Watch for a new book Teambuilding Hardware, coauthored with Sam Sikes and Chris Cavert, a Guide to processing Activities, co-authored with Jennifer Stanchfield and Michelle Cummings, a second volume of Teamwork & Teamplay and an adventure-based CD training tool in the future! Jim Cain, Ph.D. Teamwork & Teamplay Tel 585-637-0328 Fax 585-637-5277 Email 468 Salmon Creek Road Brockport, NY 14420-9761 USA