NCAA Requires Strength & Conditioning Coaches to be Certified

[UNTFan23]

I thought this was interesting (and good).

http://www.nsca.com/about-us/news-and-media/NCAA-raises-certification-standards/

[North Texas Shep]

Good idea.

[UNTLifer]

It is good and the NSCA and ACSM are the two best certifying organizations.

[North Texas Shep]

Should be required for high school coaches also. So many kids get hurt from doing exercises the wrong way. I know... spine surgery 7 is coming up.

[UNTLifer]

Should be required for high school coaches also. So many kids get hurt from doing exercises the wrong way. I know... spine surgery 7 is coming up.

So very true.

[Ben Gooding]

This is just a liability issue. A check in the box so to speak.

[UNTLifer]

This is just a liability issue. A check in the box so to speak.

What do you mean "a check in the box so to speak?" This is extremely important and long overdue. It should be required of any coach at any level that is putting kids on training programs. There is so much misinformation and bad advice being given to these kids during a time when their bodies are developing at a rapid pace. I have been in the fitness industry for over 20 years and still watch people spend a couple of hours studying and then spend a Saturday afternoon getting some type of certification that gives them access to working with people that are trusting their bodies and physical development with ill-qualified trainers. If you want to see how not to train, go in to any high school training room or your local health club. 95% of the people are exercising incorrectly.

[Ben Gooding]

Like I said, check in the box. It's a liability issue. If you think that D1 strength coaches don't know what they are doing, think again.

[Elvis]

Like I said, check in the box. It's a liability issue. If you think that D1 strength coaches don't know what they are doing, think again.

No need to think again, it is true (and those of us in this industry segment know this quite well). There are many examples of College Div. 1. S&C coaches who are incompetent. Not that they necessarily are doing dangerous things, just really ineffective training. Believe it or not, but U of Michigan and Penn State used to have really incompetent S&C coaches. Without getting into the details of what they did (and did not do) or how many of these schools athletes succeeded in spite of their S&C coaches. Unfortunately even these certifications do not prevent poor coaches; the certifications just ensure a minimum of largely book knowledge. This is certainly better than nothing but also no sufficient.

[DT 90]

What do you mean "a check in the box so to speak?" This is extremely important and long overdue. It should be required of any coach at any level that is putting kids on training programs. There is so much misinformation and bad advice being given to these kids during a time when their bodies are developing at a rapid pace. I have been in the fitness industry for over 20 years and still watch people spend a couple of hours studying and then spend a Saturday afternoon getting some type of certification that gives them access to working with people that are trusting their bodies and physical development with ill-qualified trainers. If you want to see how not to train, go in to any high school training room or your local health club. 95% of the people are exercising incorrectly.

From my source, one cannot just spend an afternoon studying and then take the test for the certification that is being required. It is for liability/professional purposes.

Edited April 29, 2014 by DT 90

[Cerebus]

Should be required for high school coaches also. So many kids get hurt from doing exercises the wrong way. I know... spine surgery 7 is coming up.

Let me guess... Someone talk you to squat by putting the bar directly on the spine at the top of the neck?

[Ben Gooding]

From my source, one cannot just spend an afternoon studying and then take the test for the certification that is being required. It is for liability/professional purposes.

ding, ding, ding!!

[Elvis]

From my source, one cannot just spend an afternoon studying and then take the test for the certification that is being required. It is for liability/professional purposes.

Correct, this is a very comprehensive test (2 tests in fact). The current textbook for the CSCS is 588 full sized pages of often advanced material (including 235 pages of physiology). It really requires at least a semester or two of dedicated studying. Too many certifications have at best a weekend course and pretty much everyone who pays to complete the course also passes the certification exam.

If this step provides liability/professional benefits then that is good.

Detailed information on the CSCS is at this link for those interested in more info. https://nsca.com/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2147493291‎

[Cerebus]

Correct, this is a very comprehensive test (2 tests in fact). T

Did you ever use those tickets Jerry Glanville kept leaving for you?

[North Texas Shep]

Let me guess... Someone talk you to squat by putting the bar directly on the spine at the top of the neck?

That and power cleans were sloppy as hell. They just wanted us to get the weight up. One time I was doing box squats at 485 and the coach walked off when he was supposed to be spotting me and I got crushed between the bar and the box. I was like that for 5 minutes till someone came in and saw me. Why would a coach just walk off when a 16 year out was working out? No idea, but I am still paying for it now.

ps This was during the summer. So, there were not many coaches there. One coach to watch all the players that would come do weight training during the summer.

Edited April 30, 2014 by North Texas Shep