Starting out in fitness, my original intent was to work as a personal trainer. However, early on I became aware of the emerging profession of strength and conditioning coaching. Since I had played college football and had always been interested in sports, it seemed like the perfect job for me. That was 26 years ago. I am now completing my 21st year as a college-level strength and conditioning coach, and I still wake up excited about work every day. I love the competition, and I love enhancing athletic performance and reducing the chance for injury in my athletes.
So, what challenges will you face as you try to land your first position as a strength and conditioning coach at a college or university?
Fierce Competition
It can be extremely competitive to secure a coaching position. In the US, there are 120 Division I athletic programs and 281 Division II athletic programs, and not all Division II schools have full-time strength and conditioning coaches. Though some of the larger DI schools have a staff of 8-10 assistant strength and conditioning coaches, most schools have a much smaller staff. At the DII level, most strength and conditioning programs include one full-time coach and occasionally one assistant. According to Curtis Lords, membership director at the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), out of the association’s 32,000 members, fewer than 2,600 of them work as a collegiate strength and conditioning coach. Looking at that relatively small number of coaches from a national perspective, you can see how challenging it can be to get a foothold in the industry.
Tough Hiring Requirements
Education. Typical job listings for a college-level strength and conditioning coach require a B.A. degree in a related field such as exercise science or human performance, but a master's degree is always preferred. Having a master’s degree will often give you a significant advantage over those who do not have a post-graduate degree.
Experience. To separate yourself from the pack, having practical experience – preferably in a collegiate strength and conditioning program – is a big plus. You can get this experience working as a graduate assistant, a student assistant, or volunteering in a collegiate strength and conditioning program. While volunteering your time can be financially difficult, the experience can open doors for you that otherwise would not be open.
Aside from giving you the experience you need, working as an assistant or volunteer in a strength and conditioning program can position you as a great candidate if a paid, entry-level position opens up within the program. Further, while a position may not open in the facility where you are working, it is common practice for strength coaches to call each other when they have staff openings to see if they know of someone who might be qualified to fill the position. Representing yourself well and knowing the right people can be your ticket into that elusive first position.
Certifications. Having relevant professional certifications is the final critical requirement. While I’ve been asked many times what the “right” certifications are, the best way to determine this is to look at the qualifications most often required by those advertising an open position. By far and away the most common certification required is the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the NSCA.
Additional Skills Required
Communication Skills. Coaching is teaching. You have to be able to teach skills to your athletes, and that requires communication.
Ability to Train Large Groups. Oftentimes at a university, you will be working with an entire team at the same time, rather than working one-on-one or with a small group. This can make it challenging to coach everyone effectively while still bringing out the best in each athlete.
Ability to Motivate. Participating in a strength and conditioning program requires hours and hours of hard work. Few people are self-motivated enough to be able to do that on a daily, weekly, monthly, yearly basis without someone motivating them to push themselves at the intensity level necessary to be successful. It’s your job as a strength coach to provide that motivation.
Competitiveness. As a collegiate strength and conditioning coach, you work with a group of coaches and athletes toward a common goal – to win games, races, conferences, championships. Individually, you are competing against the other school’s strength coach to see who can better prepare athletes for competition. I don’t know any good strength coaches that like to lose.
Ability to Collaborate and Compromise. In a university setting, you are, in effect, an assistant coach for each of the teams that you work with. That means that the head sports coach of each team you work with has the final word on all aspects on what goes on with his or her team, including all physical training activities. While most coaches take a hands-off approach and allow you to do your job, some coaches want to take a more active role in this area. This means that you have to explain your approach and educate the coach as to why you have the training program designed the way that you have. At that point, it is up to the coach if he or she wants to make any changes.
Ability to Deliver Results. A poor performance by the team can mean your job is in jeopardy. At times, the sports coach may be looking for someone to place blame on for a poor season and that blame may be placed on the strength and conditioning coach.
Do You Have What It Takes?
Becoming (and staying) a collegiate strength and conditioning coach is no easy task. However, working with the athletes and coaches toward a common goal is very rewarding, and I can say with complete sincerity that there is no other job I would prefer to be doing.
If this is the professional path you want to take as a fitness professional, get to work developing the education, experience, interpersonal skills, and connections you need to get your foot in the door. It takes patience and persistence, but will be well worth the effort.
Allen Hedrick is the head strength and conditioning coach at Colorado State University–Pueblo. He has been published numerous times on a variety of topics related to strength and conditioning, and has spoken at both national and international conferences and clinics.
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