I am working for the English Institute of Sport as a strength and conditioning coach.

It was not easy toget a job here as professional bodies advertise rarely for the position and once you get a job with them, most people try to keep this position for as long as possible!

You will need a good academic and research (theory) background plus experience in training with the relevant qualifications.

look at www.nsca-lift.org They advertise a lot of interns inthe states and also have probably one of the only internationally reconised qualifications for S&C in the CSCS.

Fing, I went to uni and did a sports science degree with the hope of becoming a S&C coach afterwards. On completion of the degree i found it very hard to get a position. Having now attained such a post i can only advise you to get as much experience as possible. Whatever you can do, do it because the more hands on experience you have the more attractive you are to govening bodies or squads when jobs do arise. Look at the SS degree as a baseline and work off it.
There are alot of people for very few jobs, so be prepared to start right at the bottom. It might seem hard at the time but it will be well worth it.

i have found no matter what country, coaching is a fraternity type of process. i always recommend that you intern, observe, listen, ask questions, and study under a full time coach that is well connected. if you are willing to go a time without getting paid and you are eager, enthusiastic and patient in learning, any coach will help you. they just need to get to know you, then watch what happens. book knowledge is always good, but you will always need someone there to interpret it to you practically. books never has gotten anyone a job, people do, but knowledge is key to doing an excellent job once you get it.

Thanks for all the replies you have given lots of usefull information.

Hi

I am a 22 year old that is soon to graduate from univeristy with a BSc hons in sports studies, i am looking to go into fitness, strength and conditioning, and currently hold this position with solihull ladies fc on a voluntier basis, i have applied to professional football clubs around the world but as yet have not been taken on even as a intern, any advice as to what i can do to better my chances or any contacts of internships? many thanks Yours in sport

James

Hi James, I am not a S&C coach but i am a personal trainer. Its pretty much the same in all careers mate. You get places depending on who you know, rather than what you know. Maybe if you get s reference from either the first team coach or the chairman of the club as to what values and skills you have and you can use this as your ammunition to fire at potential employers.

Ask them what you would need to make that move with them! whatever they are asking for you can bet anyone else will be asking for also.

I'm just thinking about your degree also to be honest. Sports studies is a different degree to sport and exercise science so that may have some influence. Maybe if you do a vocational qualification in fitness instruction. focus are excellent and well kown in the industry!!!

Good luck mate.

Hi i am a 18 year old currently working as a fitness instructor my aim is to be a strength and conditioning coach in america. What is the best Uni course to do for strength and conditioning?Does any one have any advice they could pass on? Cheers

Hi I'm currently coming to the end of my second year at university studying Sport and Exercise Science. I am required to complete 100 hours on placement at the end of this academic year around June time. When I have graduated my ambition is to become a Strength and Conditioning coach for elite athletes, and would love to get some experience in this field which I hope will confirm this ambition. Does anyone know of any good websites where voluntary work, or placements for S&C would be advertised, or know themselves of any placements which I could apply for?

Thanks,

Nathan

Also, I was just wondering does anybody know if it's worth paying the £100 plus to join www.nsca-lift.org? Thanks

Fing

I'm studying a Strength & Conditioning degree now, i'm 3 weeks in to a 3 year course and so far it's been great.

You need to pass the accreditation process with the UKSCA to work as a proper S&C coach in the UK. If you don't have it, no proper clubs will touch you. Also, you won't be able to get a job without a sports science/related degree.

I chose to do the degree cos i wanna be an S&C coach, and it will teach me all I need to pass accreditation. Plus having a degree in S&C should put me a bit above those who've got one in sports science/studies.

S&C is still emerging in the UK but they are advertising for jobs, just not many. S&C is huge in rugby now. By the time you're qualified there should be a lot more opportunities - 2012 olympics etc. You can always go work in the states, but you'll need to get certified with the NSCA.

Tommyc26

There are only a handful of unis in the UK that run S&C as an undergraduate degree at the moment - including hartpury college (gloucester), st mary's uni college (twickenham), coventry, edinburgh (I think) and Plymouth (where I am), maybe Loughborough too. Getting to any of these places will mean you'l have what you need. You can do a normal sports science degree then get accredited, but in my opinion an S&C degree is best if it's the career u wanna be in.

Paul

What people are saying, largely, is that networking is an important - sorry critical - activity for developing a career in a field such as Strength & conditioning or sport science. It's true in any career, but bear in mind that thousands of people are graduating in sport science every year in the UK, and there are very few strength & conditioning jobs - although more than in related fields such as sport psychology..

Rob Robson, iStadia.com | Exercise and Sports Networking Community | Sports Jobs | Sport Science