For starters, watch the full video above. Please. If you don't then you wont really get the full message. You need to hear it and read it.
Next, make sure you have read both of the prior blogs on this topic.
This is Article 1.
This is Article 2.
Now that you have all the backstory I can dive a bit more into what I learned this past weekend at UNC Football.
For those not familiar, I have been friends with Moses since 2016 when I was at Iowa and he was at New England. He helped me get in and almost get the head FB job at San Jose State. Since then we have stayed in touch, and he has only ever done a podcast with me - click here for it.
He will do another one, as will other UNF football staff.
I will also write up multiple reports on the UNC football trip - but those reports will ONLY BE FOR SCN MEMBERS. Same with Moses's 2nd podcast. Only for SCN members.
So if you are not a member learn about what all is inside the membership and learn about a trial membership here.
Now time to get into this S&C Coach vs everything else which will be my attempt to put this conversation to bed.
We are NOT Sports Performance Coaches
As this coach said, when we are sports performance coaches we are now the reason why the team succeeds in their performance. The games and practice for team sport athletes really is their performance. They are performing.
This concept is understood with gymnastics and dance, even with WWE.
Why did I bring up WWE? Because people say "that isn't real wrestling, it is acting."
Couple things. One, the moves they are doing and the possible injury is real. Two, you could call that act performing - now see what I am talking about?
So, let's just use the sport of American football. If we are the Director of Football Performance - we are directing what happens in practice and games.
But we all know that we are not doing that. We are preparing them physically (yes mentally by training hard and talking with them about their mindset) to handle the work in practice and games.
What about games? Taking the example from the video above (seriously WATCH the video if you did not) about the WR and the offensive coordinator. He can say "I called the right play, the WR didn't perform the play - that is on the sports performance coach for not getting the kid ready to catch it."
Now, does this mean in our job we do more than 110s and bench press? Absolutely.
Does it mean we are the real mental performance coach, sport psych, nutritionist, etc...?
Nope.
We help athletes prepare for games by having them sprint, jump, change direction, lift, condition, etc... No matter what the title is, it will NEVER encompass ALL of what we do.
There is nothing wrong with the term Strength and Conditioning. It is bad ass actually.
So, let's embrace it.
Stop fracturing. Let's come together and unite!
Just because there was some "bad coaching" or "bad things" that happened before under the term strength and conditioning coach does not mean we need to get away from it. Let's do better. Let's push one another to do better, and hold the standard of what it means to be a strength and conditioning coach.
Not to mention it is hard to look up salaries to compare jobs when we have all these different titles.
We need to unite as a profession.
We need one governing body - just like the USA is one Country with many states and regions.
The same needs to happen with S&C. We need to be one nation with states and regions.
Who's with me!
Hopefully I did my best to articulate this with typing - I would love to welcome anyone on the Cheeky Mid Weeky to talk about this topic. We can do the show live as well if you would like - I think that can help get the thoughts out.
If you have my number text me. If not DM us on Instagram. Or email us at service@strengthcoachnetwork.com
