Becoming a Successful Intern
Internships provide guided opportunities to develop coaching skills and are the most common pathway to becoming a strength and conditioning coach. Internships play a pivotal role in coach development and are a way to open doors to the industry. Within internships, an important indicator of subsequent success is the ability to thrive and internalize lessons along the way, which will build essential skills while building your network and learning from others. As a coach currently in my third round of being an intern across three different settings, I have gathered a broad array of experiences, learned from a diverse set [...]
A Model of How To Begin Your Career as a Capable and Impactful Strength and Conditioning Coach
Starting any new position is never easy. The feelings of uncertainty, incapability and ineffectiveness flood our bodies. The first few weeks or months of any position (whether paid or unpaid) are challenging and can be exacerbated in an elite sport or competitive environment. The process of being an impactful and capable strength and conditioning coach should be one that is empowering, inspiring and grounded in a mindset of growth. For new people in the field, it can be intimidating and overwhelming which may and potentially cause good people to leave the field. My primary hope with this article is to [...]
“You’re the boss. Do it!” Coaching Wisdom from Olaf and an Olympic Journey
For six years I trained and competed as a member of the Canadian bobsleigh program. In 2016 I suffered an Achilles tear that nearly ended my career. During the summer of 2017 I made a bold move. I decided to fly to Germany with my friend and teammate Alex Kopacz to train with his coach Olaf Hampel, former German bobsleigh brakeman and 2x Olympic gold medalist. I didn’t know what to expect at the time, but I was about to begin a life changing and transformational adventure that would take me to the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang seven months [...]
To Specialize or Generalize as a Strength and Conditioning Coach?
Introduction The role of the strength and conditioning coach in Canada continues to evolve as there are more and more opportunities for coaches outside of the weight room. In the early days of strength and conditioning in Canada the strength and conditioning coach would be expected to provide services in sport science, strength training, conditioning, nutrition, therapies, and mental performance to name a few. However, with the emergence of more sport science disciplines (largely driven by academia and bigger sport budgets), the role of the strength and conditioning coach became confined to the weight room as practitioners further specialized in [...]
Insight into International Soccer Environments from Two National Programs
International soccer operates in a series of camps that take place all over the world ranging from approximately 10 days to 6 weeks or longer. With plenty of access to athletes and staff, there are numerous ways in which international soccer staff members function to provide high-performance support to their teams. I have had the privilege of working with the women’s soccer programs from two nations. I will share insight into some of the similarities and differences I experienced between the New Zealand Senior Women’s National Team (WNT) and Canada’s Senior and U20 WNT teams this past year through training [...]
CALL FOR BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOMINATIONS
The CSCA AGM will take place on Sunday, November 20 at 6:30pm EST. We have 3 Board of Director openings we are looking to fill. If you are interested in playing a part in the growth of our association, please download the nomination form below. Nominations are due no later than October 29 at 11:59pm. For information email: info@canadianstrengthca.ca CSCA-Directors-Nomination-Form-and-Requirements-2021-1Download
