What exactly is a "Performance Specialist"?

This post is not directed at any one in particular, but I recently received a resume from a 23 year old that said he currently held the position of a “Performance Specialist” at a local health club, and when I asked him why he considered himself a “Specialist” and who bestowed upon him this title / certification, he could not give me an answer.

Better yet, what do we consider the difference between a Strength and Conditioning Coach, a Personal Trainer and a Performance Specialist? We all have our opinions, we all have our preferences of what we would like to be called, but is Performance Training actually a "Profession"? What about a "Speed Coach" where do these title come from, and where do we get these certifications?

This is really just my attempt to ask everyone's opinion and maybe get some clarity around our profession by starting what could be an interesting discussion. In the medical profession you have specialization (Cardiologist, Orthopedist, etc.), in the Educational system you have specialization (Mathematics, Sciences, Literature, etc.), but in our professions we seem to have no specialization certification process. Instead we seem to lump metabolics, physiology, biomechanics, motor learning, nutrition, power development, technical development, speed, agility, etc. all into a single profession that can’t even really decide on a name.

And this all comes back to my original question – “What makes you a Performance Specialist?” Who decides this? Is their a governing body?

Scott Moody,
www.AthleteFIT.com

Tags: Certification, Performance, Profession, Speed, Training

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joe Bonyai on March 25, 2009 at 11:56am

Scott, this is a really interesting topic and I hope others reply as well. Like you mention, a sports performance "specialist" is hypocritical in a way for most people who call themselves that. There's so much that contributes to "performance" how can anyone be a specialist? I think it's a reflection of a field desperate for credibility, "coach" doesn't have the same appeal to outsiders, so we decide to call ourselves specialists. A problem may be is that we actually lose emphasis on the coaching - which is what our service is grounded upon.

On the other hand, since we do have to have a certain knowledge base of some many different topics and practices, we are specialists in way - because few other professions require such a broad scope. I rather be a _______ coach, because I think that signifies the more important side of what we actually do. For example, if I have an athlete who has issues lingering from a past injury, I'm going to see a rehabilitation specialist in order develop a better program to coach them through.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scott Moody on March 25, 2009 at 1:16pm

I am wondering if our profession really needs to become "specialized". I agree we need to have a little knowledge in many areas, but should we try to be a Jack of All Trades, Master of None? I would love to see our profession begin to organize it's members (coaches) into areas of specialization - speed coaches, agility coaches, rehabilitation coaches, strength coaches, etc.

I have tried many times to research and present findings in many areas and in doing so, I realize that I don't know as much as I should. So this causes me to dig down and study more in certain areas, and a snowball effect begins and I become immersed in that subject. I probably know more about Football and Basketball than any other sport, but because of the research and training that I do with over 250 soccer players, I have become known as a Soccer Fitness Guy. I never played soccer and would not call myself a specialist, but this is what I get asked to present and write about most often. So I find my self slowly specializing in this area. This could be a good thing, but it kills business when football players think that I am just a soccer guy...?!?!?!

Time will tell, but I really think we need to start forming specialization areas in sports performance. Especially when we begin to separate speed from agility and strength from conditioning.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sergio Rojas on March 25, 2009 at 4:20pm

I agree with titles within our field, its gone from strength and conditioning coach, to sports performance coach, athletic performance and etc. I agree with Joe that the title "coach" doesn't appeal outsiders, but even with that they don't even know what we really do. . . But I think athletic trainers have it worse because people confuse that so much with personal trainers, when reality they do an extensive amount of work rehabilitating athletes with injuries. My fiance is an athletic trainer and she does not like the title to her profession because of the confusion or mis-interpretation of the title.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ryan Fowler on March 25, 2009 at 7:53pm

This is a pretty good discussion...especially among outsiders to the profession "trainer" seems to be the all-encompassing term to anyone associated with sports, who isn't front office/admin or a sport coach. In terms of the private facility job titles, API & Velocity are calling their coaching positions Performance Specialist or a close variation and even some colleges are terming their department Sports Performance, as oppose to Strength & Conditioning. Maybe it's their way of justifying their position/department by including more responsibilities with a title upgrade. An interesting case I found recently is with the US Army. They are opening up "High Performance" training centers aimed at high-tempo combat units (82nd ABN, 101st ABN etc) to train the "tactical athlete" and naming that position Exercise Specialist. From talking to the director they are going to do everything from Oly's to Agility....basically anything & everything to improve their performance on the battlefield. I talked with a local chain of PT clinics lately and their Exercise Specialist position works with every age group, taking them through their PT-programmed rehab. I can see the problem to future employers to know what to know what they're getting from a candidate with these similar titles.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scott Moody on March 27, 2009 at 8:24am

With 1500 + members on this site it would be nice to get some opinions about what could be done in our industry to create some specialization, or if it is essential to keep the knowledge base so broad that we all become pretty good at everything, but not great at anything.

It would be nice to know who on this network is considered to be a "specialist" in each area and then have them launch weekly discussions around their area of specialty. I think then this could really become a "learning" site or a "shared knowledge network" (something I have been really wanting to be a part of).

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Craig Cheek on March 27, 2009 at 1:22pm

I am a strength and conditioning coach. I specialize in strength training and conditioning of athletic teams.

I do not see the need to have 48 different specialties. How would you organize a staff like that? How do you decide what specialty you want on your staff?

Why not hire people who are proficient in most, if not all of these areas? I mean, do you need a specialist in "power development?" Do i coach the back squat, but have our power specialist coach box jumps? Do coach the incline bench press while our biomechanist adjusts the bench angle? Do I have our flexibility specialist come in and lead the static stretch after practice? Again, I do not see the need. How cost effective would this be for most athletic departments?

If you are hiring master's degree level staff, I would assume that they have a decent background in many of these areas. At least from an education standpoint.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Scott Moody on March 27, 2009 at 1:45pm

The point would not be to hire "48 different specialists" for your staff, but rather to have a staff that is diverse enough to each begin to "specialize" in a specific areas. This would mean that they could potentially dig in an develop key areas of your program from a more knowledgeable standpoint. They still of course would teach every aspect of the program (thus giving them more real world experience in how their area of specialty is effected by other areas).

Example: If I come from more of an agility and sport specific application background, and I have a staff member who comes from a strength and power development background, we are going to have some fairly robust discussions on what is most important (we have had many of these within our staff meetings). And what comes out of those meetings is a great balance of program design, where one aspect feeds off another, and the unimportant aspects are cut out.

Then each person can be bringing a wealth of knowledge to the table to continue to educate your staff from within. Instead of having everyone go through the same certification, same orientation, same internships, etc. What most of us are currently doing is working, and that is great, but my point was, let's not think that we are all experts here. We all have things to learn.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jorge Carvajal on March 28, 2009 at 11:12am

I'm not too concerned with what "outsiders" think. The problem I see is that some of us are trying to please everyone and appeal to all groups. That will never happen and in the process we end up with all sorts of names and titles in a feeble attempt to please and follow the herd.

When someone asks me what I do, I simply tell him or her, that I'm a performance coach. I coach individuals in several areas in an attempt to try and improve their performance for the game of life or in their chosen sport.

That may mean strength, speed, agility, power or fat loss if that's what's going to take. We should all be well versed in all of these but personally if I see an area that the athlete/individual is not improving in, and I feel I’m not making things better, I get help (I don’t know everything) and tap into the network. There will always be someone who knows more than me and I have no problem asking for some help. The favor is always returned and it’s what I love about the profession, the ability to give and get help unconditionally.

I think hiring different specializations creates a riff between everyone. What dictates that you should be the resident power expert…the fact that you are a power lifter? Why is someone the flexibility specialist…because they took an AIS course? I do a lot of postural corrections in an attempt to have spinal alignment prior to vertically loading the spine. That doesn’t mean I want the title Postural Alignment Specialist, it’s just part of the overall plan.

I do agree Scott that you should be able to define what it is you do in simple terms, and having diversity among your group is not a bad thing as long the primary goal is further knowledge and education

Great discussion guys!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Drew Heard on March 28, 2009 at 10:51pm

My first job was as a Sports Performance Coach for Velocity Sports Performance and I guess you could say I was a kind of specialist there as well. I obtained this job because of my experience with Olympic Lifts. The head coach did not have much experience and needed someone who did. With that said I knew nothing about speed and agility training upon being hired. So as I taught/trained the head coach on the Olympic lifts he taught/trained me on speed and agility training. So I can see hiring someone that might have more experience or is a “specialist” in a certain area, as long as they are not limited to that one thing. I was not limited to just “O” lifts, just need to be pointed in the right direction on speed and agility. I eventually became proficient at speed and agility training.

I think for collegiate coaches S&C title is more than adequate. An athlete is not going to worry about what you call yourself: S&C or Sports Performance Coach/Specialist. However in the private industry Sports Performance Coach/Specialist sounds a little bit sexier. When some people think about S&C, they think weight room and a lot of running; but as a Sports Performance Coach/Specialist they think speed, agility, quickness, strength, power and some conditioning.

Do you need to hire a specialist at your place? I think it depends what your weakness is as a staff.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Adrian Bazemore on February 10, 2011 at 11:13pm

Great conversation guys, sorry i missed this discussion earlier. Joe and I have talked a few times and the subject of specialist has came up. Whats funny is that I've met a few guys who are cscs, some are great in the weight room but dont know jack about speed and agility. Myself being a former Football/track athlete, I was exposed to plenty of SPEED &lifting techniques. Some are very good, some sucked horribly. When I completely RETIRED from competition, I could pay more attention to the studies, the latest and greatest articles etc. granted I admitted I needed help in the weight room aka lifting principles and techniques. It helped me alot because I got smarter and as my buddy at UNC Asheville (track coach) says, my filter became alot better.

So, with all that said, Do I consider myself a speciallist in speed? I guess. Am I a self proclaimed speciallist? I dont think so. My extensive track background lets folks know Ive been there did that. After all, I was on a olympic development travel squad, my coach made the boycotted 1980 olympics not to mention he sent several folks to the olympics. Oh yeah he also consulted the Jamaicans in the 2008 olympics.

Im not trying to toot my own horn cause Im the 1st person to admit I HAD GREAT COACHES/TEACHERS. After all, I must have learned something from all that experience from sprinting at a high level.

With all that said, I have a hard time having someone trying to tell me who never ran track at all and just took a test telling me how to do speed. No offense to folks learning because there are alot of smart guys in this discussion. My thing is stay humble and learn from each other, I learned from Joe some of his stuff and proud to say it.

Keep this going guys