Northumbria University has been accredited to
provide PE teachers, fitness professionals, and sports coaches with a
nationally recognised vocational coaching qualification.
The UKSCA Trainer's Award is a
qualification designed for PE teachers, sports coaches, fitness instructors, students
studying strength and conditioning (S&C) and sport science related
disciplines and therapists to safely prescribe and coach elements of strength
and conditioning-related training.
The course will be taught by Dr Thomas Jones, Programme Lead for the MSc in S&C at
Northumbria University and Greg Aspin, Head of S&C at Northumbria. Both are
now certified to deliver the UK Strength & Conditioning (UKSCA)
Trainer Award.
Dr Thomas Jones holds a PhD in
Sports Physiology from Northumbria University and is accredited as a S&C Coach
and Sports Scientist with the UKSCA and the British Association of Sport and
Exercise Sciences (BASES). Dr Jones has held numerous roles in high performance
sport and currently provides sports science support to Newcastle United
Football Club Academy. He also maintains research collaborations with the
Swedish Winter Sports Research Centre, Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club and Aspire
Academy for Sports Excellence.
Greg Aspin holds a BSc (hons) and MSc in
Sport and Exercise Science from Leeds Beckett University and Teesside
University respectively. Greg is currently Head of S&C at Northumbria
University and is an accredited coach with the UKSCA, and a supervised Sport
Scientist with the British Association of Sport and ExerciseSciences (BASES).
Northumbria is one of only a limited number
of providers nationwide. Through a combination of practical workshop days and
distance learning, the UKSCA endorsed Level 3 S&C Trainer Diploma aims to
prepare, develop, and motivate aspiring coaches, whilst introducing
practitioners to the key principles of S&C. The course will last for
around nine months and the first intake will be in January 2024.
“This
learning experience provides PE teachers, fitness professionals, and sports
coaches with a nationally recognised vocational coaching qualification,” said Dr
Jones. “It includes registration to the UKSCA national register as strength and
conditioning trainers, lifetime access to a bank of online coaching resources, and
a great start to an individual’s strength and conditioning journey.”
The
UKSCA Strength and Conditioning (S&C) Trainer Award was launched in response
to demand from early-career S&C coaches and associated professions such as
sports coaches, physiotherapists, and PE teachers.
The UKSCA
has worked in partnership with the Chartered Institute for the Management of
Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) to develop the S&C Trainer Award. This
is based on the skills and knowledge covered in the UKSCA’s Foundation workshop
which has been running for over 10 years and through which over 4,500 people
have progressed.
“The UKSCA S&C Trainer Award is an
excellent qualification for those wishing to enter the strength and
conditioning industry,” added Greg. “It is also extremely valuable for
practitioners from other disciplines already working in sport (coaches, physiotherapists,
etc.) who wish to gain a more comprehensive understanding of strength and
conditioning.”
Click here to find out more information about the course and email thomas2.jones@northumbria.ac.uk to register interest.
