What is a Sports Performance Coach?

Hello Everyone!

Whether its from a friend, sport coach, athlete, parent, or curious passer-by, I'm often asked, "What is a Sports Performance Coach?"

So let me answer the question clearly...

A Sports Performance Coach (SPC) is:
An Expert in Exercise Physiology
- Understands how all the systems of the body; muscular, nervous, skeletal, endocrine, etc. effects the entire human body. This understanding allows the SPC to teach athletes how to maximize human performance.

An Expert in Human Movement Pattern
- Not only does the Sports Performance Coach know how the body works, but also how the body moves. Angles, force production, stability, balance, edges, etc. are the meat and potatoes of the SPC's coaching. A good SPC understands all these movement variables and how they change depending on application. Whether its acceleration, squat, maximum velocity, olympic lifts, change of direction, etc. the SPC can get an athlete to perform all of these skills at a higher, more optimal level.

Has the Ability to Uncover the Cause of Pain
- Athletes train hard and pain is common. A good SPC, because of his/her above knowledge has the ability to start uncovering the cause of some pains. Especially when they are caused by poor movement patterns. Many pains, whether knees, backs, shoulders, etc. can cease when the SPC teaches proper movement and removes poor, unhealthy movement. Of course, a good SPC does not hesitate to get further opinions from physical therapists and doctors.

A Sports Performance Coach (SPC) is NOT:
An Expert on Individual Sports
- A SPC does not understand the details behind a good jump shot, the perfect swing, the perfect spiral, etc. This knowledge belongs to the Sport Coach, not the Sports PERFORMANCE Coach. This is why its important for a SPC to compliment the Sport Coach by building stronger, healthier, faster athletes. That way the Sport Coach can teach the perfect swing and the Sports Performance Coach can teach power generation. Perfect Swing + Power = Powerful Perfect Swing

Should a Sports Performance Coach try to be a Sport Coach? NO!
Should a Sport Coach try to be a Sports Performance Coach? NO!
Should a Sport Coach and a Sports Performance Coach work together to develop the best athletes possible? YES!

Hopefully that answers things. :-)

Keep Training!
Coach Amanda Kephart