NSCA Board President's Message

February 2020

Happy 2020!  We hope that this year will be productive and rewarding for you.  The NSCA staff and volunteers have been busier than ever with the major initiatives that began last year.

We are making great progress toward our goal of accredited education programs in strength and conditioning as a requirement for the CSCS certification.  With more than 330 schools currently in the NSCA’s Education Recognition Program, there is great momentum already in place to transition existing degrees with an emphasis in strength and conditioning over to accredited programs.  You recently received an email about the approved Educational Accreditation Standards.  Here’s a link to the current efforts and future timeline for the accreditation process.  In addition, development continues on the new textbook and certification in Sport Science.  Both projects should be ready to roll out about this time next year.

Another major change in the operation of the NSCA is how we deliver content to you.  With your input, we have made more NSCA events available to attend virtually, and we’ve added more career and networking opportunities to our in-person events, including three new Special Interest Groups (Golf, Powerlifting, Rugby).  Attending events is still a critical part of professional development as the interpersonal aspects of meeting interactions cannot be replaced virtually, but we understand the costs involved with travel to multiple meetings a year, so we feel it is necessary to provide both virtual and in-person events to our members.

Remember, 2020 is a recertification year, and we are continuing our Free CEUs for Members campaign. Hopefully you took advantage of the complimentary video and article quizzes this past year, so check out the monthly member newsletter for the most current offers.

The volunteer leaders and NSCA staff will be engaged in Strategic Planning again this year.  We typically hold a Strategic Planning session every 4 years, which sets the direction and major initiatives for the next 4 years.  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Board members or your state and regional leadership if you have suggestions for areas that we need to consider.

As you contemplate your own personal and professional goals for the New Year, we hope you’ll take a moment to renew your commitment to the high standards upheld by our organization. We want to express our gratitude for your continued membership and dedication to our profession, and we look forward to staying connected in the New Year and beyond!

Overall, we continue to grow a community of committed strength and conditioning professionals, as evidenced by the increase in meeting attendance and increasing interest in members volunteering for leadership positions. The NSCA’s greatest resource is you, the member, and we thank you for your support!