The Coaching and Performance Science program blends cutting-edge sport/movement science and professional development to best prepare our graduates for the exciting, ever growing field of athletics and sport sciences.
CPS students develop three knowledge components through a variety of types of learning experiences, including hands-on coaching experiences.
- Interpersonal knowledge: Behaviors and tactics a person uses to interact with others effectively, including vital communication skills.
- Professional knowledge: Combining tactical sport expertise, designing developmentally appropriate training programs and pedagogical knowledge all for the purpose of increasing a person鈥檚 performance.
- Intrapersonal knowledge: Self awareness through reflective practice and critical reflection to improve one鈥檚 ability to coach.
With the growth of athletic coaching, the profession of coaching continues to become more specialized. To ensure our graduates leave with the essential professional knowledge, students will complete one of the following areas of emphasis:
Coaching and Leadership
- Emphasis on adolescent development and developmental issues
- Develop leadership skills and administrative knowledge to lead a sport team and/or sport program
Strength and Conditioning
- Science of training, designing training prescriptions, and ability to coach athletes both in and out of a weight room
- Learn the knowledge and practical skills necessary to pass the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam
Tailor this major to your interests by taking one of these courses as you pursue your degree:
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ACE 256:
Principles and Problems of Coaching
Designed to teach students the principles and problems of interscholastic athletic coaching.
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ACE 330:
Coaching Education Administration
An administrative focus of leadership, finance, fundraising, planning, facility development, personnel supervision, public relations, rules and regulations, purchase and care of equipment and the conducting of athletic events.
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ACE 369:
Basic Strength/Condtng-Coaches
Present basic exercise performance methodologies to assist in coaching athletics. Types of training include speed drills, agility drills, conditioning workouts, flexibility exercises, balance-improvement drills and proper training environment safety techniques.
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ACE 372:
Sport Specific Strength and Conditioning
Present optimal training for athletics of different sports in trained and untrained states. Specific protocols in resistance training and conditioning, correcting specific running and speed mechanics and agility movements.
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ACE 410:
Training Theories for Coaches
Application of sport training theories to building, designing and assessing athlete training plans, seasonal team development and long term athlete development from physical literacy to peak performance at all participation levels.
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ACE 457:
Introduction to Sport Technology and Sport Science
Develop and implement appropriate monitoring and training evaluation plans in sport training. Learn how to evaluate technology-based tools to allow coaches to optimizing the training process and training adjustment decisions.
Tailor this major to your interests by focusing your coursework in one of these areas:
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Coaching and Leadership
Is your professional goal to lead a sport program? This area of emphasis is for you. Courses focus on the development of sport-specific expertise, underlying scientific content knowledge as well as the essential interpersonal and intrapersonal skills necessary for quality teaching and leadership within the sport context. The program will challenge you to focus on your personal professional foundation and ongoing development through the integration of applied sport science and hands-on application in coaching.
Sample courses: Athletic Coaching Administration, Principles of Leadership
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Strength and Conditioning
If your professional goal is to be a strength coach, this is your path. This concentration of courses focuses on the science of training, designing training prescriptions and the ability to coach, both in and out of a weight room. You will develop strength and conditioning skills and learn how to teach these skills to peers, as well as how to administer different strength and power tests in our instructional performance lab. You'll gain the knowledge and practical skills necessary to sit for the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam.
Sample courses: Sport Specific Strength and Conditioning, Strength and Conditioning Coaching Techniques
Take advantage of special options related to this major:
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Honors
Expand your curiosity 鈥 and enhance your curriculum 鈥 through the 探花社区 Honors College. Two programs are offered: for first-
and second-year students and for third- and fourth-year students.
