SC's Strength And Conditioning Program Receives International Recognition
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 6, 2004 – The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) recently recognized Springfield College for its proactive efforts in providing students with the education needed to be successful in the exercise and sport science fields.
SC is one of just 47 programs nationally to be honored by the NSCA.
Under the direction of
Dr. Margaret Jones, the college’s strength and conditioning program has placed graduates in some of the field’s top positions. SC grads in the NFL include:
Jason Arapoff ’89, strength and conditioning coach of the Detroit Lions;
Rusty Jones ’76, strength and conditioning coach of the Buffalo Bills;
Craig Stoddard '94, assistant strength and conditioning coach for the New York Giants;
Jon Torine ‘95, strength and conditioning coach for the Indianapolis Colts, and
Mike Woicik G’ 80, the New England Patriots’ strength and conditioning coach.
Jim Cotta ’93, Los Angeles Lakers’ strength and conditioning coach;
Eric Ciano, head strength and conditioning coach at Georgia Tech;
Sean Hayes, ’96, strength and conditioning coach at Harvard;
Scott Kolok G ’97, first assistant strength and conditioning coach at Oklahoma;
Hal Luther, assistant strength and conditioning coach at Syracuse;
Jodi Nash, assistant strength and conditioning coach at Harvard;
Liz Proctor, strength and conditioning coach for women’s basketball at Rhode Island, and
Todd Wright ’93, strength and conditioning coach for Texas’ men’s basketball team are also alums of the program.
Current Springfield College student in the program are heading to internships at schools including Auburn, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Holy Cross and Rutgers. Students will also be interning at the top private traning enterprises including Athletes Performance, which has locations in Arizona and California, and Velocity Sports.
Careers in strength and conditioning involve more than just an interest in health and fitness, or past involvement in sports. Students wanting to excel in the strength and conditioning profession need a more formal education encompassing sport and exercise science, anatomy, biomechanics, physiology, exercise technique, and nutrition.
With this shift to a more formal education, it is important for students preparing for careers in the strength and conditioning field to know which schools provide modernized instruction.
“The Education Recognition Program is the first recognition of its kind that provides academic institutions with a tool to attract students who are interested in pursuing a career in strength training and conditioning,” Michael Barnes, NSCA Education Director, said.
For more on the NSCA, please visit ncsa-lift.org.
Michael C. “Mike” DeLong ’74 enters his 31st season as a head football coach in the fall of 2012. He enters his 29th year at Springfield College alone. For the past 28 years, he has been the head coach at Springfield, his alma mater. Mike had also been the head coach at Maine Maritime in Castine, Maine in 1979 and 1980. Read more.
