GET BFS CERTIFIEDIt’s a learn-by-doing, hands on experience.By Greg Shepard Published: I believe, in this day and age, every coach who works in a weight room or strength training facility should have some kind of certification. I have not always felt this way. After all, you don’t need to be certified to be a football coach. There are four reasons I have changed my mind: First, is the liability issue. A certified strength and conditioning coach has proof in a court of law that he/she has reach some level of proficiency and any school district or college would find that desirable. Second, the whole process of becoming certified tends to motivate most coaches to learn more about strength and conditioning. Hence, they become better and everyone benefits; most of all the athletes. Third, it can breed more confidence in a certified coach among athletes, parents and other coaches. BFS issues a beautiful certificate that looks great when framed and put on a wall. It makes a statement. Fourth, being certified can help you get a job. Two good football coaches applied for a head football coaching position at a great 5-A high school in Florida. They both had gone to the same college, were about the same age and had similar coaching records. The coach who did not get the job decided to ask the superintendent what made the difference. The superintendent said, “The other coach was BFS Certified and we wanted the BFS Program for our athletes. He talked about how he would implement the program and you did not.” The coach who missed out did find another 5-A head job and the first thing he did was to call us and set up a BFS Clinic at his new school, not only to really learn about the BFS Program but also to become a BFS Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach. The BFS Difference: There are several different entities which offer certification in strength and conditioning. Some are quite expensive, difficult and time consuming. Some make you renew annually which again is difficult. Some require an extensive scientific knowledge which must be demonstrated on a multiple choice test. Frankly, we have worked with strength coaches who were certified in this manner and were amazed when we had to show them basic fundamentals of holding, gripping and lifting a bar. They were simply not ready to work with a group of athletes. BFS requires two things: First, you become knowledgeable with the BFS Total Program Book and BFS Total Program video. Second, you attend a BFS Clinic. We do about 250 per year so chances are you can attend one within reasonable driving distance. There, at the clinic you may attend a coaches’ seminar and the BFS Clinic. You will be given a group of athletes who are learning the BFS Program. You teach them. We work with you. It is a hands on, learn by doing approach. The clinic is usually about seven hours. Afterwards, you are certified at any one of four levels. The fee is only $50.00 and you get a beautiful certificate and you are permanently on our computer files as a BFS Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach. More important, you should be a confident ready-to-go strength coach. Which Certification Is Best?: Obviously, that question is debatable and I am probably just a teensy bit bias. However, I really do believe BFS Certification will probably be of more benefit to those at the high school level than any other kind of certification. As far as Division I and the Pro level? Probably not. But, at the high school level, everyone is familiar with BFS. In many cases, BFS Certification has been a difference maker. Call our toll free number 1- 800-628-9737 or log on at biggerfasterstronger.com and find out where and when you can become BFS Certified. |
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Each Certification includes a beautiful certificate signed by the BFS Presidency. |