Running head: CAREER MAP

KIN 3090 ASSIGNMENT: CAREER MAP

Dimkpa Chujor
0898985
March 18, 2015

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REFLECTION GUEST SPEAKERS

Kristen Douchette is Registered Kinesiologist who is currently working at Toronto
Rehabilitation Institute as a Cardiac Rehab Supervisor. She guest spoke on Wednesday,
February 25th at 8:55 am.
Shaun Holmes is the owner and Head Strength Coach of The Dynamic Athlete. Sean is also
the Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Toronto Rock and Oakville Blades. He guest
spoke on January 14th, at 8.55am.
Kristen Douchette
Kristen career path was really interesting because of how she tried as many field as possible.
I like how Kristen nailed down the importance of volunteering and getting as much
experience as possible in order to learn and narrow down what you really want to do.
I thought it was interesting to hear kristen say that kinesiologist and physiotherapist are up in
the same range for salary depending on several factors that could be manipulated. This was
surprising to me because I always thought physiotherapist earned a lot more.
Shaun Holmes
I really found it interesting that Shaun emailed one of his employers repeatedly in order to
finally get a shot at the position he wanted. I really found this interesting because most
people would rather give up but I liked how he stayed with his gut feeling. I also thought it
was interesting that he used mostly word of mouth to build his company and not relying on
paying tons of money on other outlets.
Write a question that you asked them, or would like to have asked them. Describe why that
information is relevant to your professional ambitions. (2 Marks per speaker)
KINESIOLOGIST QUESTION
How did you finally decide that Cardiac Rehab was the right spot?

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This information is relevant to my ambitions because I will have to make up my mind on certain
employment opportunities that will come my way. So I will like to know how she narrowed
down her decision to go with Cardiac rehab at the moment.
STRENGTH COACH QUESTION
How hard was it in early stages when seeking for employment as a strength coach and how
did you deal with it or manage to persevere through it? How tough was it to start your own
facility?
This information is relevant to me because I am going to be in this position in a year or two
where I would be seeking employment in a very tough field to get an employment. My end goal
is to be where his Sean is at in terms of owing your own business and still being involved with
professional athletes.

CAREER OPTIONS
1)
The three health-oriented careers that I am interested in pursuing include being strength and
Conditioning coach, kinesiologist and physiotherapist. I chose these careers because they are

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similar in certain areas and I like the Ideology of what each of them stand for. Here are the
descriptions below:
Strength and Conditioning Coach- are professionals who apply scientific knowledge to train
athletes for the primary goal of improving athletic performance.
Kinesiologist - are professionals who are committed to enhancing quality of life through
prevention and management of injury and chronic disease, and the overall improvement of health
and performance.
Physiotherapist- are professionals who promote mobility, remediates impairments, function
through examination, diagnosis and physical intervention.
2)
Having gained a more comprehensive scientific background in courses such as exercise
physiology, sport nutrition, exercise prescription, motor learning , I fill more confident in
applying what I have learnt in each of these careers. The ability to find and understand research
papers has been a major skill that I have picked up during my academic preparation at University
of GuelphHumber. These skills are crucial in my chosen three careers because theres a constant
need to acquire more knowledge on different scientific innovations and ideas. Also having to do
off-campus intern while in school has helped out a lot. The practical side of things gives me the
opportunity to pick current health professional brains on their philosophies and training styles.
So I definitely feel that these placements I have done and currently doing will surely put me in
situations to succeed in each of the above careers listed. I have and still learning about acquiring
skills on how to be able to detect flaws in movement and figuring out ways to fix it.

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STRENGTHS & PRESONALITY TRAITS

1)
My dominant strengths are being an over achiever, competitive, consistent, learner, and relatable.
2)
Being an over achiever compliments all three of my careers as over achievers use
achievements to feel accomplished, and hold an internal drive. They relate well with a strength
coach because of my relentless will and desire to achieve goals set out by myself and others;
being an achiever brings energy to each session due to passion to achieve greatness. Being a
relator also complements all the careers I have chosen as they enjoy working and creating bonds
with others. They also gain a deep satisfaction in helping others; being a relator would apply well
with all fields to further understand patents, their feelings, goals and dreams, and most of all
allows them to feel comfortable. Being competitive applies most to being a Strength and
Conditioning coach as it they strive to always be number one. They can use this drive to teach
clients how to achieve that number one mentality, as well as using my own competitiveness to
help them achieve their goals. Consistency applies to all career paths I have chosen as it is
applying the same quality to every client, maintaining environment consistency and having each
client obeys rules and regulations.
3)
The one career that I am most interested in pursuing and feel like my strength would fully
support is becoming a Strength and Conditioning coach. Growing up I always loved sports
whether it was playing or watching different sports and having debates about certain ideologies.

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Having the love for sports and always trying to make suggestions on how other athletes can
improve has pushed me towards strength and conditioning field. With the love of sports I figured
the smart thing to do next is to get the science behind strength and conditioning. Theres a certain
level of intensity that you are required to have in the Strength and Conditioning field to move
your athletes to the next level and I feel that kind of intensity is not suitable in a physiotherapy
and kinesiology environment. My future goal is to eventually run my own facility. But this goal
is going to happen gradually because I have to do a lot of volunteering in different areas of this
field and getting as much knowledge as possible. I plan on working at private clinics and then
move on to high school, colleges, universities and professional sports and then settling down
with my own facility.
JOB PROFILE
JOB TITLE Strength and Conditioning coach
RESPONSIBILITIES, TASKS, AND RELATED JOBS
One of the primary jobs of a strength coach is to improve athletic performance; which
generally means improving athletes speed, strength and power and this varies depending on the
athlete and sport. A strength coach develops systematic training programs for both teams and
individual athletes, which usually requires them working in close association with coaches. A
strength coach has to motivate and supervise athletes as they work out, teach proper lifting
techniques and assessing their performance before and after the program. Another primary job
of a strength coach is to reduce athletic injuries. This means a strength coach has to be able to
create programs to strengthen body parts that are prone to injury in a particular sport. A strength

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and conditioning coach has to be able to work hand in hand with other health professionals in
order reduce injuries and increase performance.
WORKING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTS
Strength and conditioning coaches are usually employed by high school teams, fitness
centers, physical therapy clinics and professional sport teams or they can work independently as
well by owning their own business. Depending on which field you choose to pursue your
working conditions could differ. For an instance if you are working at a private facility you may
or not have to commute depending on where you live. If you are an independent coach you might
have to do a lot of commuting here and there to meet clients. Depending on the how big the
school athletic program and the level of competition there could be as many as one or two
strength coaches. So this means that the need to be able to work with others is really important.
WORK SCHEDULE
Work schedule depends on the field you should to pursue. Hours can vary because
depending on your field you can start training athletes as early as 6.00am and not end until after
5.00pm. Weekends arent off limits in terms of working as a college and university strength
coach because some athletes may want extra workout sessions.

SATISFACTIONS
I am looking forward to the struggle and tribulations that comes with being an up and
coming strength coach that is looking to make a name for himself. Nothing comes easy in life

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and not everybody gets lucky enough to go right through to the top. So with that being said I am
looking forward to that challenge. I am looking forward to developing my athletes while pushing
and challenging them to become a stronger version of themselves. I am looking forward to
seeing results from the programs I put together. I am looking forward to the struggle I will have
to overcome to becoming one of the greatest strength and conditioning coaches of all time. I am
looking forward to the intense workout sessions and finding ways to will my athletes through it. I
feel that I will enjoy all these things and I am looking forward to it all because I am passionate
about coaching and it will lead to me being a better individual.
NEGATIVES
The struggle of getting a full time position as strength and conditioning coach might be
the biggest struggle to become one. Not having enough connections and experiences once you
get out of university may also be another struggle to deal with. Even though coaching is a
passion of mine its really tough to say it will be a rough couple of years trying to pay back
student loans simply because of how hard it is to get a full time position quickly. I might struggle
to see athletes quit during sessions and I am afraid I may push them too hard in some ways. The
struggle might just be finding the right balance on when to push and not push my athletes.

SALARY (EARNINGS)
The expected salary of a strength and conditioning coach usually range between $40,000
to $60,000 US dollars depending on experience and qualifications. But typically most head

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strength and conditioning coaches at the college level get paid anywhere from $45,000 to
$75,000 annually. In terms of professional teams strength coaches usually get close to about
$100,000 per year.
ADVANCEMENT/CAREER PATH
At the entry level position most strength and conditioning coaches tend to volunteer to
gain experience under other more experienced strength coaches. The ideal of volunteering is
really good because its easier to get hired afterwards simply because the head coach teaches and
shares all his philosophy with you. Lots of experiences and certifications are needed in order to
move up in ranks when it comes to strength coaching field.
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION(S):
A bachelor degree is required preferably from major such as kinesiology, exercise science
and sport science. A well-known certification that is required for employment as a strength and
conditioning coach is offered by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is
called the Certified Strength &Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). The CSCS is a nationally
recognized certification that most jobs require to be obtained. Getting a post graduate study may
also enhance getting employment at a faster rate.
JOB POSTINGS:
There are many sources online or facilities that you could find positions for a strength
and conditioning coach. Some online sources that are helpful include NSCA website, ACSM
website, canadajobs.com, OUA, CIS and different educational institution website, UKSCA,
globalsports.com and indeed.com/Strength-Conditioning-jobs. Search terms used includes

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strength and conditioning coach jobs , High performance coach, strength coach ,
conditioning coach, . Few companies that can be contacted include FITS Toronto, Blast
Athletic Toronto, Richmond Olympic Oval, Twist conditioning company. The departments that
can lead me in a right direction includes, kinesiology departments, career & placement services.
The kinesiology department provides such a tremendous help in terms of getting the best advises
from the teachers, advisors and also the kin association students. The career & placement
services do a lot in helping students out during job searching. They help with fixing resumes,
cover letters, looking for jobs, developing networking skills, researching and preparing graduate
school applications or defining career goals.
The two postings that I found require a Bachelors degree in Exercise Science,
Kinesiology or related Sports Science field of study. Experience is also a required factor in both
posting. Having 2-3 years experience involving management of sport specific areas is a
requirement. Also acquiring certification such CPR/ First Aid and the Certified Strength and
Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) from the National Strength and Conditioning Association or an
international equivalent is a must.
EXTRAS
My internship at Blast Athletics Toronto and FITS Toronto has helped me gain the
required technical and applied skills needed for the career. My internships has also helped me
build my communication, supervisory, management and coaching skills which will be necessary
for this career. The next step would be to finish up my degree and get my CSCS and other
relevant certifications to increase my chances to becoming a good fit for the job postings. I will
also need to continue to enhance my knowledge about the field by going to seminars, reading

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evidence based research materials, and practicing new trend of exercise to help make me a better
coach. Finally, having played multiple sports in high school and owing respected personal record
numbers in the core strength lifts can set me apart from the group of other applicants.
NEXT STEPS
1)
In terms of education, a bachelors degree in Kinesiology is sufficient enough in terms of
being a Strength and Conditioning coach. But a must have certification is the CSCS from
NSCA. This certification is a computer based exams with the assessment typically located in
specific H&R Block offices. After registration an email will be sent out with instructions on how
to schedule for the exam within 3-5 business days. Exams must be taken within 120 days of
registration and must be schedule up to two days before the testing date. Scores will be received
immediately after the exams if all the prerequisites documentations were submitted prior to the
exam date. The exam involves completing a scientific foundation and practical/ applied sections.
The Scientific Foundations exam contains 80 scored and 15 non-scored multiple-choice
questions, and the Practical/Applied exam contains 110 scored and 15 non-scored multiplechoice questions. The Scientific Foundations exam, which is 1.5 hours in length with 95
questions, is designed to assess a candidate's knowledge in the areas of exercise sciences
(anatomy, exercise physiology, biomechanics, etc.) and nutrition. The Practical/Applied exam,
which is 2.5 hours in length with 125 questions, is designed to assess a candidate's knowledge of
program design, exercise techniques, testing and evaluation and
organization/administration. Approximately 30-40 questions are presented in conjunction with a
video, which mainly assesses competencies in exercise techniques, functional anatomy and

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testing procedures. To be eligible to take the CSCS examination, candidates must hold current
CPR and AED certification. Registrants must submit a copy of current CPR/AED certification
card. CSCS exam registration fees are listed below
Member Pricing (Student and Professional Membership)

Registration Fee
Retake Fee for Both
Sections
Retake Fee for One
Section

REGISTRATION FEE ON
OR
BEFORE MARCH 31, 2015
$310
$260

REGISTRATION FEE ON
OR
AFTER APRIL 1, 2015
$340
$340

$215

$250

REGISTRATION FEE ON
OR
BEFORE MARCH 31, 2015
$445
$395

REGISTRATION FEE ON
OR
AFTER APRIL 1, 2015
$475
$475

$350

$385

Non-Member Pricing

Registration Fee
Retake Fee for Both
Sections
Retake Fee for One
Section
2)

There are several people/organizations that I will definitely keep in touch for references.
Blast athletic club, FITS Toronto, Brent Welsh, Joseph Gibbons and OH FAST, etc. It is
important to contact these people/organizations because I have built a great relationship with and
I feel they can testify about my work ethic and passion towards Strength and Conditioning.
Within the organizations listed there are different professions consisting of sport medicine
doctor, physiotherapist, chiropractor, and strength and conditioning coaches. I constantly pick

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their brains whenever I any issues that am fuzzy about. Brent welsh, Joseph Gibbons are my
Guelph-Humber University professor that I continue go to whenever I have questions about new
innovations or philosophies in the strength and conditioning field. These individuals can be
contacted through emails or in person whenever time permits.

3)
Two roadblocks that I feel can hinder my path to being a strength and conditioning coach
includes: lack of entry level positions for new graduates and lack of paid internship positions,
lack of funds to pay for certifications. I feel like the first roadblock go hand in hand in terms of
difficult in securing a position. Most companies or educational institutions hiring rarely give new
graduates the chance to show case their knowledge right out of school. This is understandable
because they rely on seeing gained experiences but most employers rarely offer paid internship.
Having a paid internship could be really beneficial since experience is needed in order to be
considered. If the internship is paid for it makes it easier on new graduates who are probably in
financial debt. Secondly, not having enough funds coming right from university may kind of
hinder my path being a strength coach because certifications, seminars, workshops are really
expensive now a days. Having this problem will definitely slow down my progress for sure
because I would like to get as many certifications as possible to increase my chances of
employment.

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References
http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/strength-and-conditioning-coach
http://www.nsca.com/Certification/CSCS/
http://strength.sports.uiowa.edu/article/strength-and-conditioning-history-and-overview-field
http://strength.sports.uiowa.edu/article/strength-and-conditioning-history-and-overview-field