Considering: a) the lack of continuous vocational training offer for experimented coaches, b) the diversity with regard to strength and conditioning courses offered in the Members States, c) the need for elite strength and conditioning coaches to enhance their competences as sport is getting more complex, international and professional; a consortium of Sports performance centres, Sports confederation and Universities join forces to develop a competences' enhancement test program in the form of an international continuous vocational training course for elite strength and conditioning coaches. In order to improve strength and conditioning coaches’ level and competences and to develop their employability and their mobility at national and European level, the project partners will use and share their respective expertise in the field of strength and conditionning (training load, individualization, injury prevention, self & team management, etc.) to implement and test a new and innovative continous training. They will share their experience and impressions to use and develop the most appropriate methodologies and tools. The overall objectives are developed through specific objectives: - Creating a new international & innovative VET course for experienced strength and conditioning coaches, designed on an evidence-based approach; - Enabling coaches, experts, researchers and other stakeholders to share practices & confront approaches (networking); - Networking. A first group of 25 trainees (5 trainees per country) will be selected on the basis of their experience and knowledge and then registered administratively in one of the five participating training centres. A selection process previously agreed will be implemented within the 5 participating countries to choose trainees able to “talk the same language” and enhance their competences while attending the course and exchanging with their peers. The participants will all have a significant experience in elite Sport. The partners will regularly report on the course implementation to make adjustments and corrections in a view of delivering a qualitative and rewarding experience for trainees, trainers and all stakeholders involved. The general logic guiding the project is a collaborative logic. The partners have built up the project altogether and will all be involved in the activities planned: the trainees' selection process, the design of an innovative VET course for elite strength and conditioning coaches, the implementation of the mobility periods, the assessment of the course and of the project, etc. Partners will work throughout the project and between each of the modules to adapt training methods, to improve communication , and to advance the collective work of the course designers, the trainers and the trainees. The implementation of an e-learning platform will enable training managers to be responsive and adaptable as they will be able to stay in touch with the trainees between the modules, to add upgrading contents, to upload preparatoty work, etc. In addition, other significant results are envisaged during the project and on its completion: the sharing of experience between trainees, experts & trainers involved in the project; the creation of a methodology to further develop S & C coaches, with an evidence-based approach; the development of e-learning contents and methods adapted to advanced trainees. The project will have several impacts: - The trainees will develop their ability to cooperate and network with European and international colleagues, they will exchange practices and develop new tools, approaches and knowledge. Theywill get a common certification recognized by national Sports’ institutions in 5 European countries. Eventually, they will be able to improve their cooperation with athletes, staff and professional network (doctors, scientists, nutritionists, etc.). - The staffs involved in the project will improve their ability to collaborate with European colleagues, to develop international courses and to network with peers. - The participating organizations will develop new methods and approaches - transferable to other courses - using the knowledge and expertise acquired. - The European Sport vocational institutions will be able to build similar trainings for other audiences and other European partners could join the next sessions of the course. Impacts on subsequent stakeholders such as the athletes trained by the coaches involved in the course are expected, it should favour the improvement of their physical integrity in the long term, a decrease of their injuries and an improvement of their capacity to recover from injuries.
The main expected results of the project were to improve the skills and mobility of strength and conditioning expert coaches on the one hand, and to develop a network of peers on the other hand, through the implementation of an innovative and international continuing professional education. The project primarily aimed at proposing an innovative course allowing the target audiences: - To update their knowledge with the latest research results and recommendations - To strengthen their technical/professional skills - To be able to work in a complex environment - To develop innovative skills - To share their experience with peers. Another long-term objective was to improve the employability and mobility of the fitness trainers, including international recognition of their professional training. For the participating organizations, the project intended to intensify their international collaborations in vocational training and to increase trainees’ mobility opportunities.
In relation to the professionalization and internationalization of elite sport (increased training load, increased competitiveness, etc.) and of the growing complexity of athlete's environment (multiplication and diversification of stakeholders), providing increased and expert support to athletes, particularly in terms of strength and conditioning training, has become essential. Indeed, injury prevention, improvement of physical capacities and performance, and protection of the long-term physical integrity of athletes are paramount. In spite of this context, the project partners noted a limited offer of professional training for experienced coaches and a lack of recognition of the profession of physical trainer in the different partner countries and in Europe. A need analysis with federations, unions and/or national Olympic committees (specifically in France and Switzerland) confirmed the need and enthusiasm for an international continuing course enabling both the sharing of professional practices and the development of specialized and high-level skills.