Sports science, at last

The Scientific Sports and Fitness Council (SSFC) begins its first certification course today at the University of Asia and the Pacific, in the hope of eventually being able to streamline and regulate their profession. The members, all Filipino sports scientists trained overseas, are a veritable Who’s Who of sports science, the most brilliant minds in the sports, health and fitness community.

"We’ve always dreamed of this, says Jimbo Saret, Welcoat’s trainer in the PBA and one of the SSFC’s founders. "Aside from sharing our knowledge, we all come from different groups, so there’s no partisan politics here."

Since 2005, the SSFC has rushed to fill the growing need for professionalism and accountability in the fields of sports science, fitness and nutrition through formal scientific training. The organization is currently working with TESDA, the Philippine Sports Commission, The Philippine Olympic Committee and the Department of Health for a uniform certification process for all those working in these diverse but related fields.

The five-day training covers a wide range of subjects, some of which are not covered in standard training for physical education in colleges, and other new trends in the field. Some of the topics are functional anatomy, exercise physiology, biomechanics and psychology. Assessment and testing, often neglected here, is given one module on its own.

Safety, emergency care and ethics are covered in back-to-back sessions.

"We stress responsibility and accountability," says Saret, who obtained his masters degree specializing in athletic training from Brigham Young University. "Sometimes, the fitness professionals here dabble in related fields which they did not really train for, and when clients get injured, don’t really take responsibility for it. We’d like to cut down on these incidences."

Four main areas which are sometimes considered one and the same are tackled separately in specialization courses: athletic training, coaching, fitness training, strength and conditioning. Each field is actually a different specialization on its own, but to accommodate the demand, those trained in one field often dabble in another, to the detriment of their athletes or clients.

It is rare that a brain trust of this highly-educated level and number is all together in one place. It is even harder to pick their brains on such a rich load of topics. But the SSFC wants to make this available to help raise the level of their industry, and to eventually help practitioners help each other, and police their ranks, as well.

"With education comes the power to make a difference, both for yourself and others," Saret concludes. "If those being trained know what is right for them, they will be able to question their training techniques and practices, and avoid getting hurt. And if the trainers are confident enough in their skill, then their craft also improves."

And this is just the beginning.

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Catch tomorrow’s episode of The Basketball Show: Upgrade on Basketball TV at 3 p.m. tomorrow. It features Mac Cardona, Pong Escobal and Paul Artadi. The Basketball Show is supported by San Miguel Corporation, Cebuana Lhuillier, and Mint Bar and Restaurant.