The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) announces today the release of the organization’s newest textbook, the NSCA’s Essentials of Sport Science. This cutting-edge publication brings together many of the world’s top experts from the sports science field to build a definitive resource for the profession.
Performance and sport scientists are in demand more than ever before. Not only are researchers at universities and academic institutions scientifically investigating methods and best practices to improve sport and athletic performance, but collegiate athletic teams, professional sports organizations, and private training companies are applying evidence-based scientific principles to expand the limits of athletic potential, identify key areas related to team success, and support a broad spectrum of athletes to gain a competitive advantage.
To address this growing need, the NSCA developed the industry-advancing Sport Science textbook and is currently developing the Certified Performance and Sport ScientistTM (CPSSTM) certification that will be released later in 2021.
NSCA’s Essentials of Sport Science features 52 globally-recognized industry leaders across the multiple disciplines of human performance and sport science. It expands on the key scientific underpinnings of sport science—physiology, biochemistry, biomechanics, nutrition, and skill development—to address the use of data analysis, load monitoring, and performance technology. The sport scientist’s role is central throughout, including knowledge of training theory, determining and evaluating key performance indicators, conducting athlete monitoring and assessments, and managing and disseminating complex performance information.
The integration of scientific methodology and applied technical skills will guide sport scientists in drawing conclusions aimed at supporting or re-envisioning training methods, contributing towards competition strategy, and improving athletes’ overall readiness and performance.The ground-breaking textbook presents a holistic overview of the scientific principles, knowledge, and expertise to support athletic and team performance as a modern-day sport scientist. It further defines professional roles and scope of practice for existing and aspiring sport scientists within interdisciplinary high performance athletic programs. Readers will come away with advanced knowledge of current performance and sport science practices, and the analytical tools to employ scientific processes to maximize athletic performance and optimize communication within sporting organizations.
“This exceptional resource provides clarity and structure to the broad and growing field of sport science,” said Eric McMahon, NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager. “This has been an extensive and exciting process. We are truly thankful for our co-editors Dr. Duncan French and Dr. Lorena Torres Ronda, for dedicating countless hours over the past three years, in addition to the world-class list of expert contributors.”
NSCA President Dr. N. Travis Triplett said, “This textbook will be a pivotal resource to help define the sport scientist career path for years to come. I am pleased by the breadth of the scientific and applied content and the great enthusiasm that surrounds this program in support of current and future leaders in the profession.”