Defining the Field

Jonathan wrote the following in response to my Wake Up post of last week: Vern, I hear ya, but how is someone like myself going to help "define the field of athletic development?" I don't have the expertise and recognition that someone like you has. I also know that I haven't paid my dues yet, as you have mentinoed before, but what CAN someone like me do to make a difference NOW?? thanks, Jonathan Certainly a valid and thought provoking response. To paraphrase Gandhi you must become the change you want to see. I set out five years ago to help define this field based on the on the craziness I was seeing in physical education, athletic development and rehabilitation. It was all lumped under the label of “functional Training.” My first step was to finish my book, Athletic Development – The Art and Science of Functional Sports Conditioning. My second step was to start writing this blog as often as I could to keep me focused and to present information and identify problem areas as I see them. My third step was to start the GAIN Apprentorship in 2007.

Going forward I am dedicating myself to the goal of defining the field of Athletic Development, not strength and conditioning, not performance training, definitely not personal training. Jonathan you can get on board and learn, pay your dues, become a leader in your community, in your school, with your team. The time to start is NOW, the place to start is where you are. I can’t do it by myself. I can be a spark, but each individual out here must take the initiative and get going. Question the establishment. Why is the NSCA having web seminars on starting a business, is that really their mission? Why does their “gold standard” certification consist of a multiple choice exam? Why is the NASM starting another certification? Is this all really about helping to develop better educated professionals or is about making money. We all must have the courage to question.

You can be part of a change that is necessary. You need to clearly understand what you do and understand why you do it. Stay away from group think. The biggest question I have today with the millions being spend by pro teams, colleges and universities and even high schools are we really making our athletes better or are we just helping them avoid getting worse?  Look around and see the palatial facilities and expensive equipment that fills these facilities, if this were the answer, then why are injuries off the charts? Virtually every major league baseball team has two ATC’s and two strength and conditioning coaches, what the hell are they doing? Look at the injuries in baseball, this is not my imagination, they are not even helping to keep from getting worse. This could be said about every sport. In physical education, rehab and athletic development we need to get back to basics. Forget facilities and equipment, focus on movement, how the parts are connecting and working together. Enhance those connections. Evaluate movement and train movement, don’t look for dysfunction because you will find them, instead focus on physical competencies and improve those. The more physically competent, the healthier and higher performing the athlete will be.

I hope you will join me in defining Athletic Development. It has to be a team or as Seth Godin calls it a tribe. The concepts are not new, they just are not being applied. This is not about my ideas or me, this is about getting better, truly defining a profession and helping athletes to reach their ultimate potential. It is about getting children moving so they learn a healthy lifestyle, it is about rehab that is not a dark hole where the player never comes back to full function.  I certainly understand that questioning the status quo makes people uncomfortable, but we all need to get out of our comfort zone. Change is never comfortable, but It is necessary. The change must begin now.