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Strength and conditioning coaches are routinely considered key members of the team working to prepare athletes for sport competitions. This has led to substantial confusion over the roles of strength and conditioning coaches and their working relationship with sport coaches. For example, when detailing their job tasks strength and conditioning coaches have described ineffective and stressful relationships with the sport coaches with whom they work. The purpose of this paper is to present information from college strength and conditioning coaches specific to their working relationship with sport coaches. Fulltime strength and conditioning coaches representing all National Collegiate Athletic Association divisions in the United States responded to a series of 10 questions. The respondents provided a variety of examples detailing their experiences working with sport coaches and provided advice both for strength and conditioning and sport coaches to improve the working relationship for the betterment of the athletes.
Andy Gillham owns and operates Ludus Consulting, LLC, Sioux Falls, SD. Michael Doscher is with Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA. Jim Krumpos is with the University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. Michelle Martin Diltz is with the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL. Nate Moe is with South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD. Shepard Allen is with College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA. Reese Bridgeman is with Bellhaven University, Jackson, MS.