A strength and conditioning coach often plays an integral role in the success of both individual athletes and entire teams. Many sports make use of this type of coach including football, baseball, basketball and lacrosse. Some of his basic duties include creating efficient workout/exercise programs, teaching athletes preventative safety measures, helping athletes work through injuries, creating effective diet plans, and maintaining records of workouts.
The primary duty of a strength and conditioning coach is to develop quality exercise routines. He will sometimes work with athletes on a one-on-one basis to ensure that the athlete receives adequate training for optimum performance. An example would be working on ball wind-up and delivery with the quarterback of a football team. Other times the coach will work with multiple players at once, and will design drills to better prepare them for upcoming games. For example, the coach might work on running patterns for a football team's wide receivers and running-backs.
Teaching athletes how to remain safe during workouts and game time is another main duty of a strength and conditioning coach. It's up to him to demonstrate the proper techniques that maximize safety in exercise and actual games. This is more important in some sports than others, but nearly all sports have some safety risks that need addressing.
Another responsibility of a strength and conditioning coach is to help athletes cope with injuries and speed up recovery time. Often he will work alongside other rehabilitation staff if he is apart of a larger program. At other times, he will be solely responsible for the recovery of athletes. He should be knowledgeable in all areas of physical rehabilitation and be able to help players deal with issues like sprains, cramps and muscle tears.
Creating diet plans for athletes is also part of the coach's job. He will typically assess the dietary needs of each athlete and outline an appropriate meal plan. These are usually designed to provide the best possible nutrition to keep each athlete at peak condition. Additionally, proper nutrition helps to speed up muscle recovery time and provide the necessary energy for competition.
Maintaining accurate workout records for all athletes is an often overlooked but still important aspect of the job. Proper record keeping helps to ensure that individuals and teams accomplish the training they need on the right schedule. The right training increases the team's odds of success in games over the course of the season.