Certificate in Sports Performance: You’ll Get Ahead of the Game(s)

Do you want to be a big part of the future of health, wellness, and sports performance? You’ll need next-level information regarding physiology, nutrition, and individualized training methods. How to get there? Specialized coursework via a graduate certificate in sports performance.

Why a Sports Performance Program is a Timely Idea

The field of sports science and research continues to gain prominence in the U.S. Everyone understands the benefits of optimizing athletic performance and reducing the risk of injuries. That’s why looking at advanced sports performance programs makes sense, whether you plan to coach, train, or enter a healthcare profession.

Whatever our career goal, you’ll find ways to use movement analysis and correction, consideration of physiological factors, nutritional understanding, and individualized conditioning plans. Imagine bringing unique performance tactics and strategies to school teams, weekend athletes, and professional athletes.

Undergraduate Degree-holders In Related Fields

A comprehensive sports performance program would benefit those with bachelor’s degrees in kinesiology, exercise science, athletic training, or other health and fitness areas.

You can expect that advanced education in sports performance would serve to:

• Expand career options
  The certificate provides individuals with additional expertise in sports performance, opening doors to opportunities in sports teams, fitness centers, rehabilitation clinics, and performance enhancement centers.
• Establish a skills/knowledge advantage
  The specialized knowledge gained from the certificate can make candidates stand out during job applications and interviews, increasing their chances of securing employment.
• Increase promotion/income potential
  A graduate-level certificate can position individuals for promotion within their current organization as they demonstrate their commitment to professional growth and expanded capabilities. With a broader skill set, individuals should be able to negotiate better compensation packages.

Sports Performance and The Doctor of Chiropractic Profession

Sports and chiropractic have always had a strong connection. All National Football League teams and nearly all Major League Baseball teams have chiropractors on staff. Why is that? Doctors of chiropractic are healthcare professionals for the diagnosis, care, and prevention of functional disorders of the spine and other parts of the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractic practice focuses on maintaining proper spinal function and its relationship to good health.

Doctors of Chiropractic use their deep understanding of neuromusculoskeletal systems to help improve and regain peak athletic performance.

Cleveland University-Kansas City, a private, nonprofit chiropractic and health sciences university, has introduced a Graduate Certificate in Sports Performance. This certificate, according to its program coordinator, “is designed for those in health, fitness, wellness, and sports fields who want to advance their knowledge and abilities through science-based programming.“

Chiropractic + Sports Science

If attending a chiropractic college is where you’d like to apply your interest in healthcare careers, here are three reasons to take advantage of a graduate education program in sports performance:

1. Expanded Expertise
The certificate program allows chiropractors to expand their knowledge and expertise in sports performance, enabling them to provide specialized services to athletes and sports teams at all levels. Chiropractic care can also enhance sports performance by optimizing alignment, enhancing joint mobility, and improving neuromuscular function.

2. Increased Customer Base
With the additional credential, chiropractors can attract a broader clientele, including professional athletes, sports teams, and fitness enthusiasts, leading to practice expansion.

3. Matching Services to Marketplace Demand
By offering sports performance services, chiropractors can diversify their income sources and potentially command higher fees.

Fall 2023: The CUKC Certificate in Sports Performance

Founded in 1922 as Cleveland Chiropractic College, Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is in Overland Park, Kansas, a large suburb in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Our mission for more than 100 years has been to educate and develop leaders in health promotion and embrace behaviors that help people control and improve their health.

Our graduate Certificate in Sports Performance (CSP) program is designed for those in health, fitness, wellness, and sports fields, including future and current doctors of chiropractic. 

Students who complete the Graduate Certificate in Sports Performance should be able to:

• Correlate human kinetics, physiological responses to exercise, and diet and nutrition with performance and overall health. 
• Apply evidence-based principles to programming for performance, fitness, and overall health based on the needs of persons from diverse populations.
  

The CUKC Certificate in Sports Performance (CSP) is 12-credit hours offered online in 8-week modules. The certificate can be completed in one academic term or over the course of a full year.

CSP Advantage

All courses in the CSP program are required for the Master of Science (M.S.) in Exercise Physiology and Sports Performance, so completing the certificate gives you a head start on your master’s degree.

Ready to get going? Learn about our sports performance certificate here.