“One has to be able to thread together scientific knowledge and sport technique while listening to one’s own feelings and the feelings of the particular athlete in question – It is at this point that coaching ceases to be a science and becomes an art.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           -Charlie Francis

The role of a Strength and Conditioning Coach, and the profession as a whole, has grown and evolved dramatically over the past 30 years. Scientific knowledge (and access to it) and the advancement of technology is at an all-time high. While the number of coaching positions being hired, sports performance centers being opened, and schools offering Strength & Conditioning academic programs has grown, the number of true artists in this awesome realm of sports performance hasn’t seemed to match the incredible growth.

We see many students and professionals hold tightly to the scientific advancements we’ve experienced in this generation, while shunning the in-the-trenches work of coaches that came before them. While others push away scientific data completely under the representation of being “old school” and doing what they’ve done their entire careers…

The best coaches in sports performance however; the ones that produce results on the field and in the weight room, that leave an impact on players and coaches far after their careers come to an end; have become true artists in this profession. While their Coaching Bios reflect championships, individual awards, books written, and other achievements; the experience that meeting them brings, is what they are known for. They have the knowledge and ability to not only improve athlete performance in the most effective ways possible, but to adapt that experience to athletes and coaches no matter who they are. This is something that a textbook or internship alone won’t teach you; but the right blend of knowledge and experience will.

Here at elitefts we hold strongly to the motto of Live, Learn, and Pass On – This combination of knowledge and experience that is required to become a true artist is deeply ingrained into the Live, and Learn of our motto; and this is how we selected the experts who would be teaching at the 2017 Sports Performance Summit. Those that Live; have years of in-the-trenches experience, spending long hours with athletes refining their tools as an artist in this profession. They also Learn every day; reading, speaking with other coaches, and attending conferences and seminars to grow their own knowledge to ensure their toolbox is never lacking what their athletes need to be at their absolute best.

The last part of our motto is Pass On; and this is the opportunity you’re faced with now. As a company we’ve committed to the understanding that all the knowledge and experience, all the Live, and Learn, means nothing if it isn’t passed on to others. We’ve seen the number of true artists grow because of the willingness of experts to teach at events such as this, and the willingness of coaches to come and learn, network, and Pass On this experience themselves to others.

This is more than a lecture or a class, than a practicum or internship; this is an opportunity to blend all of those things together in the process to transform your coaching into an art.