Important Note: The SCCC Certification (Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified) is only available to full-time strength and conditioning coaches on the collegiate and professional level and to students studying and preparing to become full-time strength and conditioning coaches on the collegiate and professional level.
Step 1: Completion of a 640-hour practicum/internship requirement or the equivalent.
Students preparing for the SCCC certification are required to complete a 640-hour practicum/internship under a CSCCa-approved mentor to gain experience in coaching all aspects of a strength and conditioning program. For individuals who are already full-time collegiate or professional-level strength and conditioning coaches with a minimum of 3 years full-time experience, this requirement can be fulfilled by meeting with a CSCCa-approved mentor to go through the organization's Mentoring Packet and ensure that the candidate is familiar with the information on which he/she will be evaluated during the exam. This step is extremely important to ensure that the candidate possesses the necessary knowledge, skills, and techniques to design and implement a safe and effective strength and conditioning program for large groups of athletes.
Step 2: Passing the written portion of the SCCC certification examination, which is administered by a national testing agency. Test content comes from the approved Test Content Outline which is available in Section 4 of the SCCC Certification Handbook.
Step 3: Passing both stations of the practical SCCC certification examination, which is administered by a panel of Master Strength and Conditioning Coaches with a minimum of 12 years full-time coaching experience in the field. The exam includes 2 stations: proper strength training technique and proper exercise prescription -- including training of the proper energy system; appropriate recovery; program design; plyometrics; speed endurance; speed and power development; agility; and a variety of other areas with direct relevance to safe and effective exercise prescription. The practical portion of the exam ensures that the candidate can safely and effectively apply the knowledge that he/she has gained in the classroom setting in a live working environment.
Pre-requisites for the SCCC certification examination:
Proof of current CPR/AED/First Aid certification valid on date of exam
Verification of attainment of a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree or senior status in an undergraduate program (all candidates must have obtained their Bachelor's degree and submitted verification to the CSCCa National Office before they will receive their SCCC certification)
Verification of completion of the practicum/internship requirement sent from the candidate's mentor to the CSCCa National Office
