What is an Accredited Sports Scientist (ASpS)?
A Sports Scientist provides expert advice and support to athletes and coaches to help them understand and enhance sports performance; adopting evidence-based, quality-assured practice to evaluate and develop effective strategies or interventions in training and/or competition.
A Sports Scientist may operate in one or more roles from pure researcher to applied practitioner and may also work in fields outside sport where human physical performance is an important factor.
What distinguishes a Sports Scientist from “a scientist who works in sport” is their holistic perspective on sports performance. This approach is acquired through tertiary-level qualifications which include foundation knowledge across the primary disciplines of anthropometry, biomechanics, motor control and learning, physiology, psychology, and training methodology; together with advanced, integrated or applied studies in one or more of these areas.
A Sports Scientist always acts with integrity and professionalism, with the physical and mental health and welfare of the athlete foremost in their consideration and operates within the rules and the spirit of sport.
ESSA has a strong and comprehensive regulation system to ensure accredited professionals uphold best practice professional standards and behaviour.
Click here for ESSA's
Integrity in Sports Science Fact Sheet.
Accredited professionals and members of the association are required to abide by professional standards including:
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ESSA Code of Professional Conduct and Ethical Practice
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ESSA Return to Practice Policy
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Scope of Practice
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'What is a Sports Scientist' Definition
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Accredited Sports Scientist Salary Guide
Sports Science Accreditation
For information on applying for Sports Science accreditation, please refer to 'Ways to Join ESSA' page
here .