NSCA’s Coaching Podcast, Season 6 Episode 11: Ashley Jones

Hear from a more than 30-year strength and conditioning coaching veteran in the sport of rugby, Ashley Jones. He talks to NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about his progression in the field, beginning in 1988 to his current roles as part of the NSCA Rugby Special Interest Group, Awards and Honors Committee, and Certification Committee. Jones provides insight on the important roles of NSCA Committees in supporting the integrity of the coaching profession. Learn more about the expanded roles of strength and conditioning coaches in non-mainstream sports, like Rugby in North America, while also helping to support skill and game development. This episode also includes great lessons on program planning within the team setting and how to emphasize the “human element” in coaching.

You can contact Ashley by email at ashley@ashleyjonesstrengthcoach.com| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs  

Show Notes

"If you're not a member, join. Because it's not just about paying your dues and saying you're a member. Really, it's about the extra access you get to the education materials. When it comes to what qualifies and what doesn't, it goes back to high standards." 20:00

"One thing that will be addressed through the accreditation process is the addition of field work and just reading through the requirements that have been developed and academic programs are currently being vetted for this. It's not just, you do an internship with one program and graduate and you're done. You actually need to have separate experiences, fieldwork experiences, in distinctly different environments." 25:58

"But a new team, you have to sit down with the head coach first and foremost and say, what are you going to emphasize with the playing group that we have? What sort of game do you want to play? Do you want to play a more physical game? Do you want to play a more widespread, a more running game, which obviously will impact on how the strength existing program develops." 42:10

"I'll probably answer that with two, in that first and foremost is, don't take yourself too seriously. But take what you do very seriously." 45:01

"I think that's where I would sort of advise more and more the younger S&C coaches to look at the human elements. And even now that we're pushing more towards a metric driven life as far as strength and conditioning with sports science and all those elements, which is fantastic, don't get me wrong. But it's still making that connection to the human being who happens to be the player on your team, to develop them to be the best they can be on and off the park each and every week." 48:04