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CIMSPA – The Chartered Institute For The Management Of Sport And Physical Activity
The CIMSPA is an independent, not-for-profit organization that promotes excellence in sports performance management through its membership, certification and research programmes.
CIMSPA was founded in 1921 as the Association of Senior College Teachers (ASCT) to promote educational standards in physical education. Since then, it has expanded to offer qualifications in sports leadership, coaching and training, exercise physiology and health promotion.
These are known as ‘professional’ versions of the ASCT qualification, which still go by the same name. They require a higher level degree or professional qualification but with no requirement for teaching experience.
In addition to these primary programme levels, there are two lower-level awards: ACAMS (Association for Coaching & Mental Skills) and CAPS (Certification in Applied Performance Sciences).
Organization of the CIMSPA
Like most professional associations, CIMSPA comprises individuals who come together to promote the common good of its members. These individuals are called delegates or fellows.
There are two main ways that CIMSPA contracts individual membership. You can either apply as an individual member or be nominated by someone already a member. Both types of membership require you to agree to abide by CIMSPA’s constitution and rules.
As with any large organization, there are sometimes tensions between people. This happens when different groups of people work in similar organizations and areas, so they feel excluded or under-appreciated.
It can also happen when one group feels that another gets too much attention and recognition. These situations can create a hostile atmosphere that may affect how well everyone works together.
Sport and the CIMSPA
As mentioned before, the CIPMS is an educational charity that offers certification after completing their studies. These certifications are in areas such as professional development, health management, fitness assessment or exercise science, to name a few.
These courses can be worked towards through either student membership or affiliate member status. Affiliate members do not have students but can still earn certification by trying to learn and apply what they’ve learned.
Both student and affiliate members are awarded a certificate appropriate for their course work which they may use to improve their careers or advance in theirs.
The CIMSPA also runs open days where anyone can come along and attend a seminar or two to see if it fits their personal goals. This allows you to find out whether this organization is worth joining!
Sport has a powerful influence on our lives and how we feel about ourselves so getting trained in its fundamentals and keeping up to date with changes is essential to enjoy and maintain the activity long term.
The CIMSPA Code
The CIMSPA is an independent, not-for-profit organization that promotes best practices in sports and physical activity management through its professional membership, certification and research programs.
The CIMSPA has two main products to promote health and wellness via sports and active lifestyles. These are its code of ethics and its qualification courses and exams.
Its ethical codes emphasize respect, honesty, integrity and compassion as critical values for those in the sports sector. Qualification courses are designed to develop fundamental skills needed to work with children, adults or groups engaged in organized sports activities.
These include developing goal-setting, leadership qualities, communication strategies and techniques, time management, etc. Several different qualifications are available from CIMSPA, including the Certified Health & Fitness Coach (CHFC), which can be obtained after completing an introductory course and passing an exam.
How to become a CIMSPA member
Becoming a member of the CIMSPA is easy, free and takes less than two minutes! Visit their website at cimspa.co.uk/join-us.
On the membership page, you can pay as an individual student (‘Membership by Student’) or business membership (‘Business Membership’). It is important to note that student members are eligible to use the CIMSPA professional title ‘Chartered Professional Member (CPM)’ after they have been awarded this degree.
Once these steps have been completed, your account will be activated, and you will receive email updates from us – the CIMSPA office team. You will then be able to access all of our resources, including journals, e-newsletters and mobile apps.
Key CIMSPA events
This year, the CIMSPA is holding its Annual Conference in Liverpool from October 2 to 4 at the International Convention Centre (ICC). There will be three keynote speeches, two interactive workshops and eight debates over the four days.
The first day’s event is ‘Making Healthier Choices Online – How can we protect young people?’, which looks at how health professionals can help children and adolescents develop strategies to manage their use of technology. It also addresses issues such as protecting kids online, limiting screen time and helping them overcome potential digital addiction.
On Wednesday, October 3, Dr Sarah Jarvis will give the inaugural TedX Talk titled ‘A lifeless stressful’. She will discuss stress, how it impacts us and why some people seem more stressed than others around the same situation or issue.
Day three features an engaging debate entitled ‘What are the biggest threats to global food security?’ where participants will have five minutes to state one critical threat before moving on to another. They will then each spend two minutes elaborating on this new topic.
This event includes a drinks reception followed by the start of the conference at 10 am. To register, visit http://www.cimspa.org/events-and-ticketing/.
Why is the CIMSPA important?
The CIMSPA is an accredited body that sets standards in sports management. These include professional qualifications, technology use, and general administration practices within sports organizations.
The CIMSPA was founded as the Association of Professional Sports Organisations in 1965. It rebranded as the CIMSPA in 2013 to reflect its broader scope.
Since then, it has expanded its membership to include sports professionals and people working in related industries like fitness or health services, academics from sporting disciplines, and administrators from non-sporting sectors.
These members all come together under one common goal – to promote, preserve and develop the highest quality and most sustainable practice in sports leadership, governance and management.
By giving out certifications, the CIMSPA ensures that only qualified individuals can demonstrate their expertise in these areas. This helps create trust among potential candidates’ peers, employers and the public.
Some tips for starting a sports management degree
Running your club or team is an excellent way to develop leadership skills. Depending on your position at your organization, you can be the manager, coach, trainer, administrator or mentor.
Many positions within sports require good leaders to motivate people around them and ensure everything goes smoothly.
Becoming involved in sports administration is a great way to develop these leadership qualities. Several courses are available through various CIPSPA member organizations and CIPSA.
Here we will look at some top tips for becoming more involved in sports management. These include how to get started with sports administration, ways to earn while studying, scholarships and bursaries, and what career paths there are after university.
Organization and structure of a sports management degree
After completing high school, most students attend either an undergraduate or graduate program at a university. These programs are typically offered through a college or department that offers them. Different universities provide different length degrees with other name brands attached to them. Some may even be branded as “sports management” instead of “management.” No matter their title, all bachelor’s degrees in sport management include eight semesters (two years).
Students must also determine if they would like to pursue their Bachelor’s Degree Online or via Campus Location. There are many benefits to both, so it is best to research before making your choice.
Mario Boser, the Lead Instructor, is a CIMSPA member. Please find his membership profile at https://cms.tahdah.me/profile/index/463897.
