The PBSCCS is a society of Strength and Conditioning Coaches composed from both Major League and Minor League baseball teams. It is committed to raising awareness about its role in professional baseball. Moreover, it is focused on the implementation of proven Strength and Conditioning principles & philosophies, community youth awareness programs, and long term skills promoting performance and health. Through these programs, the PBSCCS will empower its coaches with the knowledge, skills, ethics, and competency to continue to increase the credibility and recognition of its coaches.
The Society and the Professional Baseball Strength and Conditioning profession, as it stands today, has experienced significant changes since its beginning in 1993. In the beginning, there were a small number of Strength and Conditioning Coaches in Major League Baseball. During this time, it was considered new and the profession was received with heavy resistance. The accepted training principles consisted of long distance running and basic shoulder maintenance programs. These two areas had been accepted as the norm for reducing injury and maintaining performance levels. During the 1993 off-season, the Strength and Conditioning Coaches that were in the game, decided to meet at a well-known National Strength and Conditioning Convention. They decided to create a group, which would consist of approximately 5 Major League Strength and Conditioning Coaches. This group would become known as the Professional Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society (PBSCCS). Their immediate goal was to unite the profession of Strength and Conditioning in baseball with the application of proven Strength and Conditioning principles. In order to achieve this goal, many of the standards below needed to be their main area of focus:
- To have a Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach with every Major League team
- Establish the Professional Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society (PBSCCS)
- Create a meeting place where all Strength and Conditioning Coaches could meet on an annual basis
- Put together a Board of Directors for the PBSCCS
- Create Bylaws for the PBSCCS
- Provide a dialog of their own to discuss:
- strength and conditioning philosophies
- issues and problems pertaining to strength and conditioning
- communication problems pertaining to strength and conditioning
- jobs / salaries / benefits
- Educate players about the dangers of steroids use
- Create an educational forum for our society members
- Career.gunnertechnetwork.comelopment
- Develop internships for young Strength and Conditioning Coaches at the Minor League levels
- Earn recognition within Professional Baseball
- Gain better vendor support
- Develop a better working relations with the athletic trainers
- Create working relationships with other professional coaches outside of baseball
At this point in time, these goals were considered to be out of reach because there were only a few current Strength and Conditioning Coaches, therefore it would be very difficult to achieve these high of standards. However, overt time these goals have been achieved one at a time.
As it stands today, the PBSCCS is a legal Non for Profit Organization that has an active membership of more than 60 members. This membership is comprised of every Major League Strength Coach (30), as well as every Minor League Strength and Conditioning Coordinator (30). The organization is next looking toward inclusion of Minor League Affiliate Strength and Conditioning Coaches to continue its growth.
The Society is represented by 4 Board Members who are responsible for the advancement of the society : President ( Jim Malone – Sand Diego Padres ), Vice President ( Matt Krause – Cincinnati Reds ), Secretary ( Ben Potenziano – San Francisco Giants ), and Treasurer ( Jose Vasquez – Texas Rangers ). In addition, each league is represented by an American League and National League representative at the Major League level ( Alan Thomas – AL: Chicago White Sox and Brian Jordan – NL: Colorado Rockies ) and American League and National League representative at the Minor League level ( Jake Beiting – AL: Cleveland Indians and Dan Morrison – NL: San Diego Padres ).
Annually, the PBSCCS meets in person at the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings. This event is held every year in December at a different but predetermined venue around the country. During this 3 day period, the society will use this event for several reasons, but the two main reasons are:
- Continuing Education
- Society and Professional improvement
Education is a major focus for the meetings. Lectures will be given by our own society members, as well as, outside experts on many areas. These topics can range from performance enhancing protocols, recovery and nutrition tactics, updated research programs, or many other subjects that pertain to Strength and Conditioning. The second area of focus is the society’s improvement. We use this time to discuss and assess immediate to long term improvements of the society and its members. Specific decisions will be made on Board Member Leadership, Community Outreach Programs, and nominations for internal awards will also be given. This will be the final in person meeting of the group prior to the beginning of the following season.