St Mary’s Academic Wins National Award

Jon Goodwin, Programme Director for the MSc Strength and Conditioning course at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham, was recently named as Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year (Education). The title was awarded by the UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) at its national conference this weekend. Jon, who was nominated by fellow Programme Director Richard Blagrove, received the award for his work in developing the most successful undergraduate and postgraduate Strength and Conditioning programmes in the UK. It also recognised his contributions to the UKSCA, where he has supported the development and delivery of its educational and Continuing Professional Development pathways. Jon has been accredited with the UKSCA since its inception in 2004, and is also certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). In addition to his role at St Mary’s, Jon is also Head of Strength and Conditioning for the Wales Women’s Lacrosse Team, and provides coaching support to several other national and international athletes based in south-west London as well as providing workshops for the British Weightlifting Association. Over the course of the last 10 years, Jon has made a substantial contribution to strength and conditioning education in the UK. In 2007, he successfully launched the world’s first Strength and Conditioning Science undergraduate degree programme at St Mary's, which has gone on to produce more than 120 graduates. Two years later, Jon launched a postgraduate distance learning programme, which allowed full-time coaches and practitioners to study flexibly. In addition to his teaching and coaching commitments, Jon regularly mentors aspiring coaches through the UKSCA accreditation process, offering his free time to work with students. Richard said, “This award is a testament to all of Jon’s hard work in developing educational opportunities in strength and conditioning over the last 10 years. There was nobody more deserving of the award.” For more information about the Strength and Conditioning courses available at St Mary’s, please visit the website or contact Richard Blagrove on richard.blagrove@smcu.ac.uk