BISMARCK — Students at the University of Mary are filling a nationwide demand for a more science-driven approach to improving athletic performance.

The college recently received accreditation from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, which means that students who graduate from the Strength and Conditioning program can guarantee employers a highly specialized skill set.

“We make sure we train the students, have them follow and work with strength and conditioning coaches as part of the program to make sure they are better performers when they leave,” said Rachel Johnson Krug, Athletic Director of Training Programs.

Demand for strength and conditioning coaches has grown in recent years along with competition among student-athletes for scholarships, according to Johnson Krug. She said the department’s accreditation is an effort to follow that trend.

program at the University of Mary is

one of only 18 in the country,

two-thirds of these are located outside the Midwest.

Basically, a certified strength and conditioning specialist is an entire sports medicine team packed into one health care professional, program officials said.

Using scientific research, the purpose of the role is to improve overall athletic performance by designing and implementing safe training sessions, according to Alicia Wells, a program coordinator and strength and conditioning instructor.

“It used to be probably the football coach was there, sitting at the desk grading math papers and people were just lifting in the background,” Wells said. “Now it’s a strength and conditioning specialist, which is an individualized running session that is scientifically based with the primary goal of improving the athlete’s performance.”

Students in the strength and conditioning biomechanics program, which is the study of body movement, leave with the ability to teach people safe ways to stay active—from nutrition to injury prevention.

The program uses top-shelf technology, unlike most other accredited programs in the country.

It started with what Johnson Krug describes as a “crappy old treadmill” along with some cameras.

Now classrooms have machines that finely measure vertical and horizontal movement, such as running and jumping. Bird’s eye cameras placed on the ceiling translate these measurements into values ​​that can assess growth and areas for improvement.

The practice is not limited to serving athletes. Students are trained to work with people of all ages and abilities.

Jakob Petry led sports practices as a student and intern at Bismarck’s Sanford Power, a training facility that hosts a variety of activities. He is also among the first class to graduate from the program since it was accredited.

“It was great to learn from them and then also learn the same things reinforced in class. It was cool to see how that actually applied in real life, Petry said.

His favorite part of the program is the “science detail.”

“It’s just knowing the reasoning behind what you’re essentially prescribing,” he said. “Not just give them a hard workout like a football coach would, but something that you know is scientifically proven and programmed to be successful for them.”

Petry believes that there is more to improving athletic performance and achieving personal bests than simply doing repetitions, a belief that is fundamental to the strength and conditioning field.

“A lot of people come to train and learn the right way to do things,” he said “Being able to teach them the right way is rewarding.”

After completing his undergraduate education, Petry decided to continue his education with a master’s degree in kinesiology at the University of Mary. He moved to North Dakota from Las Vegas to attend college on a football scholarship — and intends to stay after finishing graduate school.

“It’s cool to have a Vegas kid stay,” Wells said.

All of the dozens of students coming out of the program have received job offers before they graduate, and they’ve entered a wide variety of settings from outpatient care, home care to directing workouts in the weight room and on the field.

However, the drive behind the program is to fill gaps experienced by communities that lack sports medicine physicians — especially those in rural areas, where a lack of preventative, proactive treatment can disadvantage athletes looking to advance their careers.

Wells said having more strength and conditioning professionals in the field could ultimately help lift the burden off local health care systems.

“It’s more access to quality care under one roof than going to the doctor,” she said.

Johnson Krug and Wells are now in the process of accrediting their master’s program. They plan to submit the program application to the National Strength and Conditioning Association this year.