Topic 15.5 Reliable Consumer Web Sites Including Web Sites for Physical Activity Professions

Surveys indicate that nearly three-fourths of young adults and teens use the Internet to find health information. But not all Web sites are equal. Some give reliable information, but others contain misinformation that can be harmful to health and can result in unnecessary loss of money on products that don’t work.

• Web sites that have .gov on the end of them are government Web sites (such as the site for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and provide well-researched information.
• Web sites that end in .org can also be reliable because they are reserved for organizations. These Web sites often have information written by professionals with extensive training (such as the site for the American Dietetic Association). Some organizations are not as reliable as others, so it is best to use .org Web sites from well-known and reliable organizations.
• Web sites that end in .edu are educational institutions and typically are reliable (such as the site for the Institute of Medicine), but again, it is important to know the background of the educational institution before using content from its site.

Topic 15.2, Topic 5.3, and Topic 5.6 provide information about good Web sources for consumers. In the section that follows, information (including reliable Web sites) is provided for those interested in physical activity professions.

Physical Activity Professions and Web Sites for Reliable Information
There are many opportunities for students interested in careers related to physical activity and sports. Some of these professions are listed below:

• Physical Education Teacher (K-12). Physical education teachers conduct classes in public and private schools. They teach motor skills and physical activities that promote fitness and health for life. They also teach concepts and principles of physical activity, as well as social and personal responsibility and appreciation for diversity. Physical education teachers must have a college degree and participate in continued education to retain their teacher’s certification. Information about teaching is available from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
• Recreation Professional. Recreation professionals work as recreation directors for cities and other governmental organizations as well as for private companies. They organize physical activities, sports, and other activities such as arts and crafts or social events. The National Recreation and Park Association provides information about the education of recreation professionals, as does the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation.
• Dance Teacher and Dance Professional. Dance teachers in schools must have a college degree. Teachers of dance in other settings typically seek certification. There are many different types of dance certifications. More information is available at the Web site of the National Dance Association. Physical education teachers often teach dance, but dance specialists require additional dance education that is generally not provided to future physical education teachers. College degrees are available in dance performance. Professional dancers may or may not have college training but do require extensive training in schools or other settings.
• Athletic Coach (Middle School, High School, or College). Athletic coaches work with students who typically volunteer to try out for teams. They help student athletes to become skilled and fit and to work as members of a team to achieve high-level performance. Many athletic coaches are also teachers with college degrees. Some states now allow non-teachers to coach school sports. Some require those with no degree to have a certification. For more information, see the NASPE coaching education Web site.
• Professional Coach. Professional coaches have similar responsibilities to those who coach in educational institutions but work with professional athletes instead of students. Most have college degrees, but that is not a requirement. Long periods of internships with teams are required for advancement.
• Strength and Conditioning Coach or Trainer. The National Strength and Conditioning Association provides certification opportunities for those who want to be a strength coach for an educational or professional team, as well as opportunities for personal trainers.
• Professional Athlete. Professional athletes are paid to perform in their sport of specialization. No college education is required. Instead, excellence in performance must be demonstrated at the high school or college level before becoming a professional. Many youth aspire to be professional athletes, but only a very small percentage of youth who start in sports become professional athletes. Of those who are good college athletes, only 1 to 2 percent typically become successful professionals. Experts suggest that those who aspire to be professional athletes should finish their education in case they do not make it.
• Fitness Leader and Personal Trainer. Fitness leaders and personal trainers work with individuals or groups to help them achieve good health and fitness. There are many organizations that certify this type of professional. The American College of Sports Medicine provides different certification options.
• Fitness Manager. People with college degrees in fitness management can manage fitness clubs and fitness centers in businesses, hospitals, or other institutions.
• Physical Therapist. Becoming a physical therapist requires a college degree plus advanced education and accreditation by a national organization. A physical therapist works with individuals to help them overcome problems such as injury, accidents, or physical impairments resulting from health conditions. For more information, contact the American Physical Therapy Association.
• Athletic Trainer. Typically, athletic trainers must have a college degree and certification from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Athletic trainers work with athletes in educational and professional settings to help them prepare for competition, to prevent injury, and to rehabilitate from injury.
• Sport Manager. Sport managers work as sports agents or sports team administrators or in sports marketing. The North American Society for Sport Management and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education provide information concerning the education of those interested in careers in sport management.
• Cardiac Rehabilitation/Exercise Physiologist. The American College of Sports Medicine provides certification for college graduates who want to help people with heart disease recuperate from cardiac events or help people with high risk from having cardiac events.
• Sport Psychologist. Experts in sport psychology have training in the exercise sciences (kinesiology) as well as psychology. They typically work with individual athletes and teams. Some work with professionals, and others work with amateurs including school-aged athletes. Advanced graduate training is typically required, although requirements vary from state to state. More information is available from the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.
• College Professor. College professors must have advanced college preparation—typically, a doctoral degree in an area of specialization related to physical activity, such as physical education, exercise physiology, sport psychology, and so on.
• Health Educator. Health educators may teach health education in schools or provide health education for government agencies, private companies, or other organizations. Health educators typically must have a college degree. They provide information on physical activity as well as a wide variety of other health information. The American School Health Association and the American Association for Health Education provide information about preparing health educators.