"Currently in the United States, in sporting professions, there is increasing interest regarding an effective sports management system known as the High Performance Model," wrote authors Jed Smith and Peter Smolianov in their study, "The High Performance Management Model: From Olympic and Professional to University Sport in the United States," published in The Sport Journal.
Extensively studied in Europe but not in the U.S., the High Performance Management (HPM) Model can be traced back to the ancient Olympics. It experienced accelerated growth led by Eastern European countries after World War II, and today, the HPM Model has become common in preparation of Olympic and professional athletes in most successful sporting nations, according to the study.
So what is HPM? It builds on a traditional strength and conditioning approach "to control and develop every facet of an athlete’s diet and routine, down to data and analytics on quality of sleep, to maximize coaching and athletic performance," explained Steven Moser, high performance consultant for North America at SRI Executive, in his article, "Developing the high performance sports model in the U.S."
Major League Baseball teams such as the Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Rays are embracing the high performance approach, which can be as simple as making sure their players eat the best food possible at all times, he wrote.
According to Joel Totoro, RD, the first full-time sports dietitian in the NFL, who worked for the New England Patriots for eight years, achieving peak performance for any athlete requires attending to "basic hydration and electrolyte needs, maintaining the body’s normal inflammatory response, and optimal sleep."
The growing attention to the High Performance Model has resulted in new job titles and opportunities for sport professionals. According to Moser, schools including Notre Dame and the University of Oregon have appointed directors of performance science. And Smith and Smolianov wrote in their study, "Within many sport organizations, a new, specialized HP manager position has evolved. This post has different names, such as HP manager, performance director, and HP director."
While there can be a misconception that these new roles are replacing strength and conditioning coaches and other existing roles, according to Moser, "a true high performance setting needs to leverage experienced coaches and dietitians more than ever, to take all the available data and turn it into qualitative information that can be implemented in real time, in a training environment."
While many professionals being hired for HPM positions currently come from Europe, that is expected to change as American universities and sport administration programs educate students on the emerging model. Wrote Smith and Smolianov, "Considering the current trend and existing interest by our nation’s top sports franchises, it will not be long before the HP Model will be widely used in the United States and its effectiveness in American sport culture measured."
The University of Miami’s UOnline Master of Education in Sport Administration program prides itself on being on the cutting edge of the sport industry, as well as having an extensive global network of alumni and industry executives. Sport Administration is currently the largest program in UM’s School of Education based on enrollment, and the online master’s program is taught by the same high-caliber faculty who are leaders in the sport industry.
Another benefit for students is free attendance to UM’s annual Sport Industry Conference, scheduled for April 11-12, 2019 at the University of Miami’s Coral Gables campus. The conference offers unparalleled access to world-class sport professionals, from athletes to agents to other heavy-hitters in the industry. Past speakers have included Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, Greg Norman, and ESPN’s Maria Taylor.
Aside from the industry knowledge students will pick up, "You’re going to walk out with business cards and connections from folks all around the world that you wouldn’t have been able to get on your own," said faculty member Paul Resnick, senior lecturer and internship director with the MSED in Sport Administration program. "I guarantee the University of Miami is going to open a lot of doors for you."
To find out more about the MSED in Sport Administration program and how it can benefit sport careers for graduates all over the world, speak with an enrollment advisor at 800-411-2290 or visit the site for more information.
