The United States Sports Academy is working with its partners in Finland to develop a post-secondary, non-degree sport professional programs to train students interested in becoming qualified sport professionals. As a result of this collaboration the first program to be launched is an International Team Manager Certification Program.

In 2018 the Academy signed a cooperative agreement with the Finnish company ProFTraining Finland to provide educational opportunities to students in Finland seeking to work in the health and fitness field, as well as integrate the company’s health care techniques into Academy coursework. That partnership berthed United States Sports Academy Finland, which represents the institution’s programs in that nation.

When implemented, the International Team Manager Certification program will aim to provide students with the opportunity to further their knowledge base in business, administration, personnel management, marketing, public relations, and ethics. The online program will focus on the development of professional sports management skills that are essential to running professional sports teams, regardless of the sport.

Students who graduate from the post-secondary, non-degree program will earn an International Certification in Sports Management. Graduates of the program will join symposium at the Academy or partner Institute abroad to deepen their understanding of the course topics and provided an opportunity for cultural exchange with other professionals.

“In Finland there is a need for new sport management and coaching programs to bring science into practice in real life,” ProFTraining Finland Partner Atte Varsta said. “Creating a truly international program with the opportunity to exchange best practices between peers regardless of the sport is something which sport professionals appreciate. I’m happy that we have put together this great International Team Manager program with the Academy, which enables applicants to develop themselves on international level.”

“We are excited to develop these sport professional programs in Finland and Europe,” Academy Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Tomi Wahlstrom said. “Atte Varsta’s experience working on international motor sport environment was the driving force to put this program together. The program is designed to improve the skills for motorsport management, but also to give students the tools for managing any team, regardless of the sport. This new asynchronous model allows us to combine the ability for students to proceed through coursework at their own pace with the ability to network with our expert instructors. This is the first sport professional program to be launched and more programs will follow soon.”

Since its founding nearly a half-century ago, the Academy has leveraged its role and resources as a special mission sports university to make a global impact through quality sport instruction, research and service programs in 65 countries around the world. These contributions have varied in scope from the full-charge conduct of a nation’s entire national sport effort to individual coaching clinics, seminars, and symposia.   Clients have included central sports organizations (CSOs, such as ministries of youth and sports), national Olympic committees, ministries of education (for physical education and interscholastic sport programs) and sport associations and federations. The Academy’s international includes some 50 Protocols for Cooperation with sports organizations or institutions of higher learning around the world. ProFTraining Finland Ltd. is a Finnish company which specializes in sports concepts to provide solutions for well-being and an energetic life. The company was founded 2015 by Varsta, Puranen, Ms. Viivi Kettukangas, and Ms. Raisa Varsta. The concepts are developed by experienced physiotherapists and sports professionals to meet the demanding needs of both well-being and sports professionals and consumers. The concepts are designed for sports training, body care and rehabilitation to individuals and group exercises.  For information, go to http://proftraining.fi/.