The Finnish Varala Sports Institute and Proftraining Finland have formalized an agreement and will partner to offer sports management training programs. Their first venture will be an International Sports Management Certification program which was developed in conjunction with United States Sports Academy.
Coursework for the International Sports Management Certification will be offered in English, online, under the guidance of Academy instructors. At the end of the coursework, an on-site symposium at the Academy’s campus in Daphne, Ala., will be offered to students in the program. As with all Academy programs, students will be able to study while continuing to work full-time in their profession.
Academy Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Tomi Wahlström said the institution is proud to work with Varala and Proftraining.
“Since its beginning, the Academy has offered many international sports management and coaching education programs,” Wahlström said. “Together with Proftraining we have set a target to create and implement new sports management education concepts internationally. This new International Sports Management Certification program is a good example of this collaboration.”
The certification will take approximately eight months to complete and upon successful completion, the student will be issued an International Certification in Sports Management from the Academy. Students will be considered Academy alumni, which will provide them access to a network of thousands of peers working in the world of sport.
The program will focus on relevant sports management topics such as administration, sports marketing, sports facilities and events, sports business, human resources, sports security, and public relations. Registration for the program opens in May 2019.
Additional information will be forthcoming on the Varala Sports Institute and Proftraining Finland websites.
“Varala has many years of experience in providing a number of excellent coaching programs,” Marjaana Eskelinen, Principal of Varala Sports Institute said. “Over the years we have received inquiries asking us to offer sports management programs as well. This new program will be meant for sport managers, in any sport, and is our answer to those requests. I am excited to start the first program with Proftraining and the Academy.”
Varala Sports Institute is the oldest sports institute in Finland. It is a nationwide training and education center for elite sports, exercise science, rehabilitation, and physical training. The institute is located on the beautiful lake of Pyhäjärvi in Tampere. For more information, go to www.varala.fi.
“I am happy to launch this international sports management program together with Varala,” Atte Varsta from Proftraining Finland said. “During the past seven years I have been working in sports management in international venues. I have also been a board member of the Finnish Sports Managers’ Association. In those roles I saw the need and demand for this kind of education in Finland. This program will give professionals the basic knowledge and tools to succeed in the field of international sport management.”
Proftraining Finland Oy specializes in training, education, and coaching concepts of exercise and sports, providing solutions for well-being and an energetic life. The company was founded in 2015 by Anne Puranen, Viivi Kettukangas, Raisa and Atte Varsta. More information can be found at www.proftraining.fi.
Author: Eric Mann
I am the Dean of Marketing, Communications, and Enrollment at the United States Sports Academy. I earned a bachelor's degree in communication and information sciences from the University of Alabama and am currently in the master's degree program in sports management at the Academy.
