International_Sports_Sciences_Association

International Sports Sciences Association

International Sports Sciences Association

Fitness education and certification company

The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) is an organization that operates as an education and certification company for fitness trainers, personal trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, nutritionists, nutrition coaches, and aerobic instructors.

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Instruction is based on exercise assessment, nutritional planning, fitness instruction, sports medicine practice, and post-rehabilitation training. The school has enrolled over 300,000 students in its fitness education and continuing education courses.[2]

History

The International Sports Sciences Association was founded in 1988, when, "recognizing the need for standardization and credibility, Dr. Sal Arria and Dr. Frederick Hatfield created a personal fitness training program to merge gym experience with practical and applied sciences."[3] The ISSA became a Provisional Affiliate of the National Board of Fitness Examiners in 2004.

In 2009, the ISSA became the first fitness organization to earn accreditation by a federally recognized accrediting agency—the Distance Education and Training Council[4][5] (an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation).

As a result, the ISSA was added to the list of GI Jobs' Military Friendly Schools in 2010, being approved by the Department of Defense for the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support to accept U.S. Armed Forces Tuition Assistance and the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account Financial Assistance program.[6][7]

In 2019, Andrew Wyant joined ISSA as its president and CEO and led it to a 126% growth rate[8] and a place in the Inc 5000 list.[9] In 2021, ISSA was acquired by Tailwind Capital[10] in a transaction advised by Harris Williams.[11] In 2022, under Wyant's leadership, ISSA was ranked within the top twenty Best Places to Work in 2022 by the Phoenix Business Journal.[12]

Divisions

  • Public Division: no restrictions, open to current students, current members, and the general public.[13]
    • Primary function: to encourage enrollment in ISSA education programs...[and] provide information via articles and links on health and fitness.[13]
  • Education Division: access restricted to students enrolled in ISSA education courses, and ISSA certified members in good standing.[13]
    • Primary function: to provide specialized education in health and fitness.[13]
  • Professional Division: Exam access for ISSA students qualified to sit for final exam, full access for ISSA certified members in good standing.[13]
    • Primary function: To administer final exams, issue certifications, [and] oversee maintenance of professional status.[13]

Accreditation and affiliations

The ISSA is approved by the New York Chiropractic College for Postgraduate and Continuing Education.[14] The ISSA is also a Provisional Affiliate of the National Board of Fitness Examiners (NFBE).[15][16]

Affiliation with U.S. service members

The ISSA is recognized by the Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES) as a Nationally Accredited Distance Learning Program for Military Service Members. It is also approved for Armed Forces Tuition Assistance and Military Spouse Financial Assistance.[17] "The ISSA is also GI Bill approved by the Bureau for Private and Postsecondary Vocational Education (BPPVE) under contract with the Veterans Administration. Active military, veterans, and eligible spouses and dependents can receive reimbursement from the Veterans Administration for testing fees for any ISSA fitness certification courses."[6]

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "clubindustry.com ISSA Launches New Certified Personal Trainer Program". clubindustry.com. November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  2. [2]
    About ISSA
  3. [3]
    Fitness: The Complete Guide, 8th edition. Hatfield, Frederick C., MSS, PhD. ISSA, Carpinteria, CA; 2007.
  4. [4]
    ISSA Press Room Article
  5. [5]
    Consumer Information Disclosure
  6. [6]
    ISSA Press Room Article
  7. [7]
    ISSA Press Room Article
  8. [8]
    "With a Two-Year Revenue Growth of 126%, ISSA Ranks No. 107 on Inc. Magazine's List of the Southwest Region's Fastest-Growing Private Companies". www.newswire.com (Press release). 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  9. [9]
    "ISSA, LLC is on Inc.'s Regionals 2023: Southwest list!". Inc. Company Profile. 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  10. [10]
    "Tailwind Capital Acquires ISSA to Build the Leading eLearning Platform for the Fitness & Wellness Industry". www.businesswire.com. 2021-03-01. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  11. [11]
    "Harris Williams Advises International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) on its Sale to Tailwind Capital". www.harriswilliams.com. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
  12. [12]
    Edgemon, Erin (2022-12-08). "Phoenix Business Journal's 2022 Best Places to Work honorees - Phoenix Business Journal". The Business Journals. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  13. [13]
    ISSA Division Breakdown Page
  14. [14]
    ISSA Affiliates and Recognition
  15. [15]
    "Certification of Fitness Professionals: Separating Myth from Fact." Herbert, David L., J.D., page 2.--Full Article Archived 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
  16. [16]
    "National Board of Fitness Examiners Affiliate Page". Archived from the original on 2010-07-30. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  17. [17]
    ISSA Military Home Page
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