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In this article, we will talk about youth coach certifications and coaching education.
To simplify things, I’ll break the topic down into key aspects.
These will be:
- What is youth coaching?
- The recommended certifications
- Accreditation
- Exam profile
- Cost
- Study time
I also highly recommend that you take the quiz and find out which youth coach certification is best for your career goals.
After reading this, you will know which youth coaching certification to pick and how to prep for it adequately.
With that said, let’s jump right into it.
| CPT | CPT | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Check ISSA Pricing | |
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| Check NASM Pricing | |
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| Check ACE Pricing |
ISSA Youth Fitness Specialist
One of the titans in the industry regarding fitness credentials and education, ISSA is the International Sports Science Association. It has been leading the charge when it comes to distance-based fitness programs.
With over 30 years in the game, they are often seen as among the top three, along with NASM and ACE, in the best personal trainer certifications lists.
ISSA’s curriculum focuses on nailing the fundamentals and progressing through programming complexities, allowing its trainers to deliver the most effective solutions.
This emphasis on meticulous programming standards should translate into a skillful execution of youth training principles in theory. Still, as we review ISSA, we’ll find out how close to the truth that is.
ISSA has many other well-regarded certifications, like its certified personal trainer and nutrition program.
Having multiple credentials is necessary for those seeking a head start in fitness. When you learn how to become a personal trainer and know about nutrition, you can become a one-stop shop for clients.
Normally, this would be pretty pricey, but thankfully ISSA has an exclusive PTPioneer deal, where you get both the ISSA CPT and Nutrition Coach certifications for the price of the CPT alone.
You get two certs for its complete buy-one-get-one-free from arguably the best certification provider on the planet.
If you want to excel, ISSA has an Elite Trainer program, which could include the above plus the Youth Fitness Specialization, which makes it a real win-win proposition. Go to the ISSA website to verify that this offer is still around because no great deal lasts forever.
I also have a good ISSA CPT review that can give you more information if you decide which organization to pick.
NASM Youth Exercise Specialization
The National Academy of Sports Medicine, or NASM, is an industry stalwart and rated one of, if not the most popular certifying agency in the industry.
NASM backs this up with its robust and incomparable roster of academic offerings centered around corrective exercise and its proprietary OPT model.
Regarding youth coaching, focusing on corrective exercise can set the tone for a healthier and more functional lifespan.
Most habits, good or bad, are formed in the childhood and adolescent years.
Correcting these or redirecting behavior can help kids become the most productive and functionally independent adults possible.
With that said, our analysis of NASM will reveal how closely reality matches this theory.
Like ISSA, NASM has another great offer with its NASM Elite Trainer program.
It is more pricey overall than ISSA’s deal. Still, you get six full certifications, so the cost is quite low, considering the value. As I said earlier, getting a good nutrition certification program can be essential for new coaches and trainers wanting to increase interest in their services.
This periodic deal is certainly something to consider if NASM runs it.
My NASM CPT review covers some good information to know if you’re looking to be a trainer and think NASM is right for you, and I cover their dietary program in my NASM nutrition certification breakdown.
ACE Youth Fitness Specialist
ACE is the American Council on Exercise and has been a big player in the fitness credentialling game for over three decades.
They are a non-profit organization focusing on improving society through community health initiatives and supplying the fitness industry with well-trained practitioners in health and fitness.
Their mission is to get people to move, an ever more important idea as modern lifestyles shift to more sedentary comforts.
With that being the case, most would agree that instilling community-wide health consciousness should start with the youth, thus allowing them to develop habits that can be carried on into their formative years.
If you’re interested in a personal training certification and youth fitness, I have a thorough ACE certification review to help you choose.
AFPA Youth Fitness Specialist
Founded in 1994, AFPA is the American Fitness Professionals Association.
At the core of their mission lies a desire to improve the quality and quantity of well-trained, informed, and skilled fitness professionals.
It’s all too common in the fitness sector to come across fitness experts by title who can back up their job description with the results and skills that count.
This is where AFPA makes a point to offer fitness credentials and the successful candidates who earn them as the best and most astute in the game.
Exclusive PTP CPT Offers |
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|---|---|---|
Gold Standard Cert | Most Popular Cert | Best Study Materials |
A Good Option | A Good Option | Best CPT for you?  |
For this reason, it would seem that gaining an AFPA cert would equip you adequately to deal with a population group as sensitive as the youth; we’ll have to find out if that’s the case.
NETA Youth Fitness Certification
The National Exercise Trainers Association (NETA) has provided credentials for fitness professionals for over 40 years, making them one of the longest-standing certifying agencies in the US.
As a non-profit organization, they share a vision similar to that of ACE in that they aim to improve public health by infusing the community with well-equipped health and fitness experts.
NETA’s broad spectrum of health and fitness programs provides a top-notch education for most career paths in fitness, from youth training to yoga.
What Is “Youth Coaching”?
As the name suggests, youth coaching is fitness and sports coaching directed at a youthful population.
But t fully define youth coaching, we need to define what youth means.
Anyone from a newborn to a 35-year-old accountant can be considered young. Still, regarding the label of youth in fitness terms, we’re talking about children, technically pre-adolescents and adolescents.
This age group is typically assigned to people between 5 – 13 years of age.
But why is training such an age group a special consideration?
People in this age bracket have unique physiological and psychological sensitivities.
Physical development is at an all-time high at this point in life, so the competencies and coaching skills for safe and effective training need to be specialized.
You’re not only developing young athletes or assisting with injury prevention; you’re also developing life skills and building self-esteem in young people.
I’ve gone into more detail in a separate article, but this description will help set the tone as we discuss youth sports training certifications.
How to Become A Youth Fitness Certified Coach
Becoming a youth training coach bears many requirements besides the coach training programs we will discuss.
To bring you some insight, I’ve devised a five-step process to become a successful certified youth coach and start a coaching business, lets’s dig in.
Step 2: Determine Your Prerequisites
Every qualification has prerequisites, a set of predetermined criteria candidates need to meet before they can enroll in whatever program.
For instance, enrolling in a college or university degree program will have certain academic requirements, such as a good GPA and SAT scores if we’re talking undergrad.
Every progression in life has prerequisites, and youth coaching certifications are no different.
Based on the ones I’ll be reviewing from ISSA, ACE, NASM, AFPA, and NETA, the only real prerequisite is that candidates be at least 18 years old and hold a valid high school diploma or equivalent.
Besides your stock-standard prerequisites, there are a few requirements I’d recommend you meet before working with kids in a fitness capacity.
One of those is understanding developmental psychology concerning children and adolescents.
That’s because most of your role will be mentorship and behavior modeling.
Unlike adult population groups, working with the youth means working with people who are very malleable and volatile mentally and psychologically.
For that reason, important requirements should be considered, such as:
- Active listening skills
- Interpersonal communication skills
- Foundational knowledge of child and adolescent psychology
- Empathy and patience
- A playful attitude
With these interpersonal tools in your repertoire, you’ll have a good grounding to create wholesome fitness experiences for the youth.
Step 3: Find the Youth Coaching Certification for YOU
Once you’ve fulfilled all the prerequisites and requirements, it’s time to get certified.
There are numerous certifications out there specializing in youth coaching, which means several factors will come into play when deciding.
I’ll be reviewing many of these factors in more detail to help you navigate your options.
With that said, here are a few key aspects to consider when making your selection:
- Cost
- Area of focus
- Popularity
- Proximity
- Reviews and ratings
- Estimated study time
Keeping these in mind will help you choose the right cert in terms of matching your career goals and your current circumstances, such as time availability, budget, and proximity to testing centers.
Some certification organizations are more geared towards online learning than others. I compiled a list of the best online personal training programs; the same is true for youth coaching certifications.
Step 4: Prepare for Your Exam & Pass!
Now that you’ve settled on a program you like, it’s time to get cracking.
Your final obstacle is the exam, so you’ll need to prepare adequately, which hinges on the study materials you’ll have available.
I’ll be going into detail on each cert’s study package further in the article, but for now, a few key things to consider are:
- Study package options
- Study materials variety
- Study materials relevance
- Study materials accessibility
Regarding package options, many certification programs institute a multi-package system whereby you can choose different options priced according to the amount of study material included.
This allows candidates to have a degree of control over what they pay for based on their academic needs and financial situation.
Having more options is generally good, but too many can lead to confusion and result in some packages being bloated with irrelevant material.
The variety of study materials also speaks to the quality of the package.
A good package will contain the following in some form:
- Practice tests/quizzes/exams
- Course textbook
- Workbook or studyguide
- Multimedia learning material
- Active academic support
- Post-certification career support
With that said, the issue of bloating comes up again, where it’s possible to have materials and content that offer little help toward the end goal of success.
Exclusive PTP CPT Offers |
||
|---|---|---|
| Gold Standard Cert | Most Popular Cert | Best Study Materials |
| A Good Option | A Good Option | Best CPT for you? |
Ensure the content you receive helps you understand the subject better instead of running you around in circles.
You can also use third-party study packages, such as the Trainer Academy.
Step 5: Start Working with Young Clients
Once you’ve made the cut and passed your certification exam, you’re officially a qualified youth coach.
Now it’s time to hunt for jobs, and the quickest way to do this is to search online classifieds such as indeed.com and ZipRecruiter.
Since you’ll mainly be working with kids, a good idea would be to approach schools and youth facilities as a physical educator or after schools programmer.
Because of how sensitive this population group is, your certification is imperative, and with that said, let’s go into the different certifications I recommend and rate them for your discernment.
Accreditation
Accreditation plays a massive role in the authenticity and quality of certification.
An accredited cert proves that it has met all the industry and academic community standards that allow it to be administered as a worthy credential for authenticity.
In this way, accreditation ensures that the quality and relevance of academic content and the methods of administration fall in line with the standard earning experience.
Regarding quality, Certifying agencies are incentivized to improve, or at the very least maintain, their approved standards to be continually accredited.
Accreditation is, therefore, a gold stamp ensuring quality and reliability.
Regarding credentials offered by health and fitness certifying agencies, two accrediting commissions tend to stick out.
These are the NCCA and DEAC.
The NCCA is the National Commission for Certifying Agencies and is the most widely known accrediting commission regarding fitness certifications.
DEAC is another very relevant yet lesser know commission.
As the name suggests, it stands for the Distance Education Accrediting Commission and is concerned with approving distance-based academic programs.
With that said, let’s look at each certifying agency and see what accreditation they have.
| Certification | Accreditation |
|---|---|
| ACE | NCCA |
| AFPA | NBHWC |
| ISSA | DEAC (NCCA) |
| NASM | NCCA |
| NETA | NCCA |
As predicted, most of these certifying agencies are accredited by NCCA, except ISSA, which DEAC supports.
They’ve led the charge in distance-based fitness credentials for decades, and in the internet age, they are regarded as the leading online fitness certifying institute.
AFPA is another cert agency with no NCCA accreditation, nor do they have a DEAC accreditation.
Instead, AFPA elected not to gain accreditation from these well-known accrediting commissions, opting for endorsements from major organizations and boards in the health and wellness space.
These include the National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coaches or NBCHW.
Accreditation is important, not just as a measure of quality and an indicator of authenticity; it can also be considered a form of safety.
Safety in the sense that the number of online scams and illegitimate academic programs posing as get-rich-quick fitness certifications is mind-numbing, and accreditation might be your greatest too in avoiding them.
Study Materials Rating
Study materials are a make and break.
The quality they present is what your exam success hinges on, so to ensure victory; you’ll need to pick a program with the best possible study suite for you.
To give you an honest look at what study materials you should look out for, I’ll rate each out of 10 in terms of quality, with ten being the best and 0 being the worst.
| Certification | Study Material Rating (out of 10) |
|---|---|
| ACE | 8 |
| AFPA | 9 |
| ISSA | 9 |
| NASM | 8 |
| NETA | 6 |
When it comes to studying material, I noticed that youth caching certifications don’t offer as dedicated an approach as personal training when it comes to the materials on offer.
That may be because two of the five programs we’re looking at are just CEU courses and not fully representative certifications.
The two in question are NASM YES and NETA YFSC.
Based on my review of what’s included in each study package, NETA leaves the most to be desired, while AFPA and ISSA seem to have more robust and comprehensive study packages.
NASM has a pretty good study materials suite despite just being a CEU course, and ACE does alright, although they could offer more.
Youth Coaching Certification Cost
The cost of certification plays a major role in choosing one.
That’s why we will look at each cert and rundown the cost while also taking the opportunity to match cost with the value of what’s included.
| Certification | Cost of certification/qualification |
|---|---|
| ACE | $299.50 |
| AFPA | $499.00 |
| ISSA | $799.00 |
| NASM | $199.00 |
| NETA | $199.00 |
ISSA is the cheapest, while NASM and NETA, the two CEU courses, are the cheapest.
Based on price alone, NASM and NETA are the clear winners in this category, but as you can agree, what you pay can only be justified by what you’re paying for.
For that reason, NASM and ACE stand as the best options regarding value for money.
Popularity and Recognition Rating
When you think about popularity and recognition, might they come across as vanity metrics?
The reality is recognition and popularity are crucial in gaining approval and credibility within the fitness market.
It’s similar to how Ivy League graduates have more leverage in their careers and society than someone who graduated from a community college.
Because recognition and popularity are qualitative instead of quantitative, the ratings I’ve given are arbitrary based on my analysis and reviews I found online.
| Certification | Industry Recognition Rating |
|---|---|
| ACE | 10 |
| AFPA | 7 |
| ISSA | 10 |
| NASM | 10 |
| NETA | 7 |
ACE, ISSA, and NASM are widely considered the most popular and reputable certifying agencies in the US.
We can therefore conclude that their youth training certifications are the most recognized in this list.
AFPA and NETA are well-known enough to get your foot through the door but don’t ring as much of a bell as our top 3.
Certification Takeaway
ACE Youth Fitness Specialist Program
ACE is one of the best options for a generalized approach to health and fitness.
As a champion of public health, their youth program ticks many boxes when it comes to effectively coaching children and adolescents.
ACE’s pricing and material study ratings aren’t the best of the lot but are by no means the worst, and along with that, they have a stellar track record.
I rate ACE 9 out of 10 overall.
AFPA Youth Fitness Specialist Certification
AFPA presents a good study package, but with the second most expensive program and no accreditation, they get knocked down a peg.
They also aren’t the most highly regarded certifying agency, with many people calling their curriculum sub-par when looking at reviews and forums.
For this, they get a 6 out of 10 from me
ISSA Certified Youth Fitness Specialist
ISSA has a very strong reputation and industry influence.
They also have one of the most comprehensive study suites from what I can see, despite some people suggesting otherwise.
According to candidates, ISSA loses out when it comes to price, as well as the fact that ISSA is notoriously easy to pass.
This low entry barrier to certification is seen by many as a reduction in quality.
However, ISSA trainers are among the most skilled, revered, and successful in the game.
That’s an 8 out of 10 from me.
NASM Youth Exercise Specialist
NASM is the king of the roost in certifying agencies, so whatever you get under their name will afford you some opportunity in the relevant field.
Regarding their Youth Exercise Specialist cert, you’re dealing with a cert that is merely a CEU course.
That means the depth and practicality leave a lot to be desired.
Regardless, it’s a lot moneywise, and you have the NASM seal of approval attached to your name.
NETA Youth Fitness Specialist Certification
NETA may not be as much of a household name as NASM, for example, but they’ve certainly paid their dues and presented a decent account with this youth coaching program.
It’s also tied in the first place as the cheapest.
They do come short where it concerns the study materials, and this youth fitness course is a CEU program and not a full-on certification program.
For that, they get a 7 out of 10.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get a youth coaching certificate?
To certify as a youth fitness specialist, you’ll need first to meet the basic prerequisites, which typically entail graduating high school and being at least 18 years of age.
Some certifications require that you complete a foundational program, such as a personal trainer or group trainer cert.
From there, it’s a matter of studying smart and taking the final exam.
Your ability to pass your final is based on the quality of study materials available and how you use them.
Which coaching certification is best?
Based on my analysis, ACE presents the best option for a youth fitness certification.
It is reasonably priced, with a great study suite and stellar reputation.
ACE also has the advantage of being positioned and focused on public health issues, which inadvertently concern youth fitness.
This suggests they have the best possible curriculum for the youth population.
Are youth coaching certificates worth it?
They are worth it, especially when working with a population as sensitive as youth and kids.
Parents, guardians, and society in general need assurance that they are entrusting the youth to someone who can guide them correctly and safely, and the best way to earn that approval is through credentials.
Getting certified also allows you to learn and equip yourself with the tools you’ll need as a youth fitness specialist.
References
- “Is the ACE certification worth it?” Reddit, posted in r/personaltraining, https://www.reddit.com/r/personaltraining/comments/abpf9q/is_the_ace_certification_worth_it/.
- “Passion for fitness, is getting NASM worth it?” Reddit, posted in r/personaltraining, https://www.reddit.com/r/personaltraining/comments/gcz175/passion_for_fitness_is_getting_nasm_worth_it/.
- “AFPA Certification.” Reddit, posted in r/personaltraining, https://www.reddit.com/r/personaltraining/comments/embxky/afpa_certification/.
- “Getting certified by NETA, need help.” Reddit, posted in r/personaltraining, https://www.reddit.com/r/personaltraining/comments/6zym0y/getting_certified_by_neta_need_help/.
- “What is your take on ISSA?” Reddit, posted in r/personaltraining, https://www.reddit.com/r/personaltraining/comments/1q3tzz/what_is_your_take_on_issa/.
- “Youth Fitness Certification.” International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), https://www.issaonline.com/certification/youth-fitness-certification/.
- “Youth Fitness.” National Exercise Trainers Association (NETA), https://www.netafit.org/certifications/specialty/youth-fitness/.
- “Youth Fitness Specialist Program.” American Council on Exercise (ACE), https://www.acefitness.org/fitness-certifications/specialty-certifications/youth-fitness.aspx.
- “Youth Exercise Specialist.” National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), https://www.nasm.org/continuing-education/fitness-specializations/youth-exercise-specialist.
- “Youth Exercise Specialist Course.” Premier Global NASM, https://www.premierglobal.co.uk/fitness-cpd-courses/youth-exercise-specialist.
- “Youth Exercise Specialist – NASM.” Physical IQ, https://physicaliq.com/advanced-fitness-courses/youth-exercise-specialist-nasm/.
![10 Mejores cursos de entrenador personal en estados unidos [year] 9](https://www.ptpioneer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/10-Mejores-cursos-de-entrenador-personal.jpg "10 Mejores cursos de entrenador personal en estados unidos [year] 17")
I love your site and the detail it provides however, I find so many typos that it takes away from the integrity of the site. For instance, on the Best Youth Coaching Certificate page the word “coaching” is misspelled in the following paragraph, “When it comes to studying material, one thing I noticed was that youth caching certifications don’t offer as dedicated an approach as something like personal training when it comes to the materials on offer.” Is it a deal breaker that completely takes away from the value of the site? No, but it does leave me to question the site.
Hello Terry, I apologize for some of the issues. Thank you for pointing out some of the issues to help the site, and I hope you are still able to enjoy and utilize the rest of the articles and information.