PAADS and University of Florida Offer Athletes Free Access to Athlete Development Academy During COVID-19

NEW YORK, July 20, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Professional Association of Athlete Development Specialists (PAADS) and the University of Florida are partnering to offer athletes free specialized education through the Athlete Development Academy during COVID-19. Since 2015, PAADS and the University of Florida have been providing the leading professional certification in the field of Athlete Development. Registration to the Athlete Development Academy remains available to current and retired athletes at no cost through August 31, 2020.

"The University of Florida has been a great PAADS partner for many years," said Duncan Fletcher, Executive Director of PAADS. "We are very pleased to be able to offer the Athlete Development Academy and to extend this complimentary education to athletes. More than ever, the development and overall well-being of today's athletes both on and off the field are among sports most important issues. Through the support of our global partners, we can provide valuable professional development for any athlete wanting to expand his or her knowledge in and expertise of Athlete Development."

The PAADS Athlete Development Academy at the University of Florida is organized across seven modules and features resources customized specifically for current and retired athletes. Each module is comprised of a series of interviews, lectures, and readings from several University of Florida athlete development courses. The seven modules are: the Field of Athlete Development, Athletes and Media Relations, Athlete Career Development and Transitions, Fundamentals of Athlete Personal Finance, Sport Business for Athlete Development Specialists, Psycho-Social Interventions for Athlete Development Specialists, and Sport Science for Athlete Development Specialists.

"The University of Florida is very excited to partner with PAADS on the Athlete Development Academy," said Michael Sagas, Professor and Interim Department Chair for the Department of Sport Management at the University of Florida. "We really wanted to customize a program specifically for athletes looking to expand their expertise of Athlete Development. With the sports world largely still on pause due to the pandemic we thought this would be the perfect time to offer this new program."

The Athlete Development Academy curriculum is delivered online through the University of Florida Canvas learning management system. Students also can earn a Certificate of Completion for participating in this Athlete Development Academy by completing a final project demonstrating their knowledge of the material. For more information on the Academy and PAADS, please visit https://www.paads.org

To date more than 40 professional athletes have registered, including several from the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). The WTA has been a longtime global partner of PAADS and one of the first organizations in sports to establish an evidence-based set of Athlete Development programs (1995).

"PAADS and the University of Florida offer the world's leading education, training and certification for professionals in the field of Athlete Development," said Kathleen Stroia, Senior Vice President Sport Sciences & Medicine and Transitions for the WTA and Chairman of the PAADS Board of Directors. "This is an incredibly valuable opportunity for any athlete wanting to expand their knowledge, expertise and relevance in the business of sports far beyond competitive play."

The Professional Association of Athlete Development Specialists (PAADS) is an association of professionals who assist athletes in maximizing their potential and overall well-being, on and off the playing surface. We strive to advance the athlete development experience and profession and establish standards and best practices through global collaboration. The Global Partners of PAADS include: Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), ATP World Tour (ATP), Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), Major League Baseball (MLB), Major League Soccer (MLS), National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), National Rugby League (NRL), Premier League (PL), United States Olympic Committee (USOC), Women's Tennis Association (WTA), Women's Sport Foundation (WSF), and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

For more information on PAADS, the Athlete Development Summit and the Athlete Development Academy please visit https://www.paads.org

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SOURCE Professional Association of Athlete Development Specialists (PAADS)

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https://www.paads.org/