Affiliated Associations

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is the world leader in the scientific and medical aspects of sports and exercise. Since 1954, ACSM has been committed to the promotion of physical activity and the treatment and prevention of sports-related injuries. ACSM is internationally known as the leading source of guidelines and standards in sports medicine and exercise science. Through ACSM, health and fitness professionals representing a variety of disciplines work to improve the quality of life for people around the world through research, education and advocacy. The College is leading the initiative for Exercise is Medicine(tm).

Founded in 1985, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) is a nonprofit organization committed to America’s health and wellbeing. Over the past 30 years, we have become an established resource for health and fitness professionals, and the public, providing comprehensive, unbiased research and validating ourselves as the country’s trusted authority on health and fitness.

Today, ACE is the largest nonprofit health and fitness certification, education and training organization in the world with more than 58,000 certified professionals who hold more than 64,000 ACE Certifications. With a long heritage in certification, education, training and public outreach, we are among the most respected organizations in the industry and a resource the public has come to trust for health and fitness education.

Visit ACE at www.acefitness.org

The American Educational Research Association (AERA), founded in 1916, is concerned with improving the educational process by encouraging scholarly inquiry related to education and evaluation and, by promoting the dissemination and practical application of research results. Its 25,000 members are educators; administrators; directors of research; persons working with testing or evaluation in federal, state and local agencies; counselors; evaluators; graduate students; and behavioral scientists. Special Interest Groups (SIGs) provide a forum within AERA for the involvement of individuals drawn together by a common interest in a field of study, teaching, or research when the existing divisional structure may not directly facilitate such activity. SIG-PE was formed in 1989 by physical education researchers who were AERA members at that time. Currently there are 131 members in the SIG. Most are pedagogical researchers in kinesiology; many are well established scholars in the field of kinesiology. Each year at the AERA annual meeting, the SIG organizes peer-reviewed, competitively selected presentations. The presentations are delivered with completed full papers and are critiqued publicly after the delivery. Many members of the SIG also present their work in other AERA divisions to raise awareness of the role of physical education in education.

The mission of the AKTA is to promote Kinesiotherapy and improve recognition of the profession through the pursuit of legislation and public relations. The AKTA will serve the interests of its members and will work to enhance the standard of care provided by Kinesiotherapists through educational opportunities. AKTA website: www.akta.org

APA-Division 47 represents the field of exercise and sport psychology, an interdisciplinary specialization that cuts across psychology and the sport sciences.

Division 47 seeks to further the clinical, educational, and scientific foundations of exercise and sport psychology. Through Division 47, both practitioners and scientists with common interests have the opportunity to interact and to further their personal and professional capabilities. Applied service interests include promoting best practices in mental training techniques, ethical considerations in sport psychology service provision, practitioner self-care, and clinical issues such as mood disorders and disordered eating with athletes. Areas of scientific inquiry include motivation to persist and achieve; psychological considerations in sport injury and rehabilitation; counseling techniques with athletes; assessing talent; exercise adherence and well-being; self-perceptions related to achieving; expertise in sport; youth sport; and performance enhancement and self-regulation techniques.

Visit www.apa47.org/aboutComm.php to find out more.

AASP, founded in 1986, has emerged as the largest Applied sport and exercise psychology organization in the world. AASP incorporates information and expertise from exercise and sport sciences and from psychology. Its 2000 members are organized into three focus groups: Performance Psychology, Health and Exercise Psychology, and Social Psychology. There are approximately 2000 members from North America and 28 countries from other continents.

The BCAK’s mission is to promote and advance the profession of Kinesiology along with the interests of its members and other Kinesiologists in the Province of British Columbia through the following means;

• Establishing itself as the representative body for its members and the profession of Kinesiology to the public, governments, news media, other health care professionals, the health care industry and others,
• Interact and cooperate with governments and with other associations, corporations and persons,
• Provision of programs and services for it members

IAPS was established in 1972 as the Philosophic Society for the Study of Sport. Its name was changed in 1999. The purpose of the organization is to stimulate, encourage, and promote study, research and writing in the philosophy of sporting (and related) activity; to demonstrate the relevance of philosophic thought concerning sport to matters of professional concern; to organize and conduct annual meetings related to the philosophy of sport; to support and cooperate with local, national and international organizations of similar purpose; to affiliate with national and international organizations of similar purpose; and to engender national, regional, and continental affiliates devoted to the philosophic study of sport.

The National Academy of Health and Physical Literacy is a diverse, inclusive, member-driven organization advancing the dimensions of health and physical literacy through professional development, advocacy, mentoring, and applied research in the areas of health, physical education, dance, and sport.

The National Academy of Kinesiology (formerly the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education) is an honorary organization composed of Active, Emeritus, and International Fellows who have made significant contributions to the fields of kinesiology and physical education. The dual purpose of the Academy is to encourage and promote the study and educational applications of the art and science of human movement and physical activity and to honor by election to its membership persons who have directly or indirectly contributed significantly to the study of and/or application of the art and science of human movement and physical activity. There have been 483 members since the Academy was founded in 1926; there are 133 active members.

The mission of the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education (NAKHE) is to foster leadership in kinesiology administration and policy related to teaching, scholarship and service in higher education. We are devoted to promoting leadership through mentoring and networking among administrators, faculty, and students inclusive of disciplinary and institutional affiliation. Our diverse membership collaborates to initiate and cultivate progressive partnerships, scholarly papers, and projects that provide the structure and resources to guide the field of kinesiology.

The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) is the professional membership association for certified athletic trainers and others who support the athletic training profession. Founded in 1950, the NATA has grown to more than 30,000 members worldwide today. The majority of certified athletic trainers choose to be members of the NATA – to support their profession, and to receive a broad array of membership benefits.

By joining forces as a group, NATA members can accomplish more for the athletic training profession than they can individually.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association is an international nonprofit educational association founded in 1978 serving over 33,000 members worldwide. The NSCA develops and presents the most advanced information regarding strength training and conditioning practices and injury prevention. Central to its mission, the NSCA provides a bridge between the scientist in the laboratory and the practitioner in the field. By working to find practical applications for new researching findings in the strength and conditioning field, the Association fosters the development of strength training and conditioning as a discipline and as a profession.

The North American Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (NAFAPA) is the North American branch of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (IFAPA). It is an international organization dedicated to the promotion, dissemination and practical application of results and findings in the field of physical activity for the benefit of populations with disabilities and/or special needs. NAFAPA has a coordinating function with international, national and regional organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, which are concerned with the scientific aspects of adapted physical activity, physical education, rehabilitation therapy, recreation, sport and leisure activities for persons with disabilities or special needs.

The North American Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (NAFAPA) is the North American branch of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (IFAPA). It is an international organization dedicated to the promotion, dissemination and practical application of results and findings in the field of physical activity for the benefit of populations with disabilities and/or special needs. NAFAPA has a coordinating function with international, national and regional organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, which are concerned with the scientific aspects of adapted physical activity, physical education, rehabilitation therapy, recreation, sport and leisure activities for persons with disabilities or special needs.

NASSM is actively involved in supporting and assisting professionals working in the fields of sport, leisure and recreation. The purpose of the North American Society for Sport Management is to promote, stimulate, and encourage study, research, scholarly writing, and professional development in the area of sport management – both theoretical and applied aspects. Topics of interest to NASSM members include sport marketing, future directions in management, employment perspectives, management competencies, leadership, sport and the law, personnel management, facility management, organizational structures, fund raising, and conflict resolution. – See more at: www.nassm.com

The North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity is a multidisciplinary association of scholars from the behavioral sciences and related professions. The Society functions to develop and advance the scientific study of human behavior when individuals are engaged in sport and physical activity, to facilitate the dissemination of information, and to improve the quality of research and teaching in the psychology of sport, motor development, and motor learning and control. The Society was first formed in 1967 and currently has about 500 members.

The vision of the OKA is to have Kinesiologists recognized as the authority on human movement and the preferred provider of practical, applied and effective solutions for the prevention and management of injury, disability and chronic disease, and the improvement of overall health and performance.

Our three pillars of Kinesiology include:

Prevention: Kinesiologists are leaders in the prevention of injury, disability and chronic disease.

Management: Kinesiologists use exercise in the management of injury, disability and chronic disease.

Performance: Kinesiologists are devoted to improving performance, health, and overall quality of life.

SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators is committed to ensuring all children have the opportunity to lead healthy, physically active lives. As the nation’s largest membership organization of health and physical education professionals, SHAPE America works with its 50 state affiliates and is a founding partner of national initiatives including the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, Let’s Move! Active Schools and the Jump Rope For Heart/Hoops For Heart programs.

Since its founding in 1885, the organization has defined excellence in physical education, and our resources provide the leadership, professional development and advocacy that support health and physical educators at every level — from preschool to university graduate programs. For more information, visit www.shapeamerica.org.

The U.S. National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) was developed by a collaborative group representing national organizations at the forefront of physical activity and public health, with representatives from government, non-government, private industry and nonprofit organizations. The NPAP has a vision: One day, all Americans will be physically active and they will live, work, and play in environments that facilitate regular physical activity.

The Plan is a comprehensive set of policies, programs, and initiatives that aim to increase physical activity in all segments of the American population. The Plan is the product of a private-public sector collaborative. Hundreds of organizations are working together to change our communities in ways that will enable every American to be sufficiently physically active.

The Plan aims to create a national culture that supports physically active lifestyles. Its ultimate purpose is to improve health, prevent disease and disability, and enhance quality of life.

Contact Person:
Dale Murrie, Project Coordinator
U.S. National Physical Activity Plan
Department of Exercise Science
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208