How To Write A Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter: Step By Step Guide

Having a strong Strength and Conditioning Coach cover letter is essential when applying for jobs, especially if you've recently become an S&C Coach. Along with your CV, your cover letter is what will make you really stand out to potential employers and help you land your dream job! 

That’s why we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to writing the perfect Strength and Conditioning Coach cover letter, covering:

• What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach?
• What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter?
• Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter Structure
• What To Include In Your Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter
• Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter Formatting
• FAQs

If you’re looking to launch a career in Strength and Conditioning, taking your Level 3 personal training qualification with OriGym is the perfect way to start! Download our free course prospectus to browse the full range of fitness courses that OriGym offers. 

What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach?

Before we take you through how to write a Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, let’s first establish what exactly Strength and Conditioning is and what an S&C Coach does. 

Strength and Conditioning (also known as S&C), is the practical application of sports science principles to improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of injury. 

Many people think that Strength and Conditioning is just about lifting weights. But in fact, there is far more to it than that! Whilst strength training is certainly part of S&C, it is equally focused on mobility, flexibility and even mental wellbeing. 

The role of a Strength and Conditioning Coach is therefore to help athletes or fitness professionals improve their speed, strength, power and endurance in a specific sport or discipline.

Where a gym instructor or personal trainer may have a wide range of clients with different abilities and goals, an S&C coach delivers a much more specialised service. This is because they will most likely be helping high-performing clients reach a specific goal in their discipline, such as achieving a personal best. 

With so many benefits and the ability to work with a high-level of clients, it’s no wonder that Strength and Conditioning coaching is becoming an increasingly popular fitness career path. That’s why perfecting your Strength and Conditioning coach CV is so important if you want to stand out from the other applicants!

If you think you have what it takes to take on this highly rewarding career, check out our guide on how to become a Strength and Conditioning coach.

What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter?

When applying for a job, you may just think that a CV is all you need. But in fact, a cover letter is one of the most important, yet often overlooked, aspects of the Strength and Conditioning job application process.

But what exactly is it? A cover letter (also known as a covering letter or motivation letter), is a short introductory letter that usually accompanies a CV or resume, often acting as a ‘front cover’ to a job application. 

Unlike a CV, which is more of a general overview of your skills, experience and education, a cover letter is written for the specific job you are applying for. It is a chance to highlight certain areas that you think make you right for that particular role in that exact company. 

Check out our guide on how to write a Strength and Conditioning coach CV to accompany your cover letter.

So, why should you write a cover letter for a Strength and Conditioning coach job? A cover letter is a perfect chance to make yourself stand out from all the other applicants. Where a CV is essentially just facts about yourself, a cover letter allows you to show your personality and any other points that you may not be able to include in your CV.

Since it is the first thing that an employer will read, even before your CV, it is essentially the first impression they will have of you as a candidate. If they don’t like your cover letter, they might not even bother to read the rest of your application!

But don’t just take our word for it. Studies such as this one by Resume Lab found that 83% of employers believe that cover letters are important and said that a good cover letter would influence their opinion of a candidate. 

With this in mind, we’ll now take you through how to write the perfect cover letter for Strength and Conditioning coach roles. 

Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter Structure

Before you even begin writing your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, you should create a rough plan of the structure that you will use. 

When writing a letter, it can be easy to just start writing straight away and see where your thoughts take you. Whilst this might be fun if you are writing a letter to a friend, this is not the approach to take when writing a cover letter!

Instead, you should plan each paragraph carefully to make sure that you include everything that you need to, whilst also being clear and concise. Following this structure will help you to do just that:

• Contact information 
• Employer contact information 
• Salutation 
• Body of letter 
• Sign off 
• Name and/or signature 

Next, we’ll take you through exactly what to include in each of these sections- as well as a breakdown of the paragraphs within the body of the letter.  

What To Include In A Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter

Now that you have planned the structure of your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, let’s look at what exactly you should include in it.

Include Contact information In Your Cover Letter

At the top of the page- either in the middle or on the right hand side, you should put your contact information. This should include:

• Your full name
• Address / location
• Email address
• Phone number 

You may also want to include your social media links here. This is entirely optional, but since marketing yourself on social media is becoming one of the important skills for personal trainers and other fitness professionals to have, it is definitely worth including. It can help give the employer a more rounded view of you and your brand, as well as demonstrating your marketing skills.

Include Employer's Contact Information

This next section of a Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter depends on whether you are sending your application via email or as a physical letter by post. 

If you are sending your cover letter in the post, you should write the employer’s contact information, including their name (of the company or of the person you are addressing if you know it) and the company address. 

However, if you are sending your letter via email or via a company’s online job portal, you won’t need to include the employer’s contact information. 

Always Include A Salutation In Your Cover Letter

In letter writing, a salutation is simply the way in which you address the person you are writing to. 

Since it is one of the first things that your employer will read, getting this bit right makes a small but important difference to how your Strength and Conditioning cover letter is perceived. 

Why is it so important? Well, it simply shows that you have made an effort to find out more about the job and the company, and that you aren’t just sending out countless duplicates of the same cover letter. 

The main thing to remember here is that you should always try and address your letter to exactly who will be reading it, i.e. an employer, or head of HR, using their full name. 

If you don’t know who that is already, it is worth taking the time to try and find out. Many gyms or fitness facilities will list their staff on their website or LinkedIn. You could even call their offices and ask a member of staff for the name of the person hiring for the position. This shows great initiative and that you are dedicated, passionate and proactive- all of which are essential Strength and Conditioning skills that you should demonstrate!  

If you really can’t find the employer’s name, then you should use a general term of address such as ‘Dear Sir/Madam’. 

Use The First Paragraph To Specify Why You're Apply For The Role

So, now it’s time to start writing the body of your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter!

The first paragraph should essentially state why you are writing the letter. You should clarify the specific role you are applying for, why you are applying for it, where you saw it advertised and when you would be available to start. 

In this paragraph, you could also summarise some of your key skills and strengths that make you suitable for this specific role. After all, this is the first impression an employer will have of you and is your chance to grab their attention and make them want to continue reading the rest of the letter!

Your Qualifications In Your Second paragraph 

This paragraph is where you should highlight any relevant qualifications, experience, and skills that make you suitable for this job. This is your main opportunity to really sell yourself!

Arguably the most important thing you should mention here are your qualifications. This is one of the first things that an employer will look for in any job application. 

If you’re wondering what qualifications you need to be a Strength and Conditioning coach, there are some essential qualifications that you will need:

• Level 2 Gym Instructor Qualification. This qualifies you to work as a fitness instructor in a gym, leisure centre, or fitness club. It also gives you a strong foundation of knowledge and skills for S&C, learning the basics of human anatomy and physiology. 
• Level 3 Personal Training Qualification. Once you have completed your Level 2 course, you can then qualify as a personal trainer. This will expand upon your fitness knowledge and provide you with an in-depth understanding of the human body and how to create and deliver a programme for clients. 

If you don’t already have either of these qualifications, you can enquire about our CIMSPA endorsed Personal Training Diploma now and get both of them in as little as 4 weeks!

As well as qualifications, you should also talk about any work experience that qualifies you for the role. A good way to do this is by looking at the skills and experience listed in the job description, and writing down how you meet each of the criteria. For example, if a job description states that you need to be skilled at Kettlebell training, it is not enough to simply say: 

I am skilled at Kettlebell training.

This is a generic statement that anyone can make, and is not backed up by any evidence to show how and why you are good at Kettlebell Training. 

Instead, you should use a PEE structure, standing for Point, Evidence, Explain. 

• Point - Your claim
• Evidence - An example/ evidence that supports your claim 
• Explain - Explain how and why this qualifies you for the role

So, using the PEE structure on the above sentence could look like:

My 2 years experience working as a football coach for my local team gave me extensive experience coaching large groups at a professional level. Along with my CPD course in Kettlebell Training, this makes me more than capable for the group coaching aspects of this role.

The same goes for talking about your skills, you should always give a specific example to back up your claims. For example, instead of simply saying, “I have strong communication skills”, you should say when you have demonstrated this, even if it isn’t specifically related to Strength and Conditioning. For example:

I have strong communication skills which I developed during my time working in sales, when I was constantly communicating with customers on the phone and via email.

In a way, this paragraph of your cover letter can be largely based on the ‘Work Experience’ section of your Strength and Conditioning Coach CV. However, in a cover letter you are simply picking out the most relevant parts of your experience and expanding upon them, whereas your CV is essentially just a chronological list of your work history. 

You could also use this as a chance to talk about extra skills and experience that aren't necessarily listed in the job description, but make you suitable for the job. This shows that you are going above and beyond what they are asking for, which will help you stand out amongst other applicants!

Enjoying this article so far? Here’s 3 more that we think you’ll love:

• Strength And Conditioning Coach CV: Tips And What To Include
• What Is A Strength And Conditioning Coach?
• How To Write A Personal Trainer Cover Letter

List Your Skills In Your Third paragraph

Where the second paragraph focuses on your experience and skills, the third paragraph of a Strength and Conditioning cover letter is all about demonstrating your knowledge of the company.

This is where a cover letter really differs from a CV, as you can convey your interest and passion for working for that specific company. 

To prepare for this, you’ll need to do lots of research into the company. This includes things like when it was founded, its location, a bit about its staff, its history, and their core values as a company. All of this information can usually be found on their website through a quick Google search. You could also check out their social media pages too, to get an idea of their brand and ethos. 

Once you have found out all of these things, you can then talk about how you would fit into the company and what attracted you to them specifically. For example, if you are applying to work as an S&C coach for a local sports team, you could say:

As someone who has been to every Liverpool FC game since I was a child, I would love to have the chance to be on the other side of the stands and be part of coaching the team to success.

Showing a personal connection to the company like this is a great way to stand out and show that you are passionate about the company. After all, passion and enthusiasm are some of the key skills required to be a good Strength and Conditioning coach. 

However, make sure to keep any personal anecdotes brief and avoid cliches such as “I’ve always wanted to work for this company since I was a child…” They are overused and don’t give the employer a specific reason why you want to work for them! 

As well as showing passion, you should also talk about what you would bring to the company and how you can contribute to their aims and objectives. Again, this requires research into the company’s values and goals for the future. 

For example, if you are applying for a role coaching an athlete, you could talk about how you would help that athlete achieve their goals, such as achieving a certain PB or reaching a certain level in a competition.

Use Your Last Paragraph To Provide A Summary

The last paragraph of your cover letter for a Strength and Conditioning coach role should be a brief summary of why you are a good fit for the role. It is your chance to leave a lasting impression on the reader!

Reiterate your passion and recap a few of the main points from your letter- but remember to keep it brief and don’t overly repeat things that you have already said. 

You should also thank them for taking the time to read and consider your application. 

Your letter should also end with a ‘call to action’. For example, you could state when you are available to interview, or invite them to call or email you at any time. Ending in this way puts the ball in their court and encourages the employer to push your application forwards. 

Always End With A Sign off

You should then finish your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter with a formal closing.

If you know the name of the person you are writing to (i.e. if you have used their name in the salutation), you should use ‘Yours sincerely’.

If you don’t know the name of the person you are writing to (i.e. if you used a general term of address in the salutation), you should use ‘Yours faithfully’.

Whether you sign at the bottom of your letter or not depends on how you are sending your application. If you are sending a paper letter, you should put your signature above your typed name. But if you are sending your application via email or an online job portal, you don’t need to do this. 

Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter Formatting

Now that you know what to include in your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, let’s talk about how to format your letter. Even if you write the best cover letter in the world, if it isn’t formatted correctly, it can seem unprofessional and put an employer off! 

Here are some points to consider when formatting your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter:

Font: We recommend using fonts such as Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri as they are professional, simple, and easy to read. 

Font size: We’d recommend using size 16pt for your titles, and 12pt for all other text. 

Paragraphs: Remember to break your letter into paragraphs either by indenting to the left, or leaving a line in between each paragraph. An employer will be put off by a big chunk of text! 

Continuity with your CV: Whichever font and font size you use on your CV, try to match it to your cover letter. If you have used a colour theme, you should also make sure that this is the same across the two documents. This is a small detail but it can make your application look so much more professional! The same goes for any job application, including matching a fitness instructor CV to a cover letter. 

Tips For Writing A Strength And Conditioning Coach Cover Letter

Now that you know what to include, here are some important points to keep in mind that can help your application stand out whilst writing your cover letter.

#1- Do your research!

Before you even begin writing your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, you should do plenty of research into the company or organisation you are applying for. This will help you make sure that your cover letter is tailored to the specific job and company. 

Sending out a generic cover letter to every role you apply for will be obvious to employers. Whilst it can be useful to have a template that you loosely base your cover letters around, every single cover letter you send should be different! 

A cover letter is a great chance to show off your knowledge of the company or organisation, and show that you are passionate about working for them specifically. This shows the employer that you are serious about the position. 

This kind of commitment and dedication is one of the things that will really help you stand out as a personal trainer or Strength and Conditioning coach. 

The best place to find out more about a company is online. Most of the information you need can be found on a company’s website or LinkedIn, such as its history, values, aims, current projects, staff and news.

In your cover letter, you can use this information to explain why you would be a perfect fit for the company. 

#2- Keep it concise 

When it comes to writing a Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, the key is to be concise and to the point. 

Although you may feel like you have a lot to say, you should remember that an employer will likely have a lot of job applications to get through. This means that they are likely to be put off by an overly-long cover letter!

With this in mind, aim to keep your cover letter within one side of A4. 

#3- Check your spelling and grammar 

This is one of the biggest mistakes that applicants make when writing a Strength and Conditioning cover letter, but it's also one of the easiest to avoid! 

Even if you’ve written the best cover letter ever, making careless spelling and grammar mistakes will instantly make it look unprofessional and imply that you haven’t taken much time or care over it. 

To avoid this, simply use a spelling and grammar checker on whatever application you are writing your letter on. You could also get a friend or family member to read it over, as often they will point out errors that you may have missed. 

#4- Give examples to back up your claims

As we have discussed, it is no use claiming that you have a particular skill or attribute without backing it up with specific examples! 

This is vital when writing a Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, as employers will want to see how you match the skills and experience they are asking for. 

After all, anyone can say something like ‘I have good communication skills’. But if you want to stand out, you need to follow this statement up with an example of when you demonstrated good communication skills!

#5- Follow up 

It can be easy to think that all of your work is done after you’ve sent off a job application, but actually, the process doesn’t end there!

Most employers, particularly for S&C coach jobs, will likely receive hundreds of applications for one single role. This is even more true if you are applying for one of the best gyms to work for in the UK. As such, there is a high chance that your application could get lost in the post, or your email could go unread.

To avoid this, if you haven’t heard from a company you applied for in a few weeks, why not send them a quick email to check if they have received your application? This shows that you are proactive and really interested in the job. 

Even if you find out that you didn’t get the job, try to get feedback as to why you didn’t get it, so that you can improve your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter and CV for your next application. 

#5- Tell the truth! 

When applying for a role that you desperately want, it can be tempting to get carried away and tell a few white lies about your experience or qualifications  on your cover letter and CV. But trust us, it isn’t worth it!

No matter how small it is, if an employer finds out that you have lied about something in your application, even after you’ve started the job, it puts you in a very unprofessional light. 

It is therefore always best to stick to the truth when it comes to writing your Strength and Conditioning coach CV. This avoids any potential problems in the future and means that you can apply for jobs with a clear conscience! 

#6- Show your personality 

Although we have given you a structure to follow when writing your Strength and Conditioning CV, don’t forget to let your own personal voice shine through too! 

Being a good Strength and Conditioning coach requires confidence, social skills and creativity, so use your cover letter as a chance to show that you have these qualities! Whether it's including some personal anecdotes or using a creative structure, don’t be afraid to think outside of the box!

Just like when people are wondering how to choose a personal trainer, prospective S&C clients will want someone who is passionate about what they do - this is the chance to show that you fit that criteria!

FAQs

Where can I find a job as a Strength and Conditioning coach?

Now that you know how to write a cover letter for a Strength and Conditioning coach job, it’s time to start sending off those applications! 

Online is perhaps the easiest way to find Strength and Conditioning coach vacancies. General job listing sites such as Indeed and Glassdoor will advertise S&C jobs. The UK’s professional body for Strength and Conditioning, the UKSCA, also has a handy job board here where they exclusively post S&C coach roles.

You may also want to consider reaching out to potential clients yourself. For example, if you want to work for a specific sports team, sending them your Strength and Conditioning coach resume or even just beginning to network with them shows that you are really interested in working for them, which will stand you in good stead. 

If you choose to take your personal training course and CPDs with OriGym, you’ll have access to our award-winning post-course support. As well as CV advice from our team of experts, we guarantee an interview with a gym from our extensive network of partner gyms across the country! 

What career progression is there for a Strength and Conditioning coach? 

When you are writing your Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter, you may be wondering where your career could take you. 

Well, perhaps the most common career path for Strength and Conditioning coaches is to work with professional athletes or sports teams, working their way up from local to national, international, and even Olympic level. 

Many experienced Strength and Conditioning coaches also go on to become teachers and assessors, helping create the next generation of S&C coaches! If this sounds appealing, taking OriGym’s Fitness Teaching and Assessing Course equips you with all the knowledge and practical skills you need to pursue this career path.

Whatever path you choose, Strength and Conditioning is one of the most lucrative and dynamic fitness careers out there! 

Before you go!

So, we hope that you now feel confident in writing a Strength and Conditioning coach cover letter. Paired with the right qualifications, experience and a strong CV, you’ve got all you need to land a role in S&C!

Take the first steps towards a career in fitness by taking your Level 3 personal training course with OriGym today. You can also browse our full range of courses here by downloading our free prospectus here. 

References

Are Cover Letters Necessary In 2021? Do I Need A Cover Letter? Tomaszewski, M. Resume Lab. March 2021. Online: https://resumelab.com/cover-letter/are-cover-letters-necessary