A strength and conditioning coach with more than 20 years of experience teaching at Hillsborough High School received national acclaim earlier this month for his work as a strength and conditioning coach.
Earlier this month, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) named Jim McFarland, Jr. this year’s High School Strength and Conditioning Coach, making him the 27th recipient of the award.
According to the NSCA, winners of the award are selected by a volunteer committee that bases their decision on the individual’s “contribution to the NSCA, their community and the strength and conditioning profession.”
“[Coach McFarland] has changed many lives and exemplifies what it is to be an NSCA professional,” NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Scott Caulfield said. “We are proud to have him as a member and to be awarded this important accolade.”
Since he began at Hillsborough High School in 1997, McFarland has been responsible for the school’s Raider Strength and Conditioning Co-Curricular Program. Two years later, in 1999, he took over the year-round after-school strength and conditioning program for grades 9-12 and was given permission to start a similar program for the district’s middle and intermediate schools.
In addition to his work at the district, officials said McFarland has participated in eight youth exercise science research studies with The College of New Jersey and has published more than 20 works on the topic. He has also been a speaker for the NSCA for the last 17 years as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist for the NSCA.
For the past four years, officials said McFarland has worked as an adjunct professor at The College of New Jersey for its practical exercise science course. He also has a USA Weightlifting Senior Level Certification with extensive experience in youth competitive Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and recent work with our country’s long-term athletic development grass roots introduction.
As far as his further contribution to the NSCA, officials said McFarland currently serves on the organization’s “New Jersey Advisory Board, the NSCA High School Coaches Working Group, The Raritan Valley Community College Exercise Science Committee, and is the Northeast Kingdom Running Camp (VT) Strength and Conditioning Advisor.”
McFarland will accept the award at the 41st Annual NSCA National Conference held between July 11-14 in Indianapolis.
For those interested in participating, McFarland’s Raider Strength and Conditioning Program will run this summer from June 25 to August 2 at Hillsborough High School for students who attend Hillsborough High School, Hillsborough Middle School or Auten Road Intermediate School.
More information on specific days and times, as well as how to register for the program, can be found at the Raider Strength and Conditioning website, found here: https://tinyurl.com/y8lghpza.
