This is a long post but please read: I need help from someone in the field. So, I have wanted to be a strength and conditioning coach for quite some time, and I got my undergraduate degree in Exercise Physiology from chico state with that intent, I always figured that I would move on to get my masters and take it from there but I got stalled. (true i graduated a little over 2 months ago but I still feel stalled)
Since I was late on the ball to applying for masters programs I decided to take about a year off and just work as a trainer at a local gym and decide later. Well, I found out I REALLY don’t want to be a personal trainer for the rest of my life and want to keep moving in the field.
Problem is, this tiny town of chico doesn’t have much in the way of jobs for exercise physiologists and I will probably have to leave town. I was asking my dad for advice and he told me to find the school I wanted to go to and just move to that area and make it work: here’s the problem; I have no f’ing clue which school would be best for my area of study, (hopefully one in california but really anywhere), even which degree to get (kinesiology vs. exercise science vs strength and conditioning, if it exists), and here’s the worst part: now that its crunch time I am not even ENTIRELY sure I want to be a strength coach.
Here's what I do know: I want to be in the exercise-related field, I love it and have been doing it for quite some time. I DONT want to be a personal trainer, I can't stand lazy people and am not a good motivator. I was fairly good at school and don't mind taking more of it, as long as I know I am not wasting my time with a meaningless degree.
Any advice? Specific Degrees to pursue for strength and conditioning? Good schools? Possible alternate careers dealing with exercise? Life lessons? I need any and all help.