Little Athletics Development Team Member Josh Mason Graduates with FIT College

Josh, one of the key members of the development team for Little Athletics Tasmania, has recently graduated his Certificate III in fitness and Cert IV in fitness at our FIT College Hobart Campus. Throughout his time studying to become a personal trainer, Josh always had a big emphasis on working with children and providing an environment where his fellow students felt comfortable, motivated and driven. Today we sit down with Josh to see exactly where the journey has taken him since graduating and where he wants to take his career.

FIT College: Josh your career after studying Certificate 3 and 4 with FIT College has taken an interesting path. Being a part of the development team for Little Athletics Tasmania, what is it that you really do?

Josh: So, as Development officer at Little Athletics Tasmania my role is to provide opportunities for participation in athletics for children in the school aged community. The role involves the planning and delivery of programs and clinics, coaching, club development and training with a target audience of those who want to take part for fun as well as those who are interested in competing at all levels, from local to national.

The main goals of this role are to increase participation in little athletics centres, clubs and clinic programs, increase knowledge of little athletics in primary schools and deliver fun, engaging and physically beneficial programs for children to actively participate with in schools across the whole state. And finally building strong relationships with Schools, Centres and Clubs and assisting them to become more efficient and informed of all opportunities available to them.

Apart from this role as development officer, I also have my own athletics training squad with two other coaches from Northern Suburbs Athletics Club and I have also successfully delivered an 8 week online personal training challenge, given away many free tailored programs as well as conducting 1 on 1 and small group PT sessions.

What is one word that best described why you decided to help other people with their health and fitness? Why did you want to use this to help kids in Little Athletics?

Passion. I love health and fitness and athletics has given me so much over the last 10 years so this was a perfect opportunity to give back to the sport. The children are our future and it’s great to be in a position where I can at least attempt to set them on a healthy path by promoting health, fitness, fun and athletics all in one.

Why is coaching and fitness so important to you? What does it bring to your life that you previously didn’t have?

Coaching and the fitness industry has given me confidence I didn’t know I had. It’s given me a platform to help as many people as I can and I believe that making people realise their full potential is the greatest gift of all. And it creates a flow on effect. If you can show people that they can be more, they can show others that they can be more. Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders, and that is always my biggest goal.

In what way did attending the Certificate III SIS30315 and Certificate IV SIS40215 in Fitness, help you get into the health and fitness industry?

I originally started with FIT College online and to be honest, I didn’t do much. I decided to go to the full time face to face class to throw myself into it and never really looked back. I gained so much more knowledge not just from who took the class, but other students too.

Through class discussions and conducting practical assessments I feel as though I grew in confidence which is something I wouldn’t have been able to do without attending FIT College. And FIT College want you to succeed not only in the class but once you’re finished too, so knowing that that support was there was something that helped me a lot too.

Josh, what was your biggest takeaway from the course? What did you enjoy the most?

My biggest take away from the course was without a doubt, the confidence I gained through the positive and practical environment as well as the information gained from the classes.

After graduating, where have the many opportunities taken you? What are you currently doing to help others with their health and fitness?

Currently I am Development Officer at Little Athletics Tasmania, a Personal Trainer and qualified level 1 strength and conditioning coach. So I’m currently thinking about my next move in regards to education and business/career. As I’ve previously stated, I’ve ran a successful 8 week online PT challenge, I coach young athletes in the sport of athletics, I’m looking to start strength and conditioning coaching for multiple sports as that is where my real passion is, I offer 1 on 1 and small group PT as well as free programming for people who are currently with a gym or people who just want to improve their fitness at home. These things all made possible through attending FIT College

Anything I can do to help people become the best version of themselves, I will do. Assisting others in realising their true strength is something I’ve always been passionate about. Keep and eye out for my next online challenge, in which the proceeds will be going to the winner’s choice of charity.

If there was one advice you could give to future students who are thinking about becoming personal trainers, what would it be?

Believe in yourself! That was definitely one thing I didn’t do before starting my course. And never stop learning. Do extra research, seek mentors, take more courses, the more knowledge you’re equipped with, the more tools you have to give people to become successful.

Thank you, Josh for being such a positive influence in the industry. It’s been a great pleasure chatting with you today and on behalf of all of Fit College, we want to say thank you for studying with us and for your time today. We’ve got no doubts you’ll go ahead to do great things and run a very successful studio one day!