The Nittaidai Athlete Support System (NASS) is NSSU’s own unique student athlete support system. Through it, NSSU students have access to such support that enhances their athletic capability and allows them to perform well in competitions. The wide-ranging
support provided through NASS draws from the repository of the knowledge that NSSU has been accumulating over the years to excel in athletic competitions, and involves well-coordinated efforts of experts from different fields.
NASS consists of three components, which are medical and science-based support, para-athlete support, and coaching support. In each of these areas, experts that possess broad knowledge in their respective fields provide such assistance to student athletes that allows them to unleash their full potential.
As for NASS’s main component of medical and science-based support, comprehensive support is provided to student athletes by combining expertise in sports medicine and science to help them perform better in competitions. This component is further comprised of a total of six support types to help NSSU athletes perform optimally at different levels of competition.
NASS consists of three components, which are medical and science-based support, para-athlete support, and coaching support. In each of these areas, experts that possess broad knowledge in their respective fields provide such assistance to student athletes that allows them to unleash their full potential.
As for NASS’s main component of medical and science-based support, comprehensive support is provided to student athletes by combining expertise in sports medicine and science to help them perform better in competitions. This component is further comprised of a total of six support types to help NSSU athletes perform optimally at different levels of competition.
WhatistheNittaidai Athlete Support System (NASS)?
NASS is NSSU’s own unique student athlete support system that is accessible to all NSSU students. It leverages all the know-how that NSSU has acquired through the years to help each student athlete improve its technical competence with the help of experts from various fields.
NASS is NSSU’s own unique student athlete support system that is accessible to all NSSU students. It leverages all the know-how that NSSU has acquired through the years to help each student athlete improve its technical competence with the help of experts from various fields.
Support eligibility
Under NASS, each of the students that receive support from it is assigned a rank (NASS ranks A through F) depending on the level of athletic competition the student is at. The type of support each student receives is determined by its NASS rank. In general, those ranked higher may receive the types of support they need, with priority over those that are lower-ranked.
Medical and science-based support
1. Performance analysis support
This support is provided using quantifiable data to evaluate and track athletes’ performance in terms of their physical capacity, technical skills, and tactics, etc. applied in actual competitions.Fitness check
This support module is provided to allow athletes to optimally deploy their muscle function that has been improved by strength training to achieve better performance on competition grounds and floors. It involves training program formulation to enhance
athletes’ speed, balance, coordination, endurance, and other factors besides physical strength, and provision of guidance and support in actual training.
Video and information technology support
This support module is provided in the form of video-footage-based motion analysis and game performance analysis (competition analysis) using dedicated software technology.
2. Training support
For this support, the Sports Training Center designs and provides training programs that are optimized for each sport and contest as well as each club’s training goals and objectives, in conjunction with NSSU’s research laboratories that possess deep expertise in sports training.Strength training
This training support mainly consists of strength training that is designed to improve athletes’ overall muscle function such as muscular strength, power, and muscular endurance. It involves a series of periodization-based support components, including
training program formulation, provision of guidance and support in training, and performance measurement and evaluation.
Fitnesstraining
This training support involves formulation of training programs to enhance athletes’ speed, balance, endurance, and other factors besides physical strength, and provision of guidance and support in actual training.
3. Medical support
This is comprehensive athletic training support that is provided through coordinated cooperation among the NSSU faculty members that are experts in sports medicine and athletic training, the sports doctors and science-based support staff (trainers) from the Athletic Department, and the NSSU Clinic.Athletic training
This support module involves medical checks, conditioning, and other care to prevent sports-induced physical trauma and injuries. In addition, athletes suffering physical trauma and injuries are given medical treatment and rehabilitation.
Dispatch of student trainers
For this support module, student trainers are dispatched to training sites, etc. to perform athletic taping, icing, and other basic athletic training support, in conjunction with the NSSU student organization Athletic Training Circle. Student trainers
may also travel with athletes to provide support in training camps, competition events, etc.
Blood test
As part ofthismedical support, blood work is performed to check athletes’ conditions in conjunction with the NSSU Clinic. Physicians specializing in sports medicine then offer feedback to the athletes on their test results, based on which
clinical examination and treatment can be provided instantly as needed. Athletes in need of nutrition support may also receive advice from sports nutrition experts.
4. Psychological support
This psychological support module is provided by experts in sports psychology and clinical psychology in such a manner that is optimized for individual athletes based on their unique characteristics and conditions. It is designed to develop athletes that
can think for themselves, handle conditioning of their own bodies and minds, and achieve high self-management capability.
Psychology seminar
Seminars are held to hear from athletes and coaches what psychological issues they are experiencing, and provide mental training knowledge and techniques that are necessary for overcoming those issues.
Psychology seminar
Seminars are held to hear from athletes and coaches what psychological issues they are experiencing, and provide mental training knowledge and techniques that are necessary for overcoming those issues.
5. Nutrition support
Achieving good nutritional status is one of the essential preparations that are required of athletes before they engage in practice and training in optimal condition. This support module includes provision of nutrition seminars and personalized support
to student athletes so that they become capable of proper nutrition management on their own to eventually achievetheirgoals in athletic competitions.
Personalizedsupport
For this support, athletes’ individual nutritional status is checked, and improvement plans are created accordingly. The support isprovided from various aspects sothat the athletes are able to implement their personalized plans effectively and continuously.
Personalizedsupport
For this support, athletes’ individual nutritional status is checked, and improvement plans are created accordingly. The support isprovided from various aspects sothat the athletes are able to implement their personalized plans effectively and continuously.
6. Female athlete support
This support module is designed to aid the formulation of programs for female athletes that address various topics specific to their gender. It entails implementation of physical conditioning and training programs that are better adapted to their physiological and psychological needs and tendencies to improve their overall competitive performance capability.
Assessment on female athletes’ three main tendencies
This assessment involves surveying of female athletes’ dietary intake and menstruation information and measurement of their bone density and physical composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) so that the data can be used to prevent and alleviate their three most common tendencies (lack of available energy, abnormal absence of menstruation, and osteoporosis).
Female athlete seminar
Seminars are held to offer guidance on the prevention of injuries and diseases that female athletes are more predisposed to, and how to implement conditioning regimens optimized for their menstrual cycle. They also serve as a forum for female athletes to exchange information.Coaching support
This support module is offered to assist the capability improvement of coaches that play a crucial role in athletes’ development. Various training sessions and seminars, which are designed to meet the coaches’ specific goals and objectives at different levels, are offered by the staff of NSSU’s Center for Coaching Excellence (CCE) that possesses a wealth of coaching expertise.Workshops
Workshops are offered on various topics as requested by coaches, such as sports medicine and science, team management, and leadership skills.
Coaches’ roundtables
These roundtables are a forum where coaches from different sports can exchange information and opinions on how they are dealing with various issues and challenges that arise in their athletic endeavors.
Mentoring
Mentoring, which mainly occurs in one-on-one setting, involves provision of support to coaches with attention to their individual needs and pace.
Para-athlete support
This support module is designed to provide para-athletes with proper support that is customized to the individual characteristics of their disabilities, including training program formulation that is optimized to each athlete’s physical features and characteristics.
In addition, it leverages NSSU’s cooperation agreement with the Tokyo Institute of Technology to develop and improve high-quality equipment and gear for para-athletes.
Student staff training
Seminars are held to train students so that they can become staff members that assist with fitness checks and provide technical support on video and information technology. For students that aspire to become strength training coaches, seminars are offered
that are designed to develop them into student-guidance staff members in strength training. Students that are finished learning skills from these seminars are allowed to participate in actual training support activities with various NSSU sports clubs,
etc.
Research support
Research support involves provision of funding to scientific studies on topics that are conducive to improving NSSU athletes’ competitive performance capability. Its scope includes the development of applied science and technology in addition to the utilization
of existing knowledge in sports medicine and other scientific fields.
Talent discovery
This is NSSU’s talent discovery initiative, being conducted in conjunction with the Japan Sport Council. Since the academic year 2017, NSSU’s Athletic Department has been the contact point for all communication and cooperation on this initiative.
In this talent discovery process, ample opportunities are provided to many student athletes to push their limits and perform at their full potential. Tryouts are held to measure the participating athletes’ performance, and based on the data, the most suitable sport and contest type are selected for each athlete. This initiative is designed to find talents that have the potential of becoming world-class athletes.
In this talent discovery process, ample opportunities are provided to many student athletes to push their limits and perform at their full potential. Tryouts are held to measure the participating athletes’ performance, and based on the data, the most suitable sport and contest type are selected for each athlete. This initiative is designed to find talents that have the potential of becoming world-class athletes.
