Internships Shouldn’t Be Free Labor (Even If We Can’t Pay Yet)
When our internship program wraps up, I’m left reflecting on how much value interns bring to our athletes and coaching staff. These are bright, hardworking individuals who give up their time, often unpaid, to learn, grow, and gain a foothold in this profession.
I’ll be honest: I wish I could pay them. They deserve it.
The truth is, my current program doesn’t have the budget to compensate interns. We don’t have major sponsors or an athletic department flush with cash. Every dollar we do have is poured into making sure our athletes have what they need, equipment, technology, and safe training environments. But just because I can’t pay right now doesn’t mean I’m okay with the status quo.
In fact, I think the way our profession treats interns, especially unpaid ones, needs a hard reset.
The Reality of S&C Internships
In strength and conditioning, unpaid internships have become the norm. They’re often seen as a rite of passage. You “pay your dues,” put in countless hours for free, and maybe get a shot at a paid assistant role down the road.
But let’s be honest: this system only works for those who can afford to work for free. We’re losing talented, passionate individuals simply because they can’t take unpaid roles, especially in a field where entry-level pay isn’t exactly competitive.
I don’t think internships should be about seeing “who can survive the grind” the longest. They should be about who can learn, grow, and contribute the most.
And here’s where I’ve had to face my own reality: I might not be able to pay my interns (yet), but I can absolutely control the quality of the experience they have.
The Difference Between Value Exchange and Exploitation
An unpaid internship doesn’t automatically mean exploitation but it can slide in that direction if we’re not intentional.
If all an intern does is rack weights, clean up sweat, and watch sessions from the sidelines, that’s free labor. That’s not education. That’s not mentorship. That’s just filling gaps in staffing.
Instead, I think of internships as a two-way street. If I’m asking someone to give me their time and effort, I need to give them something of equal or greater value in return even if that value isn’t monetary.
That means:
Giving interns structured learning sessions every week.
Giving them feedback that actually helps them improve, not just “good job” or “do this better.”
Letting them step into coaching roles, starting small but building up responsibility.
Helping them create tangible projects or deliverables (like KPI dashboards or warm-up protocols) they can take with them.
If I can’t pay them in dollars, I can pay them in development.
The Intern’s Perspective
I remember my own internships. I remember walking into weight rooms hoping someone would teach me something beyond cleaning up after athletes. There were days I wondered, “Am I actually learning how to coach? Or am I just free help?”
That memory has shaped how I treat my interns. I don’t want them to feel like an afterthought. I want them to leave my program saying, “I grew as a coach. I understand the ‘why’ behind training decisions. I’m confident leading a session now.”
If they leave without that, I’ve failed.
Why I Still Believe Interns Should Be Paid
Just because I can’t pay right now doesn’t mean I think unpaid internships are acceptable. Quite the opposite, I think they create barriers that keep our profession from evolving.
If we’re serious about developing the next generation of strength coaches, we need to create funding models that work:
Athletic departments could set aside small stipends.
Booster programs could allocate funds for intern development.
Private facilities could build internship fees into their operating costs.
Even small gestures, a gas card, free meals, housing, show interns that their time is valued.
But until those changes happen, coaches like me have to make sure our unpaid internships still deliver real value.
What I Do Instead of a Paycheck
Since I can’t hand an intern a paycheck, I try to offer the next best thing: an experience that prepares them for their career.
Here’s what I build into my internship program:
Onboarding & Expectations – Day one isn’t about cleaning equipment; it’s about understanding our coaching philosophy, program design, and what success looks like for them.
Weekly Learning Sessions – I set aside time to teach concepts like force-velocity profiling, program periodization, athlete monitoring, or cueing strategies.
Gradual Autonomy – Interns start by shadowing, then assisting, then running warm-ups or drills under supervision. By the end, they’re confident enough to take small groups.
Feedback Loops – I don’t let weeks go by without reviewing their progress. We talk about what’s working, what’s not, and how they can improve.
Portfolio Projects – I ask each intern to create something tangible (a testing report, a sample program, a data visualization). It’s theirs to showcase when applying for jobs.
If I can’t pay them, I can at least ensure their time isn’t wasted.
A Broken System, But One We Can Fix
I know I’m not alone in this struggle. Many coaches reading this probably feel the same frustration. Wanting to do more for their interns but being stuck with limited budgets.
We might not be able to change everything overnight, but we can start small:
Advocate to administrators for intern stipends (even a few hundred dollars shows progress).
Partner with local colleges to give academic credit for meaningful, structured internships.
Create a culture where internships are mentorship-first, labor-second.
If enough of us start treating internships as true apprenticeships, the field will slowly shift.
To My Interns
If any of my interns are reading this, know this:
I value your time more than I can express. I know you could be doing other things. Working a paying job, taking classes, or simply resting and yet you choose to spend your time here. That’s not lost on me.
My promise to you is this: even if I can’t hand you a paycheck, I will hand you every tool, every insight, and every ounce of mentorship I can give.
Final Thoughts
I dream of a future where all strength and conditioning internships are paid, structured, and designed to develop leaders, not just fill gaps. But until that day comes, I’ll do everything I can to give interns an experience they’ll carry with them for the rest of their careers.
This field is built on relationships and mentorship, and I believe we can raise the standard for how we treat the next generation of coaches, starting with the way we design internships.
