Abstract
This study was designed to determine if the pre- and post-activity stretching practices and perceptions of college cross country and track and field distance programs are aligned with the current recommendations. A total of 770 questionnaires were distributed to NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III coaches in the United States. Chi square analyses revealed a significantly greater usage of static stretching alone as a pre-activity modality ( chi 2 = 21.582, p = 0.0174) by non-certified coaches (18.9%, n = 9) versus their certified counterparts (1.8%, n = 1). Coaches were also asked if they allowed for static stretching between interval work and competitive efforts, and similarly a significant difference ( chi 2 = 11.948, p = 0.0177) was noted with a higher percentage of non-certified coaches (45.5%, n = 23) allowing athletes to perform static stretches during these situations than certified peers (37.9%, n = 22).