About Us

In 1974, renowned sport psychologist and University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign professor Dr. Rainer Martens founded Human Kinetics, Inc., an international publisher of sport, physical activity, and health resources. In 1981, Martens founded the American Sport Education Program (ASEP) and in the same year produced and released its first coaching course. Now known as Human Kinetics Coach Education, the organization has trained just shy of two million coaches since its establishment nearly four decades ago.

During this time, Human Kinetics Coach Education has been a leading provider of coach education at virtually every level of sport. Through partnerships with state high school associations, state departments of education, and local school districts, Human Kinetics Coach Education trains tens of thousands of high school and club-sport coaches each year. In addition, dozens of national governing bodies, nationally recognized youth sport organizations, local park districts, YMCAs, and other sport organizations nationwide have used Human Kinetics Coach Education courses and resources for training coaches. Over the years, hundreds of colleges and universities have adopted the Coaching Principles and Sport First Aid courses as components of graduate and undergraduate physical education and coaching programs, and Martens' textbook Successful Coaching is the most widely adopted coaching textbook on college campuses today.

Relationships with international coaching and sport organizations have increased awareness and reach of our company and product offerings worldwide like never before. Our partnership with the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE); extensive business ties in Canada, the United Kingdom, Western Europe, the Middle East, and Australia; and the borderless communication and business technologies of today have made our resources accessible by coaches and administrators all over the world.