Collegiate Strength and Conditioning: The KU Way

An internship is a good way for the exercise science student to start getting some valuable experience in the field of strength and conditioning. The purpose of this article is to present an integrated approach to becoming an effective intern in the collegiate setting.

Learn how to effectively transition students from the classroom to hands-on coaching and apply theory into practice. In this session from the NSCA’s 2018 Coaches Conference, Liane Blyn and Travis Triplett discuss the importance of having a well-thought-out internship curriculum to educate future strength coaches and share strategies to assist future strength coaches in developing a coaching philosophy and presence in the weight room.

This article focuses on providing first-hand insight into the alternative licensure program (ALP) route from a current coach in the field.

This article encompasses some of the necessary experience, education, certifications, and personal development needed to become a strength and conditioning coach.

This article provides a review of sessions presented at the 2019 National Basketball Strength and Conditioning Association (NBSCA) Performance Summit including strength and conditioning methods and coaching strategies, in-season strength programming, force plate assessment, injury prevention, and player monitoring.

Competence, autonomy, and relatedness are three keys to promoting a more intrinsically motivated athlete. These components can be combined in nearly limitless ways, which is especially important for the long basketball season.

Webber International University’s Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Stephen Rassel, presents a six-part Career Development Series on “Creating a Strength and Conditioning Program for Your High School or College.”

The steps on this page will help you select the right certification that fits your career goals.

Sheri Walters’ journey to Director of Sports Medicine at Texas A&M University reflects a career defined by innovation, collaboration, and comprehensive integration. Walters discusses the "arms race" in collegiate athletics and how Texas A&M shatters silos through unit alignment and being intentionally present. Drawing from her EXOS experience, she highlights the impact of integrating sports medicine with strength and conditioning. Walters employs research-based cross-body training to maintain strength, prioritizing long-term rehabilitation over limb symmetry index testing. She explains how her Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®) and Certified Performance and Sport Scientist® (CPSS®) credentials enable her to elevate rehabilitation and speak the language of sport performance professionals. Walters underscores the importance of getting student-athletes back to team strength and conditioning as soon as tissues can tolerate it to promote physiological and psychological healing. She also shares how strength and conditioning coaches can optimize return to performance and reduce reinjury risk. Email Sheri at swalters@athletics.tamu.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Catch Sheri’s session on bridging the gap in the collegiate setting LIVE at the 2025 NSCA Coaches Conference! Register to watch online at NSCA.com/Coaches. Fascinated by the intersection between strength and conditioning and sports medicine? Join other professionals in the Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation Specialist Interest Group (SIG) to discover more resources and engage in discussion.