Female athletes in the United States have made great progress in sports since Title IX was enacted in 1972. Despite the progress they have made, female athletes have yet to gain full recognition for their athleticism and their achievements. The purpose of this article is to break down the stigma female athletes have received over the years and shine light on the differences that make female athletes a reward to train.

This article is the fourth of a continuing series that examines pertinent and recent tactical strength and conditioning research reviews.

There can be no doubt that protein is important and this article reviews the current research to help further understand the recommendations for protein intake.

Caitlin Quinn, Director of Performance for Toyota Racing Development talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about her start in the field of strength and conditioning with internships, her time at Florida State as a GA and Strength and Conditioning Coach, and her new position at Toyota. Topics under discussion include internships, GA positions, not letting people define you as a coach, and the athletes she works with at Toyota Racing Development.

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.”

This article seeks to help personal trainers understand the physiological effects of stress and helpful ways they can drive positive changes for their clients through exercise.

This article describes proper technique for the one-arm dumbbell snatch, which is a total body power exercise.

This article highlights some untapped opportunities within the healthcare industry, where personal trainers can still make a meaningful impact and promote health and fitness.

Part 2 of this series on allostatic load theory will focus on how monitoring personnel holistically can contribute to a well-rounded health and performance model supporting the tactical athletes.

As Director of Sport Science at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Heather Farmer spearheads comprehensive integration efforts. This includes ensuring every stakeholder, from sport performance staff to academic advisors, has a seat at the table. Farmer also outlines developing an internship and graduate assistantship program to meet staffing needs and offer opportunities for practical experience. She recounts how leveraging relationships — not data — has been her key to scalability. Additionally, Farmer recognizes that to make an impact, she must meet athletes and sport coaches where they are, which she uncovers through “highlights” and “hurdles.” She suggests that sport scientists with strength and conditioning backgrounds, like herself, are uniquely equipped to excel due to their communication skills. Farmer and McMahon also discuss avoiding “analysis paralysis” and how to incorporate data to elevate the student-athlete experience — an unignorable factor as athletes bring an element of “self” in the age of name, image and likeness (NIL). Reach out to Heather by email at: heather.farmer@unlv.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs