The NSCAs Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach® (RSCC) is a designation that signifies that a CSCS®  certified coach has demonstrated experience and knowledge in their field. RSCC coaches apply foundational knowledge to assess, motivate, educate, and train athletes for the primary goal of improving sport performance.

Colorado Springs, CO – Coaches Bill Foran, Jeff Connors, and Domenic Reno recognized for their career accomplishments at the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s Coaches Conference on January 4, 2017 in Nashville, TN.

Do you know your legal blind spots? Attorney and former collegiate strength coach Reed Wainwright explores how legal expertise reinforces professional standards in strength and conditioning. Wainwright has been instrumental in developing NSCA resources that help professionals mitigate the inherent risks associated with athletics. He highlights key areas — such as facility safety, equipment management, and emergency preparedness — that help coaches effectively advocate for their athletes and protect their careers. Emphasizing professionalism, Wainwright notes, "the more professional we act, the more professional we're perceived.” He underscores why enhancing public perception is crucial for improving compensation, overcoming stereotypes, and supporting long-term field growth. Wainwright also reflects on how his precise, methodical approach as a strength coach has translated seamlessly into his legal practice. Discover actionable strategies to help minimize risk, stay protected, and elevate the strength and conditioning profession. Contact with Reed via email at reed@wainwrightattorney.com and on LinkedIn: @reed-wainwright | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Review the NSCA Strength and Conditioning Professional Standards and Guidelines (PDF) to identify liability risks, improve safety, and enhance program quality. Watch Wainwright’s session, What's Our Standard of Care?, and its implications on liability from the 2017 NSCA Coaches Conference. Stream Wainwright’s free Legal Considerations series on NSCA TV for guidance spanning participation screening to emergency planning. View Wainwright’s session, Standards in Strength and Conditioning, on the NSCA YouTube channel for more insights, including case examples.

The purpose of this article is to explore some phrases that strength and conditioning coaches may hear or behaviors they may witness, and provide some direction to identify which allied healthcare and performance professionals may need to get involved to best help the strength and conditioning coach and athlete elevate their performance.

In this video from the NSCA's 2014 Coaches Conference, Coach Donnell Boucher, CSCS, talks about training strength and conditioning at the Citadel Military College of South Carolina, and shares practical information that can be implemented at any school, in any environment.

Colorado Springs, CO – The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is proud to announce that Coach Joel Raether has been selected as the NSCA’s Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year for 2020. Coach Raether becomes the sixth recipient of the award, which has been handed out since 2014. Award winners are selected by a volunteer committee, the NSCA’s Coaching Task Force, who determine the winner based on their contributions to the NSCA, their community, and the coaching profession.

By understanding the means by which athletes encounter risk, strength and conditioning professionals can integrate exercise programs that may offset one of the steps toward injuries.

The top concern of strength coaches should always be athlete safety. For this reason, the NSCA has compiled a list of resources to raise the standard of care when working as a strength coach at any level. By reading and sharing these examples of standards and guidelines, policies and procedures, position statements on vital topics, mental health best practices, and more, strength coaches can push to increase the safety of athletes around the world.