The purpose of this article is to discuss the gray area that should be considered when it comes to implementing weightlifting exercises.

Strength and conditioning professionals who incorporate a properly designed and supervised training program can help their young athletes train, compete, and reduce the likelihood of injury.

Courteney Benjamin and Yasuki Sekiguchi, from the Korey Stringer Institute, talk to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about preventing sudden death in the heat and how coaches can plan ahead, create, and respond with an emergency action plan. Find the Korey Stringer Institute on Twitter: @K_S_Institute | Find Scott on Instagram: @coachcaulfield

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

The Educator of the Year Award is presented to an educator who has made noteworthy contributions to education and clinical application of strength training and conditioning.

This excerpt from Developing Agility and Quickness highlights the high-intensity, reactive agility hockey players require, and provides two agility drills that challenge that skill.

Most people suffer from some degree of injury, illness, or disease at some point. As a result, there is a need for strength and conditioning professionals who can develop effective exercise programs for people with disabilities.

This excerpt from Developing Power discusses implementing plyometric training in a program to develop lower body power.

This article from NSCA Coach explores how beet juice and nitrate supplements can enhance athletic performance. Learn more about nutrition and exercise physiology online at NSCA.com.