The four components of the coach-athlete relationship are closeness, commitment, complementarity, and co-orientation. Coaches should seek to deeply understand the value of each category and how to maximize these reciprocal characteristics with their athletes.

In today's National Football League (NFL) world, teams are always on the lookout for the best talent. That is why strength and conditioning coaches are crucial in optimizing a prospect's value. This special episode of the NSCA Coaching Podcast features NFL Combine expert, Bryan McCall, sharing details of coaching process leading up to the event. The conversation includes co-hosts Eric McMahon, the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, and Gatorade Team Sports Manager, Jon Jost. You will hear Coach McCall credit Coach Jost as an early career mentor and emphasize the importance of mentorship for all coaches. Learn how to make a successful year-round business of strength and conditioning and advance your coaching career with an entrepreneurial mindset. You can reach Coach McCall on Instagram: @justbmac_ or Twitter: @just_BryanM | Email Jon at: jonathan.jost@pepsico.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs To learn more and join the Gatorade Performance Partner Community, visit GatoradePerformancePartner.com.

Adam Fletcher, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for men’s basketball at the University of Illinois, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the impact of the Coaches vs. COVID-19 webinars to support the service community and build the strength and conditioning community. Topics under discussion include his journey from an accounting major to strength coach, how vital it is to get to know the sport coaches, and how he seeks to be a positive role model as he works alongside his wife. Find Adam on Twitter: @Adam_Fletcher41 or Instagram: @coach_fletch | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

The purpose of this article is to examine components that affect speed to determine the degree that speed is governed by skill versus genetic factors.

This article discusses the impact and importance of resistance training with kids on their mental and physiological health and well-being.

Mike Minnis, Director of Performance Nutrition and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Philadelphia Eagles National Football League (NFL) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, and guest co-host Jon Jost, a 27-year veteran collegiate strength and conditioning coach and Gatorade’s Team Sports Manager. This Gatorade Performance Partner Special Episode, highlights “The Power of Mentorship” and the importance of building quality relationships as the foundation of meaningful mentor and mentee experiences. Find Mike on LinkedIn: Mike Minnis, Twitter: @MMinnis89, or Instagram: @MMinnis89 |Find Jon via email: jonathan.jost@pepsico.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

The extent to which a special operator’s training schedule can be planned in advance is often limited due to their unpredictable operational demands. However, there may be opportunities to plan for specific training during certain periods.

Andrea Hudy, now the Head Men’s Basketball Strength and Conditioning Coach for the University of Texas, talks to the former NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about how she got into strength and conditioning. Topics under discussion include the collaborative efforts of the sports medicine team and doctors during her time at the University of Kansas, how she was hired, writing her book and continuing her education, and the value of hosting clinics. Find Andrea on Twitter: @A_Hudy

This article will analyze and compare squats with different loading positions to draw out practical applications for the personal trainer.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 63rd Annual Meeting was held in Boston, MA, May 31 – June 4, 2016. The number of TSAC presentations continued to increase, compared to the last few years, when the Federal Government sequester severely affected attendance.