Do you fear public speaking? It may seem counterintuitive for coaches who command the weight room every day, but it’s more common than you’d think. On the floor with your athletes, you’re in your element, but shifting audiences to administrators can have you second-guessing. Honing your communication and public speaking skills shouldn’t be saved until you’re eyeing a promotion — Coaching & Presentation Skills Coach Jenny Rearick advises getting in as many early reps as possible. Combining her experience as a collegiate athlete, strength and conditioning coach, and corporate marketer, Jenny founded Fit to Speak to empower fitness professionals in the “sport” of public speaking. Discover concrete strategies like the BLUF method to make sure your key message is heard. Learn how to seek out low-risk scenarios that can transform your speaking skills from just getting by to getting ahead. Plus, don’t miss her simple mindset shift to ease pre-presentation nerves. Connect with Jenny on Instagram at: @fit_to_speak or online at: fit-to-speak.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Check out Jenny’s episodes in the new NSCA Presenter Playbook series on NSCA TV. Ready to take the big stage? Apply online to speak at a 2025 NSCA event before the May 15 deadline. BONUS: Answer Bryan Mann’s “call to arms!” Get involved locally and give back to your strength and conditioning community at NSCA.com/Volunteer

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.

What does it take to become an award-winning Director of Strength and Conditioning in the National Football League (NFL)? Justin Lovett reveals the “we over me” mentality that guides his role with the Los Angeles Rams. Lovett reflects on receiving the 2024 NSCA Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Award after being an NSCA Member for over 20 years. He draws parallels between working with high school and NFL athletes — where the desired training responses are the same and ability levels vary — making versatility key. Lovett also stresses the importance of finding clean and effective training methods to accommodate wear and tear in football athletes. He compares the Rams’ hiring philosophy to gathering “infinity stones,” emphasizing character attributes, culture alignment, and staff chemistry. Lovett and NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager Eric McMahon discuss progressing into leadership and the rise of performance director roles, as well as how to seek out career and networking opportunities. Connect with Justin on Instagram: @strcoachlovett, Twitter/X: @justin_lovett, or LinkedIn: Justin Lovett | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

Meet Tara De Leon, a former collegiate strength and conditioning coach who now works as a personal trainer in Edgewater, MD. De Leon shares insight with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, and episode co-host, NSCA Personal Training Program Manager, Blake Brightwell, on alternate routes for strength and conditioning coaches through personal training, group fitness, and private sector coaching. This episode discusses the “coaching identity” as it exists and impacts coaches’ beliefs across various stages of professional development. With the growth of the strength and conditioning field, De Leon challenges us to expand our thinking and perceptions around personal training, while holding true to our values and expertise as coaches. Regardless of your current role in the profession, learn more about how the NSCA can help you grow your career. You can connect with Tara on Instagram: @tara_de_leon_fitness or tara@edgewaterfit.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Matt Frakes, Director of Sports Nutrition at Notre Dame Athletics, and Bryan Doo, former Head Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Boston Celtics National Basketball Association (NBA) team and owner of Optimal Fitness, join as guests with the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon. Also returning is guest co-host Jon Jost, a 27-year veteran college strength and conditioning coach and the Team Sports Manager for Gatorade. This Gatorade Performance Partner Special Episode highlights the value of being an inclusive leader; the current level of support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the performance community; and how to foster inclusivity within your programs. Find Matt on Twitter: @SuperiorFrakes or Instagram: @superiorfrakes | Find Bryan on Twitter: @bdoo22 or Instagram: @bdoostrength | Find Jon via email: jonathan.jost@pepsico.com | Find Jon on Twitter/Instagram/Facebook: | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Building athletes who are strong, healthy, and resilient requires more than sets and reps, starting with a shift in mindset. Christi Edson, Head of Performance for the Orlando Pride in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), shares how she integrates strength and conditioning with sport science to sustain athlete health and performance. She reflects on the field’s evolution from the well-known “Bigger, Faster, Stronger” program to a training culture emphasizing resilience, active recovery, and durability. Drawing from her experience coaching high school athletes to NWSL professionals, Edson highlights the adaptability and creativity coaches need. Those qualities help her to develop athletes who can thrive through a demanding 11-month season. She details how tools like GPS, force plates, and velocity-based training sharpen communication and reshape expectations in the gym. Her story points coaches toward the future of athlete development: collaboration, precise load management, and long-term health as the foundation of strength. Connect with Christi on Instagram: @christiedson and LinkedIn: @christiana-edson | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Read the article, “A Creative Mind in the Professional Development of a Strength and Conditioning Coach,” from NSCA Coach, 11(1), February 2024 — referenced in this episode’s return-to-play discussion. NSCA Members enjoy full publication access. Interested in bridging coaching and sport science? The Certified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS) credential can help you expand your qualifications, open new career paths, and strengthen cross-department collaboration.

Strength and conditioning coaches should strive to teach athletes in a way they can understand: by hearing, seeing, and practicing. This article describes some techniques that a coach can use to accomplish this.

This article examines ways that personal trainers can take steps in order to effectively reduce the risk of clients suffering a training-related injury.

Patrick McHenry, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Castle View High School in Castle Rock, CO, and member of the NSCA Board of Directors, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about high school strength and conditioning and his growth in the NSCA from a volunteer to an NSCA Board mMember. Connect with Patrick on Twitter: @strengthcentral and Instagram: @ptmchenry | Find Scott on Instagram: @coachcaulfield and Twitter: @scottcaulfield

Linemen often do not get the same attention of the skill positions like a quarterback or wide receiver. However offensive and defensive linemen can control much of a football games tempo and outcome. This article goes over key areas to develop a well-rounded program for football linemen.