The “five Ss” of trainability and performance are critical periods of development that all youth strength and conditioning coaches should consider when creating a training program. Coaches should take advantage of each window to maximize a youth athlete’s potential and help ensure a long athletic career.

Are you a young professional looking to broaden your knowledge and career horizons by working with a professional strength and conditioning coach? Apply for the NSCA Foundation Assistantship!

Mark Kovacs, PhD, CSCS,*D, spoke during the NSCA's 2013 Coaches Conference about the importance of balancing conditioning with strength training, and the need to approach program design in such a way that all your athletes get what they need, no matter their fitness level or sport.

The purpose of this article is to briefly identify the expectation dynamic for strength and conditioning practitioners and to provide a practical mode for operational thought.

Strength and conditioning coaches with knowledge of the exercise principles for youth and the specific demands of basketball can design effective integrative neuromuscular training (INT) programs based on the individual needs of youth athletes.

To apply you will need to fill out the online application, but first, please read the qualifications to ensure you are eligible. Applicants must achieve and maintain the NSCA certified Strength and conditioning Specialist (CSCS )certification. RSCC coaches will need to meet CEU requirements for the CSCS and recertify every three year cycle as well as complete the RSCC renewal course each year.There is a $100 application fee for RSCC and RSCC* applicants. There is no fee for RSCC*E applicants.

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.

Veteran Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA), Bill Foran, joins the NSCA Coaching Podcast and reflects on a more than four-decade coaching career. Foran discusses his early beginnings teaching elementary school physical education, with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager Eric McMahon, and what led him towards pursuing collegiate and professional sports strength and conditioning. Foran shares stories of resourcefulness from the early days, before the strength and conditioning field was formally defined, up to more recent years using sport science technology and foundational core principles to inform training practices for elite NBA players, such as Lebron James and Shaquille O’Neal. This episode is informative for strength and conditioning coaches at any level, emphasizing the importance of building lasting relationships with athletes and head coaches, as well as taking advantage of all that the NSCA has to offer. Reach out to Coach Foran at by email at bforan@heat.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs Learn more about NBA strength and conditioning with the National Basketball Strength and Conditioning Association (NBSCA), an Official Sport Partner of the NSCA.

OK Coach, So I Got My CSCS; Now What?