The importance of physical fitness is never greater than when lives are at stake. Specifically, professionals in law enforcement, fire/rescue, and the military need fitness and tactical athleticism to efficiently respond to calls and complete missions regardless of the obstacles, mixed terrain, interference, and dangerous environmental conditions involved

Meet the 2026 NSCA Peer & Special Recognition Awards recipients, who will be recognized for excellence across the profession at the NSCA National Conference.

Castle View High School Strength and Conditioning Coach says science is leading to safer training methods being used in high school weight rooms.

Read the NSCA’s commitment to safer youth sports as we endorse Project Play’s ACL Pledge, advancing evidence-based education and training to reduce injury risk.

Abstract submissions are open yearly from November to March (exact dates change annually). See the Abstract Submission and Presentation Guidelines for more information (below). Research abstract presentations are an opportunity to present current research findings to researchers and strength and conditioning professionals at the NSCA National Conference.

An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear is one of the most frequent injuries experienced by athletes of all levels. Because so many variables are at play, there is a great deal of controversy about how and why this occurs. In addition, there are various suggested appropriate steps to take to return to sport in the fastest and safest possible way. However, a major issue in injury recovery and return to sport practices is the lack of a gold-standard method or a consistent course of action that an athlete should undertake after suffering an ACL injury. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to review the literature to determine evidence-based methods for return to sport after ACL reconstruction and provide practical recommendations to guide the process.

Congratulations to the NSCA's 2022 winners! This page is updated as new award winners are named throughout the year.

Join the 2026 NSCA Coaching for Impact Sports Performance Summit in Columbia, SC, Sept. 26. Build athlete readiness with recovery + sport science. Earn 0.8 CEUs