Colorado Springs, CO – Coaches Bill Foran, Jeff Connors, and Domenic Reno recognized for their career accomplishments at the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s Coaches Conference on January 4, 2017 in Nashville, TN.

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

The private sector is growing, and so is the competition. With low barriers to entry and clients cycling in and out of programs, you need a strong business strategy to stand out and build staying power. Gini Grimsley draws on her experience across commercial fitness and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) leadership to address top questions coaches are asking: Where is the smartest place to start? How do you set your rates? How do you grow a client base in a new community? Grimsley distinguishes between being certified and being qualified, noting credentials open the door while applied experience takes you further. She introduces a framework for “periodizing your paycheck,” reverse-engineering income goals into a viable revenue model. Grimsley also outlines how to integrate into established communities and balance hybrid in-person and online coaching. If you are exploring the private sector or refining your approach, gain practical strategies to find your niche and achieve career flexibility. Reach out to Gini on Instagram: @gdotgperiod, LinkedIn: @gini-grimsley-ms-cscs, or by email: trainwithgini@gmail.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Make sure your voice is represented in the profession. Join an NSCA Professional Development Group (PDG) to influence the resources and decisions that impact your segment of the field

Build your professional opportunities and invest in the future growth of the NSCA through volunteer leadership positions.

Get the Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, Fifth Edition — a trusted resource for strength and conditioning professionals and CSCS® exam prep.

Steve Rassel, Associate Athletic Director and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Webber International University, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about how to develop staff and interns to help them be successful coaches, and about work-life balance.

Check out NSCA's featured videos and collection of video resources.

This article aims to share practical application strategies that strength and conditioning coaches can use in fostering a positive change in their athlete’s performance by understanding intrinsic and extrinsic performance motivation and how to adopt an autonomy-supportive coaching style.

Joel Raether, owner of Authentic Performance in Denver, CO, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about how to get started and then progress as a strength and conditioning professional. Early on, it takes plenty of long hard hours to get to a high level in this profession, but as you find your way, you must find a balance between work and life. Developing relationships is the biggest part of moving forward and being successful with high level athletes.