The top concern of strength coaches should always be athlete safety. For this reason, the NSCA has compiled a list of resources to raise the standard of care when working as a strength coach at any level. By reading and sharing these examples of standards and guidelines, policies and procedures, position statements on vital topics, mental health best practices, and more, strength coaches can push to increase the safety of athletes around the world.
Liane Blyn, Director of Olympic Sports at Appalachian State University and world record holding powerlifter, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about what she tries to impart to interns to prepare them for the field, how being a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC) has benefitted her as a strength coach, and advice for up-and-coming strength and conditioning coaches.
Strength and conditioning professionals who incorporate a properly designed and supervised training program can help their young athletes train, compete, and reduce the likelihood of injury.
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Athletic performance can be enhanced through the use of implementing various unstructured, semi-structured, and structured play from the 12 types of play. These can be performed in the weight room, at a sports practice, or even at home.
Self-myofascial release (SMR) through the use of foam rolling or other implements is a time and cost-efficient method of increasing performance and recovery.
Personal trainersExercise Techniqueexercise recoveryself-myofascial releaseSMRFoam rolling
In order to develop athletes who can move optimally in multiple planes of motion, training should include elements that can challenge them in multiple planes while providing various resistance and proprioceptive challenges.
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It is important for strength and conditioning coaches, sport coaches, athletic trainers, and administrators to recognize and address the evidence of stress within student-athletes in order to avoid chronic stress-related anxiety and injury.
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The purpose of this article is to strongly suggest and offer a pragmatic and stepwise approach that takes into account the ideas and concepts of shared decision making that allows for the “best practices,” pre-participation screenings, evaluations, and stratification flow charts for safe and effective return to play for athletes.
CoachesProgram designAcclimationHealth Risk ScreeningCOVID-19Resistance Training