Planning and designing training programs for a new group of athletes (e.g., a new recruiting class or a new coaching job) can be problematic without a base level understanding of the athletes’ current skill levels. This article describes one system that can be used to determine an athlete's self-confidence on different exercises.

This article in NSCA Coach examines whether athletic coaches, educators, and institutions are adequately prepared to support athletes through athletic retirement. Visit NSCA online to learn more on LTAD and coaching strategies.

The purpose of this article is to provide strength and conditioning coaches with practical knowledge from the framework of self-determination theory to facilitate student-athlete motivation within the weight room across varying sports.

This article from Personal Training Quarterly looks at training plans based on menstrual health to help personal trainers better support female clients. Visit NSCA online to read more on athletic performance, health, and fitness.

The purpose of this article is to explore some phrases that strength and conditioning coaches may hear or behaviors they may witness, and provide some direction to identify which allied healthcare and performance professionals may need to get involved to best help the strength and conditioning coach and athlete elevate their performance.

In the first of a two part series, this article explores the possible benefits for strength and conditioning coach development and discusses how mindful meditation can improve reflective practice and the coach-athlete relationship.

Christina Rasnake, Director of Sport Science and Analytics at the University of Delaware, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the budding future of sport science in college athletics. Topics under discussion include the staffing of sport science initiatives, effective communication across departments, and how technology and wellness surveys can support actionable change in the coaching process. Find Christina on Twitter: @Coach_Raz26 | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

This article seeks to explore weight bias and provide strategies to reduce weight bias behaviors.

Part 2 of this article series explores the possible benefits of mindful meditation for coach development as well as how it can improve reflective practice and the coach-athlete relationship.

Approximately 2 million youth from 6 - 12 years of age participate in football every year. This article discusses the importance of long-term athletic development (LTAD) for youth football athletes and the significance of a player development pathway for long-term success and longevity in the sport.