Dan Jahn, the owner of Maximum Sports Conditioning, talks to NSCA’s Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about cultural awareness for strength and conditioning coaches. Jahn discusses recent racial incidences related to coaches and athletes, and suggests ways that coaches and administrators can do better in promoting positive conversations around these difficult topics. Jahn also shares his experience as a private strength and conditioning business owner in the greater Seattle area and perspectives on being a well-rounded coach and mentor. Find Dan on Instagram: @daniel_jahn and follow the NSCA Diversity and Inclusion Committee on Facebook | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

When collegiate athletes are also cadets, coaching requires adaptability and flexibility at its finest. In this Gatorade Performance Partner Special Episode, Scott Caulfield shares his coaching philosophy as the first Director of Strength and Conditioning at Norwich University, a senior military college. Coach Caulfield oversees 23 varsity teams and over 600 student-athletes — including Corps of Cadets members and civilians — while also serving as a campuswide resource and adjunct instructor. With field training taking precedence, he describes adapting to varying student needs, goals, and readiness levels. As a veteran and Vermont native, he reflects on returning home and the higher service component of preparing students for careers beyond sport. Coach Caulfield also brings his certified therapy dogs into the weight room, creating an “immediate barrier breakdown” that helps students feel at ease. He calls on coaches to get involved, take advantage of NSCA Foundation opportunities, and keep pushing the profession forward. Reach out to Coach Caulfield on Instagram at: @coachcaulfield, and see his weight room therapy dogs at: @atm_riv_g_therapydogs. Explore the latest from the Norwich weight room at: @norwichsc | Email Jon at: jonathan.jost@pepsico.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs. Explore scholarships, grants, and assistantships at NSCA.com/Foundation. Apply for volunteer leadership opportunities by December 15 at NSCA.com/Volunteer. Read the free TSAC Report article on coaching philosophy to enhance communication between strength and conditioning professionals and firefighters, co-authored by Scott Caulfield. This special episode is brought to you in part by Gatorade Performance Partner. Learn more and join their community at GatoradePerformancePartner.com.

Football is evolving fast, and the coaches who keep pace are the ones who control what they can and win the little details. Ted Rath, Director of Sports Performance for the New Orleans Saints, reflects on over 15 years in the National Football League (NFL). He explains how training times, availability, and sheer athleticism have shifted with the game's expansion. Rath makes the case for gaining a well-rounded experience by coaching different sports, seeking knowledge, and being patient on your path. He also shares his linear progression approach to sport science that keeps new tools actionable and avoids technology overload. With players now arriving more educated and invested in their data, creating understanding and buy-in remains essential. Rath reveals that his coaching philosophy and culture starts with “leading yourself,” emphasizing ownership and helping others. Apply his perspective to protect availability, dial in the little details, and integrate sport science with purpose. Reach out to Ted on Instagram: @tedrathstrengthcoach | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Catch Ted’s session, “The Future of Training in Professional Football,” at the 2026 NSCA National Conference in New Orleans, July 8–11. Sign up early and save at NSCA.com/NSCACon.

Dave Forman, Director of Strength and Conditioning at Virginia Military Institute, talks to the former NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about becoming a strength coach. Topics under discussion include communication with athletes, appreciating the growth as a coach over time, and creating lasting impressions and relationships with athletes. Find Dave on Twitter: @VMIStrength

Alex Calder, Head of Sports Science for the Houston Dynamo Major League Soccer (MLS) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about sports science data driving better decisions on and off the field. Topics under discussion include the importance of traditional strength training for soccer players, as well as, the variety of strength and conditioning opportunities there are to gain experience from at the high school, college, private, and professional level of sports. Find Alex on Twitter: @calder_05 or Instagram: @calder_05 | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Hear from the widely-respected, Rob Glass, Assistant AD for Athletic Performance at Oklahoma State University (OSU), an influential figure in the success of the OSU and University of Florida athletics programs over his four decades in the strength and conditioning profession. Coach Glass connects with the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, on the importance of professionalism among strength and conditioning coaches, and specific qualities he looks for in strength and conditioning coaches joining the OSU staff. This episode highlights the importance of history and experience in developing effective training programs for your coaching environment, and how the student-athletes of today benefit more from our improved coaching practices. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear impactful lessons of character and leadership that can help push your career forward. You can connect with Coach Glass by email at rob.glass@okstate.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Deloading is widespread, but its application is often inconsistent and undervalued. That gap caught Lee Bell’s attention after discovering there was no consensus definition. Bell is a Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University who focuses on the deloading, overtraining, and overreaching spectrum. He explains how overtraining and overreaching are sometimes used synonymously. That confusion is compounded further by associations with overtraining syndrome (OTS). Instead, Bell frames overreaching as a “window of opportunity” when used intentionally. For example, a planned overreach can be functional or non-functional based on recovery. Bell also examines opportunities and tradeoffs in modern periodization models. He contrasts flexible and fluid approaches with more traditional, rigid programming; each approach has implications for athlete trust and recovery. Looking ahead, Bell envisions a collaborative approach to sport science driven by coaching needs. He reflects on recent coaching survey data and the key themes that emerged for the future. Hear his perspective on next steps in velocity-based training, individualized periodization, and variability. Reach out to Lee via Instagram: @lee3ell and LinkedIn: @lee-bell| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs → Read the SCJ article co-authored by Lee Bell referenced in this episode: A Practical Approach to Deloading: Recommendations and Considerations for Strength and Physique Sports.

Thadeus Jackson, Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Green Bay Packers National Football League (NFL) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about the importance of a support system in your career. Topics under discussion include the dynamics of working with professional athletes and how strategic data collection can make your organization better. Find Thadeus on LinkedIn: Thadeus Jackson | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

In this episode, we learn from Emily Schilling, an Associate Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Illinois Fighting Illini Volleyball team. She shares her needs analysis for the growing sport of volleyball with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, including thoughts for training team sports, different positions on the court, and the progression from first-year students through graduation. Another important topic covered is the professional pathways strength and conditioning coaches take to gain meaningful early-career coaching experiences and pursue higher-level director roles. Hear about beyond the weightroom demands placed on college student-athletes today, and how National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) “Name, Image, Likeness” (NIL) policies are a topic that strength and conditioning coaches should learn about. You can connect with Emily via email at esselman@illinois.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Autumn Lockwood knows football. As the daughter of a collegiate football coach, she’s been attending games and “breathing football” since she was born. Now, she holds a highly coveted full-time position as an Associate Performance Coach for the National Football League (NFL) Philadelphia Eagles. But this was not always her plan. Follow her unique professional path, from a criminal justice major and aspiring Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) special agent to coaching at football’s highest level. Learn how the Philadelphia Eagles cultivate a championship culture through never-ending development, strategic staffing, and sport science initiatives. She recounts how mentorship, building a village, and networking enabled her successful career switch. Lockwood and McMahon also discuss coaching challenges and ways the NSCA can push the profession forward through diverse collaboration, uncomfortable conversations, and deeper in-person connections. They conclude by breaking down the calendar training year, key performance indicators, and athlete profiling in professional football. Connect with Autumn via Instagram: @autumnlockwood, LinkedIn: @autumn-lockwood, or email: alockwood@eagles.nfl.com | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Love football? Join your fellow professionals in the NSCA Football Special Interest Group! This episode discusses the intangible rewards of volunteering, like opening career doors and making connections. Want to get involved? Check out NSCA.com/Volunteer for opportunities.