The NSCA Foundation is honored to announce the recipients of its 2025 Scholarships. This year, we will be awarding 51 exceptional students and professionals to support their pursuit of academic excellence and career advancement.

Colorado Springs, CO – The National Strength and Conditioning Association Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of the foundation’s 2019 scholarships. Since the Foundation’s creation in 2007, it has awarded 455 scholarships, which includes the 38 new recipients this year.

Hear from two-time Olympian, Meg Stone, the first female strength and conditioning coach to head both men’s and women’s strength programs at a major American university. Stone shares her story from being an elite discus thrower towards an unexpected coaching career, with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Manager, Eric McMahon. She discusses what she believes needs to change to further the strength and conditioning field in support of athlete health and safety. Stone also tells us about what makes the Sport Science Program at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) so unique and beneficial for students. The episode highlights the ongoing work of the NSCA for the prevention of catastrophic injury and sudden death in sport. You can read more about this topic in a recent NSCA press release: NSCA Reaffirms Position on Appropriate Qualifications for Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches. Connect with Meg by email at stoneme@etsu.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

The VO2max test is the most effective measurement of the body’s ability to deliver and use oxygen for producing energy that can be used by the muscles. VO2max (i.e., maximum aerobic power) simply stands for the maximal volume of oxygen that can be used.

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.

This article explains the specific considerations of building a tactical training space and how to maximize the potential of the dedicated space by having a stable of equipment that reflects the needs of the audience.

Hear from the 2023 NSCA Assistant College Coach of the Year, Gary Calcagno, from Oklahoma State University. In this episode, Calcagno shares highlights from a more than 30-year strength and conditioning career and how being resourceful as a once aspiring coach prepared him for lasting professional success with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon. Calcagno also discusses his long history with the NSCA, recent areas of progress across the profession, and the role of quality leadership in managing a successful strength and conditioning program. You can reach Gary by email at gary.calcagno@okstate.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Weightlifting is a highly technical sport that is governed by interactions of phases to optimize the load lifted. Given the technicality of the snatch and the clean and jerk, understanding key stable components to identify errors and better prescribe relevant exercises are warranted. The aim of this article is to present an applied method of analysis for coaches that considers the biomechanical underpinnings of optimal technique through stable interactions of the kinetics and kinematics of the lifter and barbell at key phases of the lift. This article will also look to discuss variable components that may differentiate between athletes and therefore provide a foundation in what to identify when coaching weightlifting to optimize load lifted while allowing for individual variances.