This article discusses the influence of lower-body power on soccer performance in collegiate female soccer players. It also covers testing for muscular power qualities, different training modalities to use, and sample training programs as examples.

This article in NSCA Coach examines practical strategies to mitigate LEA and enhance performance in female soccer players. Visit NSCA online to learn more on sports science and exercise research.

Ryan Metzger, Senior Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for Clemson University, talks to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about their internship program going virtual amidst the pandemic to provide young strength coaches the education they need to grow despite the lack of in-person training. Topics of discussion also include early sport specialization and burnout, as well as being a role model for female athletes. Find Ryan on Instagram: @clemsonolystrength or @coach_metz | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Strength training is an often neglected aspect of training for distance athletes. This article gives an overview of the importance of strength training for collegiate female distance runners by providing a sample of an annual training program and considerations to increase performance and avoid injury.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 64th Annual Meeting was held in Denver, CO May 30 – June 3, 2017. Overall, there were more than 50 presentations with a military focus, an indication of the importance of this research. The following is a review of some of the presented research.

Adequate nutrition generally promotes training adaptations and thus optimal performance. Adolescence is characterized by a pubescence growth spurt, increasing energy and nutrient needs. Most team sports literature focuses on male athletes, with little on adolescent female team sports. Adolescent female athletes are at an increased risk of inadequate energy, and micronutrient intakes because of the pursuit of high fitness levels, and society pressures. This may cause hormonal irregularities, delayed development, poor bone health, and increased risk of injury. This review synthesizes information on the nutritional needs of adolescent female team sport players for performance and health.

The purpose of this article is to share the importance of the menstrual cycle’s effects on elite athlete performance, and how these effects should influence the training and recovery of high-performing athletic women.

This article serves to educate strength and conditioning coaches on the influence exercise can have on the various hormonal pathways that are impacted by polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), including insulin resistance, cortisol, testosterone, follicle-stimulating, and luteinizing hormones.

Much in the same way that a single movement or a single workout does not make or break a training cycle, the same holds true for mental skills. The challenge is that the strength and conditioning coach will likely need to reach out to another professional trained in sport psychology to help establish the plan and construct the appropriate interventions.

NSCA Member Spotlight: Diane Homan shares her journey from club volleyball to coaching youth and professional athletes, built on NSCA credentials and community.