Sam Moore’s path into sport science is defined by taking risks and chasing meaningful questions. After a devastating knee injury as a collegiate athlete, Moore not only returned to compete, but she also discovered her calling in strength and conditioning. She recounts her coaching, sport science, and hybrid roles prior to leaving a full-time position to pursue her PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Moore describes sport science as problem-solving and drawing evidence across disciplines to drive innovation. She discusses her research on female athlete availability in elite settings, including nuances like body composition, recovery, and high speed exposure in training. Moore advises young professionals to remain open-minded, pitch their ideal position if it does not exist, and go “all in”— knowing one decision does not define forever. Whether you are a coach or researcher, this episode delivers real-world insights on navigating your career with courage and curiosity. Connect with Sam on Instagram: @sammoorestrong and Twitter/X: @SamMooreStrong | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

Learn what it takes to become a strength and conditioning coach. Explore what strength coaches do, work environments, average salaries, and how to get started.

NSCA has a network of volunteer leaders who direct NSCA’s efforts at the state level. NSCA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Coordinator provides oversight and training to local state directors. Members in the Mid-Atlantic Region can connect at local and regional events as well as on Facebook to others in this area.

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.

There are numerous complexities involved in teaching the Olympic-style lifts. This article explains one way to teach the power clean progression and some coaching cues that can be used to teach sport or tactical athletes in a group setting.

Focusing on developing the core muscles in a strength and conditioning program for ice hockey players can improve performance of movements on the ice.

This section from the book, Developing Endurance, gives an overview of how to plan and develop a program for endurance athletes by following four steps.

Dr. Allison Randall, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Vanderbilt University Women’s Basketball Program, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about how her path to the 2012 London Olympic Games as an athlete led her to pursue the strength and conditioning profession. Topics include the use of appropriate cueing strategies to optimize work with young athletes, differences with team versus individual sports, and the importance of education for coaches. Find Dr. Randall on Twitter: @AllisonVRandall or Instagram: @allisonvrandall | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

This NSCA Coach article focuses on the in-season resistance training and mobility exercises designed for the 100-m sprint track and field high school athlete.

This excerpt from NSCA’s Essentials of Sport Science highlights the importance of quantifying training load for both programming and monitoring an athlete’s progression or regression over time.