This article provides a personal perspective on the art of coaching that stems from acquired knowledge, education, and real-world application through professional sports experience from working in human performance.

Sheri Walters’ journey to Director of Sports Medicine at Texas A&M University reflects a career defined by innovation, collaboration, and comprehensive integration. Walters discusses the "arms race" in collegiate athletics and how Texas A&M shatters silos through unit alignment and being intentionally present. Drawing from her EXOS experience, she highlights the impact of integrating sports medicine with strength and conditioning. Walters employs research-based cross-body training to maintain strength, prioritizing long-term rehabilitation over limb symmetry index testing. She explains how her Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist® (CSCS®) and Certified Performance and Sport Scientist® (CPSS®) credentials enable her to elevate rehabilitation and speak the language of sport performance professionals. Walters underscores the importance of getting student-athletes back to team strength and conditioning as soon as tissues can tolerate it to promote physiological and psychological healing. She also shares how strength and conditioning coaches can optimize return to performance and reduce reinjury risk. Email Sheri at swalters@athletics.tamu.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Catch Sheri’s session on bridging the gap in the collegiate setting LIVE at the 2025 NSCA Coaches Conference! Register to watch online at NSCA.com/Coaches. Fascinated by the intersection between strength and conditioning and sports medicine? Join other professionals in the Sports Medicine/Rehabilitation Specialist Interest Group (SIG) to discover more resources and engage in discussion.

This article takes a closer look at training strength and stiffness in connective tissues.

This article discusses how suspension-based resistance training may help develop the stability and muscular endurance in the shoulder joint needed to decrease the risk of shoulder injuries as a result of the demands of firefighting.

The Sports Medicine/Return to Performance Specialist Award is given to a sports medicine professional whose work and contributions have significantly impacted the field of sports medicine or rehabilitation for athletes.

An organized, science-based, and evidence-based periodized program that is guided by capable and competent professionals is the most efficient and effective way to accomplish the task of returning from a shoulder injury to full active duty. The concepts of periodization paired with evidence-based strength and conditioning interventions provides the framework needed for tactical facilitators to accomplish this task.

This excerpt from Developing the Core discusses two testing methods that may predict a strong or weak core based on how well the participant completes the task.

The first in a planned article series to review essential considerations of each Functional Movement Screen (FMS™) pattern, this article will examine the FMS active straight leg raise (ASLR).

This article gives a firsthand account of working in a few of the United States Army’s earlier human performance and injury reduction programs as a strength coach and active-duty physical therapist.