Learn about the basics of the high school strength and conditioning coach profession: description, responsibilities, qualifications, pay, advantages, and challenges.

Brian Gearity, Program Director and Professor of the Master of Arts in Sport Coaching program at the University of Denver talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about the sociology of strength and conditioning. Topics under discussion include continuing education, becoming a writer, and how to coach a variety of people. Find Brian on Twitter: @DrGearity | Find Scott on Instagram: @coachcaulfield

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) is proud to announce the recipients of the organization’s 2024 Career and Service Awards. Given annually, the distinguished Career Awards honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the strength and conditioning community throughout their careers. Additionally, the Service Awards recognize those who have provided exceptional dedication and support to the NSCA’s journals or State and Provincial Director Program. Each winner will be formally recognized at the 2024 NSCA National Conference in Baltimore, MD, this July 10-13.

Learn 7 ways that strength & conditioning professionals can recognize mental health concerns, respond effectively, & provide support while staying within scope.

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.

The purpose of this article is to help bring awareness of athletic recovery by useful fatigue monitoring and managing tools, such as external and internal load examples.

Mary Kate Feit, Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Strength and Conditioning at Springfield College, and Adam Feit, Coordinator of Physical and Mental Performance at Springfield College and Assistant Director of Performance Nutrition at Precision Nutrition, talk to the NSCA Coaching Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about being a married couple in the world of strength and conditioning. Topics under discussion include the unique positions they hold at Springfield College, how becoming parents has changed their perspective on coaching, and why diversity is so important for the future of the field. Connect with Mary Kate via email: mfeit@springfield.edu | Find Adam on Twitter: @Adam_Feit or Instagram @aefeit | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Between the physiological, cognitive, and tactical skill demands, this article explains why fighter pilots should be considered tactical athletes and have access to resources like a professional sport athlete.

Competence, autonomy, and relatedness are three keys to promoting a more intrinsically motivated athlete. These components can be combined in nearly limitless ways, which is especially important for the long basketball season.

If the strength and conditioning field largely keeps to itself, or the knowledge base is not seen to transcend the training facility, it seems reasonable to think that this will present a problem for strength and conditioning coaches. This article examines some actions strength and conditioning coaches can take to increase the awareness of the good work they do on a daily basis.