The All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award program recognize those collegiate and high school athletes whose athletic accomplishments reflect their dedication to strength training and conditioning.

For many coaches, there comes a point when coaching can become less about proving yourself and more about serving others. Loren Landow, Director of Football Performance at the University of Notre Dame, shares how that shift informs his approach to training, hiring, and leading in elite football. Landow distinguishes workouts from training; every block has a targeted goal, and every off-season is a chance to build brotherhood, uphold standards, and compete in everything they do. Landow also reflects on his path from cardiopulmonary rehabilitation to the private sector, the National Football League (NFL), and the University of Notre Dame. For him, when you can “weather the storm,” no career step is wasted. On the technical side, he argues that movement is his largest key performance indicator (KPI). Landow explains that deceleration is trainable, and athletes need movement literacy before reactive work. Listen to help solidify your standards, coach movement with intent, and adapt a service-first lens to last in the profession. Connect with Loren on Instagram: @lorenlandow or by email: LLandow@nd.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Join the NSCA Football Special Interest Group (SIG) on LinkedIn to connect with other coaches and stay current on football strength and conditioning best practices.

This article in NSCA Coach explores the role of agility training in college baseball. Learn more on sports performance and exercise science online at NSCA.com

This article contains a non-exhaustive list of items that should be included in a strength and conditioning department policies and procedures manual.

Hear from 2022 NSCA Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Dan Dalrymple. Dalrymple shares insight, advice, and comparisons on working with players at the college and professional levels. He also mentions his special career connection with 2022 NSCA College Strength and Conditioning Coach, Liane Blyn. Tune in as Dalrymple talks to NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about professional development for coaches, and how the NSCA played a valuable role throughout his career development. Connect with Dan on Instagram: @dan_dalrymple | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

How can lessons from professional football help you prepare injured athletes to return to competition? Thomas Myslinski III is the Reconditioning and Return to Football Coach for the New York Jets in the National Football League (NFL). A third-generation strength and conditioning coach, Myslinski recalls the joy of tagging along at NFL training camps with his father, who encouraged him to learn beyond one specialty. He discusses workload management and how sport science helps him understand each player’s progress. Myslinski reverse engineers each player’s programming from sport demands and adjusts it to their current capacity. He describes himself and his sports medicine counterpart as “partners in everything” and explains how he keeps fellow strength and conditioning coaches informed. Looking ahead, he considers how strength coaches can match technology to training goals and plan recovery as deliberately as training. Hear what you need to know about a returning player, and what information your colleagues need you to share.

Before implementing an agility training program, baseline measures of change of direction ability should be assessed. This article presents norms for three tests that can be used to assess change of direction ability.

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.

Meet the 2026 NSCA Career Awards recipients and learn about their leadership, service, and contributions, which will be honored at the NSCA National Conference.

Football is evolving fast, and the coaches who keep pace are the ones who control what they can and win the little details. Ted Rath, Director of Sports Performance for the New Orleans Saints, reflects on over 15 years in the National Football League (NFL). He explains how training times, availability, and sheer athleticism have shifted with the game's expansion. Rath makes the case for gaining a well-rounded experience by coaching different sports, seeking knowledge, and being patient on your path. He also shares his linear progression approach to sport science that keeps new tools actionable and avoids technology overload. With players now arriving more educated and invested in their data, creating understanding and buy-in remains essential. Rath reveals that his coaching philosophy and culture starts with “leading yourself,” emphasizing ownership and helping others. Apply his perspective to protect availability, dial in the little details, and integrate sport science with purpose. Reach out to Ted on Instagram: @tedrathstrengthcoach | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Catch Ted’s session, “The Future of Training in Professional Football,” at the 2026 NSCA National Conference in New Orleans, July 8–11. Sign up early and save at NSCA.com/NSCACon.