The purpose of this article is to bring awareness and provide an overview of emerging areas within strength and conditioning and sport science.

This episode of the NSCA’s Coaching Podcast features the 2024 NSCA College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Brijesh Patel. Patel shares decades of wisdom and experience with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, including valuable lessons to support a fulfilling strength and conditioning career and avoid coach burnout. Learn about the journey of the 2023 Quinnipiac University National Champions Men’s Ice Hockey Team from the strength and conditioning coach’s perspective. Patel explains how program resources and support from administration can make or break the success of a program. From lessons on mentorship to putting in the work in support of professional development, this is an episode you will not want to miss. Connect with Brijesh online at coachbpatel.com or by email: brijesh.patel@qu.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs Also, here is the link to nominate a colleague or mentor for an NSCA Coach of the Year Award!

This NSCA Coach article summarizes key findings on coach-focused strategies to help educators use resistance training to support healthy youth development. Visit NSCA online to read more on mental health and youth sports.

The administration and measurement of youth power development has become more available and familiar with the advances of technology. This excerpt introduces varieties of testing and administration practices to assess power in the youth population.

Programming for the Novice Athlete

The Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) is a speed shooting competition designed for school-aged youth. The key to training a successful SASP competitor is to not overlook the often forgotten balance and eccentric training exercises that target key muscle groups involved in the competition. An implementation of balance and eccentric training is suggested to aid the performance of young shooters in competition.

Strength and conditioning professionals must be proactive in fighting the challenges associated with time constraints and overtraining with their youth athletes. By applying the strategies explained in this article, a strength and conditioning professional can help a youth athlete perform at a high level when it matters the most.

Learn how strength and power training can help your clients boost production of the hormones that many consider to be the “fountain of youth.”

Strength and conditioning professionals who incorporate a properly designed and supervised training program can help their young athletes train, compete, and reduce the likelihood of injury.

Coaches can help children and adolescents develop athletic ability by including motor skills training into sports practice and training. This approach is called integrative neuromuscular training.