This NSCA Coach article provides a framework for strength and conditioning professionals to support athletes in accessing appropriate mental health services. Visit NSCA online to read more on mental health and sport performance.

For Keith Swift, coaching is completely effort based, but it starts with camaraderie and education. As Director of Strength and Conditioning at Wofford College, his philosophy is clear: educate, heal, and enhance. While playing collegiate football and studying exercise science, Swift learned early to question the “why” behind training and encourages his student-athletes to do the same. At an academically rigorous institution, his educational focus fits right in, fostering curiosity, technical precision, and peer coaching. Swift shares how his experiences across professional baseball, the private sector, and collegiate programs each shaped his foundation while making it his own. Amid collegiate challenges — from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) transfer portal to the growing authority of student-athletes — Swift holds firm that “there is no substitute for hard work.” His goal is simple: help student-athletes leave with both a degree and a championship ring, setting them up for success in sport and life. Reach out to Coach Swift on Instagram: @worqueowt and @wofford_strength, Twitter/X: @CoachSwift93, LinkedIn: @keithswift, or by email: swiftkd@wofford.edu | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Discover how salaries have evolved across collegiate athletics and other work settings in strength and conditioning in the 2025 NSCA Salary Survey at NSCA.com/Salary.

This article seeks to analyze the needs analysis for emergency medical service (EMS) personnel and provide sample strength and conditioning programming for EMS personnel.

This article discusses the possible benefits of creatine supplementation for tactical athletes and their cognitive function.

This article builds upon two other client assessment tools (breathing and posture, as seen in Personal Training Quarterly Issues 5.3 and 6.1, respectively) and discusses ways to assess client movement.

In this episode with Associate Head Coach of Athletic Performance, Anna Craig, you will learn how “Annual Strategic Planning” improves the professionalism and unity of the University of Texas (UT) Olympic Strength and Conditioning Department. Craig shares her coaching philosophy and talks about the role of mentors during her tenure at UT with NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon. This episode stresses the importance of building autonomy in student-athletes and having humility to effectively manage staff dynamics within collegiate strength and conditioning. Learn about how Craig’s off-campus work, coaching in the private sector, allows her to grow professionally. Tune in for some useful tips on staff and facility management. Connect with Anna on Instagram at: @annaecraig or by email at: anna.craig@utexas.edu| Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs

The purpose of this article is to examine components that affect speed to determine the degree that speed is governed by skill versus genetic factors.

Alex Calder, Head of Sports Science for the Houston Dynamo Major League Soccer (MLS) team, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about sports science data driving better decisions on and off the field. Topics under discussion include the importance of traditional strength training for soccer players, as well as, the variety of strength and conditioning opportunities there are to gain experience from at the high school, college, private, and professional level of sports. Find Alex on Twitter: @calder_05 or Instagram: @calder_05 | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

Learn the path towards working as a National Basketball Association (NBA) strength and conditioning coach, from coaching veteran Jesse Wright. Wright is a former President of the National Basketball Strength and Conditioning Association (NBSCA), and talks about how being a part of this group with fellow NBA coaches has improved advocacy and representation for strength and conditioning coaches in the NBA. Wright also shares his research relating to sociology and cultural topics to strength and conditioning. If you missed his presentation at the 2022 NSCA Coaches Conference in San Antonio, TX, Wright recaps this topic as it connects to the coaching experience. Tune in to learn steps towards becoming a more adaptable coach. Connect with Jesse on Instagram at: @jessekwright and on Twitter: @wrightstrength | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs To learn more about strength and conditioning in the NBA, check out the National Basketball Strength and Conditioning Association (NBSCA). The Intent Is To Grow: A Young Coach Is Guided Along The Path To Becoming A True Professional

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