Former collegiate hockey athlete Cole Hergott thrived in the offseason, but it took a setback to accelerate his path in strength and conditioning. After losing his spot on the team, he channeled his work ethic into interning with Trinity Western University. Years later, he returned to his alma mater as Head Strength and Conditioning Coach. Only 25 at the time, Hergott recounts the unique challenge of coaching athletes who were older or previous classmates. Leading over 300 athletes as the sole full-time strength and conditioning coach, he quickly learned to “write all your plans in pencil,” while building trust, optimizing logistics, and adapting through COVID-19 disruptions. Hergott emphasizes mentorship and encourages coaches to lean on those who navigated similar challenges. As part of the NSCA British Columbia Advisory Board, he encourages listeners to share their practical insights at local events. Hergott’s journey underscores the value of continual growth and embracing uncertainty. Connect with Cole via email at cole.hergott@twu.ca | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs | Join the NSCA Canadian Community on LinkedIn! Learn more about volunteering with the NSCA at the local level at NSCA.com/Volunteer. Interested in presenting at a local or national NSCA event? Submit your application here.

Brett Bartholomew, founder of the performance coaching and consulting company, The Bridge Human Performance, talks to the NSCA Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, Scott Caulfield, about learning what drives people, how to interact effectively with others, adapting to change, and the value in learning from other fields.

This infographic displays the meta-analysis details of 36 studies and the effects of postactivation potentiation with heavy loads on vertical jump performance.

This infographic explains how to build a load-velocity profile for velocity-based training (VBT), and is the second of a three part series explaining the theory behind and application of VBT.

Bobby Smith, Owner and Director of Sports Performance at Reach Your Potential Training (RYPT), explains his systematic approach to writing a warm-up by implementing mobility, stability, activation, and injury prevention in this session from the NSCA’s 2018 National Conference.

Due to the high contact and intensity of football, injuries to the players are inevitable. Strength and conditioning coaches play a vital role in the athlete’s process of return to sport. This article is a detailed outline of the solutions that are involved with transitioning a football player from rehabilitation to strength and conditioning back to the field.

Dr. Allison Randall, Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Vanderbilt University Women’s Basketball Program, talks to the NSCA Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager, Eric McMahon, about how her path to the 2012 London Olympic Games as an athlete led her to pursue the strength and conditioning profession. Topics include the use of appropriate cueing strategies to optimize work with young athletes, differences with team versus individual sports, and the importance of education for coaches. Find Dr. Randall on Twitter: @AllisonVRandall or Instagram: @allisonvrandall | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs or Twitter: @ericmcmahoncscs

This article focuses on exercises that strengthen the gluteal muscles for abduction to help reduce knee pain in full range of motion and promote proper movement in the primary knee joints.

This infographic breaks down training on different surfaces and how they affect performance outcomes.

From the 2020 NSCA Delaware State Clinic, Gordon Jeter and Terique Boyd discuss socioeconomics and how it ties into social issues within the field of strength and conditioning. They also provide actionable pathways for coaches to address these issues and expand the scope of available resources to help provide better educational and occupational opportunities.